May the "Christ-force" be with you—Debunking the Jedi Jesus of the New Age

I've often been taken off guard when Christian friends or acquaintances have spoken highly of New Age books such as Eckard Tolle's widely acclaimed The Power of Now or Rhonda Byrne's bestselling The Secret. Oprah Winfrey-dubbed "spiritual gurus" such as these promote an insidious form of false teaching under the guise of a benign self-help ethos. Although these teachings mask a treacherous departure from the gospel of Jesus Christ and claim to hold the key to a new spiritual awakening, they are appealing to some Christians who are evidently sucked in by the self-esteemism, widespread popularity, and aggressive marketing of such books. Indeed, Tolle has sold more books than almost any other spiritual author. His #1 New York Times bestseller, The Power of Now, (translated into 33 languages) and his vastly popular follow-up, A New Earth, are frequently touted as two of the most influential spiritual books of our time.

The widespread influence of New Age teaching poses a very real, albeit inconspicuous, threat that the church should take seriously. Despite popular belief to the contrary, the multifaceted movement is still going strong, but less overtly now that many of its concepts have become more subtly ingrained into our collective consciousness. The movement is not relegated to a trippy-hippy, tie-dye clad fringe group, but has been embraced by mainstream culture thanks in large part to the army of celebrities that promote its teachings.

For example, there's been growing respect for, and adoption of, the practices and philosophies of Eastern religions among Christians. One example is Hatha Yoga, which involves poses and hand positions many of which are depictions of Hindu deities. The hand positions are traditionally called mudras and are thought to help manipulate and channel prana, a supposed divine force or breath of the universe.[1] The purpose of Hatha yoga is traditionally a spiritual practice designed to foster the realization that the true self, the Atman, is divine.[2] Many Christians who practice yoga, however, do not buy into the spiritual side of it, using it for the physical benefits of exercise, flexibility, and muscle-strengthening alone. But some argue that by dabbling in such practices, Christians are opening the door to ungodly spiritual influences. The meditation and relaxation practices in yoga that encourage the emptying of one’s mind, for example, is unbiblical in that contradicts our God-given ability to exercise reason and sound judgement. It also conflicts with Jesus' command to love God with all of our minds—which necessities a conscious mental state (Matt. 22:37; Luke 10:27). Furthermore, some hold that mindfulness and mind-emptying meditation hold the potential to open us up to demonic persuasion. Due to the popularity of yoga among a significant number of Christians, however, this is a touchy subject. The question becomes, can (or perhaps should) Christians safely practice yoga without compromising themselves spiritually? I will default to former New Ager turned Bible-believing Christian, Marcia Montenegro, in her article on this one.

While the strains of New Age thought that have seeped into our churches may not be immediately evident to us all, those who have been saved out of the New Age movement into Christianity are all too aware of the wolves in sheep's clothing that lurk around us. Two former New Agers who were miraculously saved into the Christian faith, sister bloggers Christine Pack and Cathy Mathews, have expressed their "concern over false teachings that we realized were coming into today's Church. Having both been saved OUT of the New Age and occultism, we were alarmed when we began to see some of the same things we did in the New Age creeping into the church...only now, these practices have been cleverly repackaged with Christian terminology, rendering them all the more deceptive."[3]

In his book, O God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah’s Spirituality, Josh McDowell demonstrates how Oprah uses words that might sound like they are based in Christianity, but her real message is radically different from the Christian faith. Likewise, many of Tolle’s ideas are derived from pre-existing, often ancient beliefs with Christian influences. As Montenegro further explains, “The New Age is always a blend of beliefs; intermingling strands from Eastern accepted wisdom, New Thought, Gnosticism, the occult, and even Christianity.”[4] Yet New Agers believe they are rescuing the enlightened parts of Christianity from centuries of male-imposed dogma and have rediscovered its truth through mystical interpretations of the Bible. And for the undiscerning Christian, their use of Christian terminology can be dangerously misleading.

