Q: What's the difference between Christianity and other religions? People say it's "different" but I don't understand.

I've touched on this question in a previous post. The fundamental difference between Christianity and other religions is that Christianity is based upon the person and work of Jesus Christ - the only true God and savior. It is through Christ alone that a person can be saved and have a relationship with God. Let me explain. When we talk about Christianity being "different," what we really mean is that it is the exclusive (and therefore TRUE) way to God. However...

We are not saying there are no truth in other religions. Every culture & religion has some expression of God’s truth. To claim that there is no other name but Jesus doesn’t mean other religions don’t have truth; it is however to claim that those truths are to be examined in light of Jesus Christ who claims to the Truth (John 14:6). C.S. Lewis once wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” Lewis isn’t saying you can’t see other truths, but that by Jesus (who is THE Truth), we can truly understand other truths.

We are not saying we cannot learn from other religions. Christians can learn a great deal from the rest of the world. The intensity of which a Hindu seeks God can make us look like hypocrites. The discipline a Muslim can make us look very lazy. The missionary commitment of a Mormon puts us to shame.

We are not saying that Christianity is the one true religion. Christianity is not the savior; Christ is.

Christianity is claiming that Jesus Christ in the one and only savior who can deliver us from our sins. HE is the issue here. Your friends may say, “Christians are hypocrites” – but that’s not the issue. Yes, there are bad Christians (who don’t love as Jesus loved), but there are also those who follow Jesus and love and would be considered “good Christians.” In the same way, we can say there are bad and good Buddhists, or Mormons, or Muslims. This is not the issue. Christians are not claiming that following their religion gets them to heaven or saves them; Christians are claiming that Jesus does. So Jesus is really the issue; who do you think Jesus is? Why do think this way? On what basis do you believe or not believe who he says he is?

Additionally, we are saying:

Christianity is not the only religion that claims exclusivity. Your friend is wrong to say that Christianity is narrow-minded, while other religions are open-minded. All religions teach different things and therefore are exclusive by nature. Imagine a person says this: “All Chinese look alike.” What would you say about this person? Two things: (1) This person is obviously not Chinese (2) He lacks interest in Chinese people because he never looks at them very hard. It’s the same thing with religion. Let's take a look at some examples...

Muslims radically claim exclusivity - not just theologically but linguistically. They believe that the sole and sufficient miracle of Islam is the Koran. They also believe that it is only recognizable in Arabic and that any translation makes it unsacred.

Hinduism is uncompromising on 3 issues: The law of karma (law of moral cause and effect); the authority of their scriptures (Vedas) and reincarnation.

Buddhism doesn’t believe in a personal God at all

New Age followers believe they are God

Baha’ism claims cosmic embrace of all religions, which means they are excluding exclusivists!

What I’m trying to say is that every faith system is exclusive, because every time you assert something a true; you mean something contrary is false. Truth excludes its opposite. Even those that deny the exclusive nature of truth are actually making a truth claim. That's what your friends have done. By stating that Christianity is narrow-minded, and implying they are open-minded, they have made an exclusive truth claim!

Christianity is actually the most inclusive of all faith systems. Other religions assume our ability to secure God's favor & love by doing the right things. What is the implication here? You can be a "good person" if you follow certain rules. Listen to what Dr. Tim Keller says (read this carefully!):

"The universal religion of humankind is: We develop a good record and give it to God, and then he owes us. The gospel is: God develops a good record and gives it to us, then we owe him (Rom. 1:17). In short, to say a good person, not just Christians, can find God is to say good works are enough to find God. So the apparently inclusive approach is really quite exclusive. It says, 'The good people can find God, and the bad people do not.' The gospel says, 'The people who know they aren't good can find God, and the people who think they are good do not.' So both approaches are exclusive, but the gospel's is the more inclusive exclusivity. It says joyfully, 'It doesn't matter who you are or what you've done. It doesn't matter if you've been at the gates of hell. You can be welcomed and embraced fully and instantly through Christ.' "

I would also encourage you to read the following article. Here, the authors point out four things that make Christianity different and unique compared to all other religions:

1. All other religions exhort man to reach up to God and grasp hold of Him through their own efforts. Christianity is the only religion where God reaches down to man.
2. Other religions are systems of do’s and don’ts to appease God; whereas Christianity is a relationship with God.
3. Christianity looks to the Bible as the singular source of Truth.
4. Christianity is based upon truly the most unique event in all of human history—the Resurrection.

[Answered by Pastor HM]