And where is Jesus in all this? Unfortunately, right up front; the name of Jesus is misused frequently within New Age teaching. Many psychics, astrologers, etc. display crosses or pictures of Jesus on their walls. But the New Age Jesus is a Counterfeit Christ who represents an unapologetic departure from the "constraints" of biblical teaching. New Agers unabashedly claim to have freed Jesus from the shackles of religious dogma (i.e. biblical truth) and consequently, on closer inspection, he bears very little relation to the Son of God we know as Christians.

Indeed, the New Age Jesus is devoid of any salvific purpose, being presented an imparter of wisdom, rather than a savior from sins, despite the fact that Scripture clearly claim His purpose on Earth was to do just that (Matt 1:21; Luke 2:11; Luke 19:10; John 4:42; Acts 13:23; 1 Tim 1:15; 1 Tim 4:10; Titus 2:13; 1 John 4:14).

In fact, the New Age Jesus is generally believed to be a mere man who achieved a high level of spiritual enlightenment, which afforded him godlike attributes. He is esteemed as one of the “Masters,” along with Buddha, Krishna, and others, all of whom illuminate the path for humanity to spiritual enlightenment.

The New Age Jesus is disturbingly more Jedi than he is biblical. A widespread New Age belief is that Jesus is actually a separate being from a divine entity, which is often referred to as “the Christ.” Many prominent New Agers, like Tolle and Byrne, perceive “the Christ” as being impersonal, cosmic, and abstract in nature—in essence, a “Christ-force” or "Christ-consciousness." New Agers claim that this Christ-force took possession of the body of the man, Jesus, in order to guide humanity towards a process of spiritual evolution. “The Christ” is said to lie dormant within each person, waiting to be fully realized so that humanity as a whole may experience spiritual awakening.[5] As Andrew Harvey puts it in his virtual seminar, The Christ Path, "By seeing Jesus’s life with fresh eyes, we take him off the pedestal as an untouchable Savior and begin to see him as a way-shower for all of us to embody more of our innate divinity as we co-create a more just and compassionate world."[7] 

The Christ-force theory finds its origins in the Gnostic movement that begun in the second century AD, as a heretical sect of early Christianity. Basic Gnostic beliefs hold that humans are emanated from a Supreme Being and are divine spirits trapped inside physical bodies. In Gnosticism, salvation of the soul from the material world is achieved through the realization of gnōsis[8]—esoteric or intuitive knowledge of the truth—rather than the atoning death of a Christ figure. Some Gnostics identify Jesus as an embodiment of the Supreme Being who became incarnate in order to bring gnōsis to the earth. Others, like contemporary Gnostic Reverend Todd Ferrier, founder of The Order of the Cross, suggest that the word “Jesus” was merely a codeword assumed by a historical being. Most Gnostics believe that there has been more than one authentic Messiah, and that “the modern Christian claim that Jesus was the only Christ (or Messiah) is simply not tenable.”[9]

While the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are central to the Christian faith, in Gnostic tradition the crucifixion is deemphasized (along with the Trinity and other inconvenient truths about Jesus). The Institute for Gnostic Studies states: 

For the Gnostic, pain and suffering are part of the fallen world’s condition…certainly Jesus suffered perhaps inasmuch that he had to take a fallen physical vessel as in the indignities of his crucifixion. However, there is no grace in suffering. The aim is to transcend matter, not wallow in its more painful aspects. The suffering and death of Jesus illustrated the reaction of the ignorant to the Gnosis, while his resurrection illustrated how death and matter could be overcome. It is irrelevant whether Jesus physically came back from the dead or not, since the Gnostics and Jesus have such contempt for matter, it seems highly unlikely that the resurrection had much to do with a re-enlivened corpse. It was an awakening to light, a Transfiguration rather than some ghastly re-animation.[10 emphasis added]

In Gnosticism, Jesus' role is not to die on the cross as ransom for our sins. Instead, “Jesus comes as a revealer, a bringer of Gnosis, an opener of doors, he works to shatter the prison that locks the true Self into the body and awaken the light which is hidden within the heart of man.”[11] The New Age Jesus paves the pathway for humanity to spiritual enlightenment. 

Another manifestation of the New Age Jesus is the astrological Jesus, aka the Piscean Avatar. Former astrologer, Montenegro, explains how in astrology, Christ has become the living symbol of the Piscean Age that spans from His birth to 2,000 years later. Montenegro states: “Since Jesus is considered a higher spiritual being, an Avatar, by many astrologers, he embodies the highest aspects of Pisces: universal love, compassion, sacrifice, intuition, servanthood, martyrdom, and spirituality.” Like the biblical Jesus, the astrological Jesus possesses character traits that set him apart from most men—yet this Counterfeit Christ is not unique in his deity. In keeping with New Ageism, “The astrological Jesus is still a New Age Jesus, or, in more contemporary terms, the Jesus of the new spirituality. Jesus is the man who realized Christ-consciousness, the innate divinity in all men.”[12]

And therein lies the rub. It's that old Satanic lie that we can attain personal godhood—the same lie that's been repeated over and over throughout history in Gnosticism, the Religion of Reason, Marxism, Mormonism, secular humanism, selfism, and the New Age movement—to name just a few—which all hinge on the belief in human perfectibility/deification though human effort. These false religions, spiritual awakenings, and philosophies each distract from—or attempt to completely negate—the human need for a supernatural Savior. (For more on this refer to our previous post on "A Brief History of Bad Ideas").

And so there is, in fact, nothing "new" about the New Age Jesus at all...He's been slithering around since the original fall of man in Genesis 3 when Satan tempted Adam and Eve with the lie that if they accessed secret knowledge or wisdom (Gnosticism), their eyes would be opened (enlightenment), and they wouldn't need to submit to the sovereign God anymore, for they themselves would be as God is. (Gen. 3:1-5). Satan knows exactly how to appeal to our innate desire for self-deification now—just as he did then.

Rather than flatly rejecting Jesus altogether based on the biblical claims about Him, then, New Agers have incorporated the figure of Christ into their occultist beliefs. And by using Christian vocabulary and loosely reappropriating Christian concepts, they have pulled the wool over the eyes of an alarming number of Christians. This strategy of deception is an age-old ploy of Satan: high-jacking God's truth by using partial truths to lure people in and ultimately to dupe them altogether. Remember that Satan “disguises himself as an angel of light” and “his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:3, 14-15). In the same way, the New Age Jesus masquerades as one who will lead us to our own inner light. 

For this reason, it is important for us as Christians to be aware of the erroneous ideas about Jesus that are propagated by the New Age movement—along with its books, its proponents, its self-esteem gurus, its practices and teachings—so we may escape its ungodly influence, and cling instead to God's Word on the authentic Son of God, who is the only way, the truth, and the life.

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[1] Although many Yoga classes do not use the correct Eastern terms when teaching Yoga, but instead talk about “breathing techniques” in place of pranayama and “center” for meditation, for example.

[2] Marcia  Montenegro, article: “Christian Yoga: An Oxymoron?” Christian Answers for the New Age.

[3] http://solasisters.blogspot.com/2010/02/about-us.html retrieved 2/14/13
[4] Marica Montenegro, Christian Answers for the New Age
[5] Hanegraaff, Hank, “The New Age Christ: What is the New Age view of Jesus?” article published by the Christian Research Institute
[7] Harvey, Andrew, A New Life Virtual Training: "The Christ Path, A 7-Week Journey to Awaken and Embody Christ-Consciousness" March, 2013
[8] Gnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge
[9] Institute for Gnostic Studies, online posting, June 2000.
[10] “The Gnostic Jesus” Institute for Gnostic Studies, online posting, June 2000.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Montengro, “The Piscean Avatar: The Jesus of Astrology,” Christian Answers for the New Age

What is Love?

Mysterious, elusive love. It mystifies and enchants. It both elates and sickens. It provides endless inspiration for artistic expression in music, painting, poetry, prose, film—not to mention the nostalgic lyrics of a one-hit-wonder: What is love? Baby don't hurt me no more! Like in this [pretty annoyingly] catchy song, love often mingles with pain in these contexts. Perhaps this is why a heart pierced with an arrow is so often used to symbolize love! The pursuit of love can indeed lead us down a lonely rabbit trail of sin and suffering. Our yearning for it can give rise to desperation, obsession, and compulsion. We are all on a quest to grasp it, to earn it, to experience it. Some of us find it, many of us don't. This is because many things that aren't actually love masquerade as the real thing: lust, infatuation, idol-worship, hopeless romance, people-pleasing, co-dependency, neediness...all these things can feign love.

But what is love actually?

The concept of "love" is central to biblical truth. We know from Scripture that God is love (1 John 4:8). The gospel is rooted in love (John 3:16). The purest form of love is revealed in Jesus’s death on the cross. And we are admonished to love God above all else and to love others as ourselves (Matt 22:37-38). So what does godly love look like?

The Greek term for love used by John to describe God in 1 John 4:8 is agape, a form of agapeis, which is also used by Jesus (agapaō) when he quotes the greatest commandments to love God and others (Matt 22:37-38). The essence of agape love is self-sacrifice. True love, then, is not self-seeking (1 Cor 13:6). And it is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to love God and love others in a truly self-sacrificial way. Because Godly love is self-sacrificial, living it out can be costly to us. It can cost us material possessions, time, relationships, popularity, and can be really inconvenient! It motivates us to die to self (Luke 9:23; Gal 2:20). Because it is not of this world, it is often rejected by the world. But, loving others without the Holy Spirit often involves a self-serving, consumerist form of "love" that actually takes away from God and other people more than it gives.

When John says, "God is love" (1 John 4:8), he points us to the origin of love, for in the previous verse, he writes unequivocally, “love is from God” (1 John 4:7). This brings up the question, can we truly love without God?

Humans are made in the image of God, and so we have an innate desire to give and receive love. Paul tells us that the law—summed up by Jesus in the greatest commandments to love God and love neighbor—is written on the hearts of men (Rom 2:15). We all have a God-given conscience that bares witness to the law in our hearts. We are pre-wired to express and seek love. While the law is written on the hearts of men, however, the fulfillment of that law is another story. Paul says, "but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." (Rom 2:13). And to fully obey the law is impossible without Christ; Paul also writes: "For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Rom 8:3-4). If we live in the flesh, then, we are unable to fulfill the law to love God and neighbor. But if we live in the Spirit, the righteous requirement of the law is fully met in us, through Christ, not through ourselves. So, God-honoring love is not possible without Christ.

But wait! you might say, I know loving, self-sacrificial people who aren't Christians! This is true. I do too. Because we are made in God's image, we all have an intrinsic ability to love others. Parents love their children, just as God the Father loves His children, for example. We were made in His likeness. It is also true that courageous acts of self-sacrificial love have been performed by people who do not know Christ. But here's the tragedy of a love without God: loving neighbor without loving God doesn't fulfill the first and greatest commandment of the law. It attempts to fulfill the second commandment to love others, but is an act of the flesh, not of the Spirit. And we know that living in the flesh is to live in sin and death (Rom 8:13). This is tough to swallow isn't it? Even courageous acts of martyrdom that have been performed by those who live in the flesh are like filthy rags before a Holy God! As it is written, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." (Isa 64:6). Scripture is clear that to live—and love—in the flesh alone is to be bound by sin and death. Without being made righteous in Christ, we cannot love others in a God-honoring way with a love that endures forever. While acts of self-sacrificial love can be inspiring to many people and can be a blessing to others, they do not glorify God if they are performed in the flesh. In actuality, they are not truly righteous acts of love because righteousness is only found in Christ. But loving others in the Spirit always glorifies God because it cannot be achieved in human strength, so that the glory goes to Him! 

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Our natural response to this would be: but I can't be perfect! That is true...who has ever succeeded in loving the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and their neighbor as themselves? We have a problem: our fallen, sinful nature. But we shouldn't be discouraged when we fail to love God and others perfectly. Christians are not perfect. We are in a daily battle against the temptation to live in our own strength and take back control from God. When we fail, the important thing to remember is that our righteousness is imputed to us through our faith in Christ—not through our own effort. And for those who are in Christ there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1)! So, we need not be slaves to guilt! 

Indeed, love covers a multitude of sins (1 Pet 4:8) and the love of God endures forever. Take a moment to absorb this...God's love never fizzles out, or shrivels up like a leaf. It cannot be swayed by sin. It is unconditional and unchanging. Godly love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Cor 13:7). It endures in perfect form for eternity! Godly love never ends in pain like the tragic love of a hopeless romance or in the death of an unbeliever. (Instead of an arrow-pierced heart, perhaps a heart with a crown over it is a more fitting symbol of love!). Godly love never fails (1 Cor 13:8). How amazing it is that Godly love never fails. 

And Godly love rejoices with the truth (1 Cor 13:5). Love without God, on the other hand, is not rooted in absolute truth, and so it is relative. It is vulnerable to being tossed back and forth by waves of human teaching, emotion, and circumstance because it is not anchored in truth. But Jesus said, "I am the truth." (John 14:6). So to love God, as Jesus commanded us, is to love the truth. Paul further demonstrates this when he says: "wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." (2 Thes 2:10). The truth of the gospel is the purest expression of love. God is love just as He is truth. Truth and love are inseparable—inextricably intertwined. Truth and love are completely submerged and saturated in each other! In Christ, therefore, love actually is truth!

The Jesus of Jihad

The world’s Muslim population is expected to increase by about 35% in the next 20 years, rising from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.2 billion by 2030, according to population projections by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. Islam is the fasted growing religion in the world, mainly due to high birthrates in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe—not in large part due to conversions. Despite the enormous global impact of Islam, many Christians in the West are apathetic toward, or uninformed about, the religion and what it actually teaches. Yet having an understanding of Islam is important in helping us pray more specifically about, and respond knowledgeably to, the rapid growth of the religion.

Christians in the West are often surprised to learn that Muslims revere Jesus, who is referred to in Arabic as Isa, and is declared in the Qur'an to be a prophet of Islam. Consequently, Muslims lay claim to Jesus, not as the Son of God, but as the prophet who foretold the coming of Muhammad, and performed [some pretty outlandish] miracles. In an era of Western pluralism, it is becoming common to hear the argument that Christianity and Islam should share Jesus, and that He rightfully belongs to both religions. In this vein, the concept of the “Abrahamic civilization” of the West is gaining ideological clout in place of the former emphasis on a “Judeo-Christian civilization.” This shift of thinking reflects the growing influence of Islam in the world today.[1]

If we are to share Jesus with Islam, let's consider the implications of this. Firstly, it's useful to be aware of the common ground Islam and Christianity share when it comes to Jesus, as much is made of this in the interfaith movement and in the pluralistic schools of thought that prevail in most American colleges and universities.

Jesus in Islam & Christianity: The Similarities
The Qur’an holds that Jesus was the only sinless man to have ever lived, telling us that Mary was given a pure son who was faultless in the eyes of God (Surah 19:19). Muslims believe that all people are born sinful, so in his sinlessness, the Muslim Jesus is unique, which is consistent with the biblical perspective.

The Qur’an also teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin, and that he had no earthly or physical father. As it is written, “…she who was chaste, therefore We[3] breathed into her (something) of Our Spirit and made her and her son a token for [all] peoples.” (Surah 21:91) The language of the Qur’an is unambiguous about the virgin-birth of Jesus. In Surah 4.156, Mary is cleared from the charge of the Jews that she had conceived Jesus out of wedlock. 

Another point of agreement between the Qur’an and bible is found in their accounts of the ascension of Christ. The ascension is mentioned in the Qur’an in these words: “Allah took him up to Himself” (Surah 4:158). While the Qur’an and the Bible differ on the timing and nature of the ascension of Jesus, they both agree on the fact that it did indeed occur. 

Certain titles given to Jesus in the Bible are also used in the Qur’an. For example, He is called the Word of God and the Messiah in the Qur’an. The Qur’an and the Bible both give Him titles which are applied to no one else, thus setting him apart as unique.

Jesus in Islam & Christianity: The Differences
There are important, deal-breaking differences between the Jesus of the Qur’an and the One of the Bible, however. In the Qur’an, Jesus performed miracles that are not recorded in the Bible, including breathing life into clay birds (Surah 5:110) and speaking as a baby in his cradle (Surah 3:46; 19:28-34).  

Islam teaches that while Christians believe “[Jesus] died on a cross, and Jews claim they killed him, in reality he was not killed or crucified, and those who said he was crucified lied” (Surah 4:157). And further, “[Jesus] did not die, but ascended to Allah” (Surah 4:158) and at his second coming, “[Jesus] himself will be a witness against Jews and Christians for believing in his death” (Surah 4:159). This is not only a denial of Jesus' atoning death on the cross, but also of His resurrection.


The Qur’an and Hadith[2] do prophesy the second coming of Jesus. But Islamic teaching disagrees with the Bible on the nature and purpose of the second coming. Islam teaches that Jesus will have a pivotal role in the end times, destroying all other religions and establishing the authority of Islam. As one tradition of Muhammad teaches, Jesus "will break the cross, kill pigs,[3] and abolish the poll-tax. Allah will destroy all religions except Islam. [Jesus] will destroy the Evil One (anti-Christ figure) and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, 37:4310). This image of the Muslim Jesus violently attacking the cross personifies him as the final destroyer of Christianity.

In Islam, Jesus is not part of the Trinity. The central belief that God is an unassailable, singular entity exists at the core of Islamic theology. To perceive Him in terms of having multiple “natures” or to ascribe “partners” to Him, as Muslims believe Christianity does, is considered deeply blasphemous. The Qur’an calls Muslims to what is portrayed as unequivocal monotheism: “Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.” (Surah 4:48). The Christian view of the Trinity is frequently misrepresented in Islamic teaching as a belief in three Gods. In fact, many Muslims are under the impression that the Trinity is made up of God, Jesus, and Mary! Muslims believe that Christianity is heretical, therefore, viewing it as a polytheistic religion. 

Despite the fact that Muhammad founded Islam in 622 CE, the religion is regarded not as a subsequent faith to Judaism and Christianity, but as the primordial religion, the original faith, from which Judaism and Christianity broke off in corrupted forms. Islam teaches that the The Gospels (the Injeel) that were originally given to the Muslim Jesus, were corrupted later by Christians (some believe this began with the Apostle Paul). The Qu'ran, therefore, that was given to Muhammad in a series of revelations (that were later recorded) 500 years later is the only trustworthy version of God's word. 

The Same Jesus?
Despite a few minor similarities, the fact that the Muslim Jesus is not the Son of God, but merely a prophet, means they are two very different persons. One is central to the Christian faith; the other is expected to demolish the Christian faith! Efforts to achieve theological syncretism between Islam and Christianity (as is attempted by the "Chrislam" movement, for example) are futile; the two faiths are completely incompatible. 

Furthermore, seeking common ground between two disparate Jesus figures, which has become a popular practice among Christians in Muslim ministry, is more confusing than it is helpful in dialoguing with Muslims; it blurs the truth about His identity from the beginning and gives the false impression that the Qur'an is a credible source of truth about the Him. In actuality, the common ground approach, while a good "conversation-starter" and as well-intended as it may be, is a disingenuous and misleading way to talk about Jesus.

So what? 
Islam is presenting a growing challenge to the Christian church, which should not be ignored. This is in part because the religion acts as a political institution (in fact it is intrinsically political in nature), which often has dire implications for Christians living in Muslim-majority countries and can impede missionaries from reaching unreached people groups in these contexts. Many Westerners, including Christians, however, seem largely unconcerned about the worldwide impact resulting from the rapid growth and radicalization of Islam in spite of the warning signs of unrest in the Middle East and Africa or the growing problems in Western countries like Great Britain, for example, where due to pressure from the British Muslim community the country is becoming incrementally Islamized. 

Samuel Huntington in his well-known, much debated thesis that was first laid out in his article, “The Clash of Civilizations,” holds that the fundamental source of conflict in the post-Cold War era will not primarily be ideological or economic, but cultural, in shape of an ultimate clash between Islamic and non-Islamic civilizations, which will dominate global politics. Huntington's position on Islam has been passed off by many academics as an "over-simplification" or an "unhelpful" point of view. But, if he is right—and certain factors seem to indicate he may be—then we as Christians need to be all the more aware of what is happening in the Muslim world and help to educate others. 

This is because the truth about Jesus is under siege. Within the context of world politics, great significance has been placed on the figure of Jesus, with prominent Islamic leaders laying claim to Him. To give just a couple of examples, Yasser Arafat, addressing a press conference at the United Nations in 1983 called Jesus “the first Palestinian fedayeen who carried his sword,” implying in other words that He was a freedom fighter for Islam. Sheikh Ibrahim Madhi, employee of the Palestinian Authority, broadcast live in April 2002 on Palestian television: “The Jews await the false Jewish messiah, while we await, with Allah’s help…Jesus, peace be upon him. Jesus’ pure hands will murder the false Jewish messiah. Where? In the city of Lod, in Palestine.” 

Essentially, then, the Muslim Jesus is the Jesus of Jihad. In fact, Muslim apologists frequently misquote Matthew 10:34, which mentions a sword, to show that the Bible also claims Jesus endorsed jihad. 


The figure of Jesus is, and has historically been, used as a weapon in the realm of international politics. As Christians, however distasteful we find the nature of politics to be, we must be confident in stating who we believe the true Jesus is in the face of such tragic misuse of His Name. We are called to speak up in defense of the Gospel and to answer the very question Jesus asked of His disciples, "Who do say I am?" (Matt 16:15) without fear.

Now what?

We are called to show Christ-like love to Muslims. This shouldn't mean turning a blind eye to the injustices that take place in the name of Islam, however. When we talk about, and form opinions on Islam, we need do so accurately and understand what we are really dealing with. It is important to know that the violent verses in the Qur’an from Muhammad’s later warlord years abrogate (nullify) the more peaceable verses from earlier in his life as dictated by Islamic tradition. These verses command Muslims to “fight and kill [non-Muslims] unless they convert” (Surah 9:5), for example, which is a principle that Muhammad himself practiced, personally beheading infidels. And Muslims are taught to model their lives on the Sunnah, Muhammad's perfect life example. This is deeply unsettling when we consider that Muhammad was also a polygamist who took many concubines and married a six-year-old girl, consummating the marriage when she was 9 years old and he was 53. To understand this, is to understand the true evil and violence that is at the core of the religion of Islam. True Islam, Muhammad’s Islam—not the peaceful Islam of liberal Muslims or that which is presented to the West by Imams who are permitted to lie for the furtherance of Islam as under the law of taqiyya—is a religion of the sword.  Many injustices against Christians, women, and minorities living in Muslim-majority countries occur as a result. Violent jihad is at the heart of Islam—it is not just the misinterpretation of a peaceful religion by extremist fringe groups. There are hundreds of Qur’anic verses on the subject of jihad, as well as the "Book of Jihad," which found in all Hadith collections. 

As Christians, we cannot show authentic Christ-like love to others without upholding justice. By faith we are called to be administrators of justice (Heb 11:33) and to correct oppression (Isa 17:1). In doing so, we should of course be careful to distinguish between individual Muslims and the institution of Islam, standing against bigotry, hatred, and the demonization of Muslims or the negative stereo-typing of Muslim people. In the same vein, we should distance ourselves from absurd protests against Islam such as Qur'an burning. The challenge of Islam to the Church calls for a balanced, informed, reasoned, prayerful response—and our total submission to God. 

Speaking the truth in love is a biblical approach to showing authentic Christ-like love to Muslims. In doing so, we don't have to gloss over our fundamental differences—but we don't have to lead with them in an adversarial way either. In talking with our Muslim neighbors, we can pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal the authentic Son of God to them, through our truthful, loving, respectful witness, remembering that it is the role of the Holy Spirit to convict the heart, not ours to finesse or tweak the gospel message to make it culturally sensitive or more appealing. 

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[1] http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/durie/islamic_jesus.html
[2] The Hadith  is a collective body of traditions recording the sayings or actions of Muhammad, together with the tradition of its chain of transmission, which is used as a basis of Islamic law
[3] In Islamic tradition, pigs are associated with Christians.

Stop Sharing Jesus!

Yes! You heard me right. I think we should stop sharing Jesus. Let me explain...

Christians are commissioned to share the good news about Jesus with those who do not know Him (Matt 28:19; Act 1:8). But with the rising tide of pluralism and political correctness in our society, the concept of "sharing" Jesus is taking on new meaning. A growing number of Christians are starting to feel guilty about claiming Jesus as theirs and theirs alone, when lots of people from other religious and cultural backgrounds lay claim to Him also. In this context, "sharing Jesus" means showing tolerance towards other viewpoints on who He is. Rather than hogging Him for our Christian selves, shouldn't we share Jesus with people from other faiths and cultures, and free Him from a Westernized strait-jacket? Why should He be confined to our Christian churches with stained-glass and rows of pews, anyway? Isn't it unreasonable and, quite frankly, arrogant to think that we have all the answers about who He is? I hear this type of sentiment expressed more frequently now that cultural sensitivity is beginning to trump Scriptural accuracy more often in our churches.

There are indeed many different perspectives on who Jesus is that exist throughout the world—we may even encounter differing ideas among our friends or in our own neighborhoods. Our Muslim neighbors may revere Him as a great prophet. Our Mormon friends may proclaim Him to be their Savior. Agnostics may admire His moral teachings, but deny any certainty of His divinity. Spiritualists and New Agers may believe Him to be divine, but reject His uniqueness. And Jehovah’s Witnesses may tell you He is an archangel. We may even find varying opinions about Jesus within the Christian community. Living in the DC-metro area, and having worked in international development and missions, I have been exposed to a diversity of opinion on who Jesus is.

The fact is, however, these conflicting views on who He is cannot all be right. While it might make us feel more comfortable to adopt a politically-correct attitude towards Jesus' identity, it makes no logical sense. He's either the Son of God or He isn't. The lunatic, liar or Lord trilemma[1] comes to mind! But in an era of cultural relativism, the idea that there is absolute truth about who Jesus is, is widely deemed intolerant, narrow-minded, offensive, even bigoted. Many Christians, therefore, shrink away from making absolute statements about Jesus these days.

Rooted in the rise of relativism and pluralism in our culture is the interfaith movement, which attempts to bring about unity between otherwise opposing believe systems through an exploration of the mystical elements in all religions and identifying the common ground between them. In this context, the Bible cannot be treated as the supreme authority on matters of faith. Today, various—seemingly benign—aspects of the interfaith movement have permeated the church. One of these is the practice of interfaith dialogue. Many churches engage in interfaith dialogue as a means to achieving deeper understanding, and seeking common ground, between religions. Within evangelicalism, the practice of interfaith dialogue for the purpose of "building bridges" between those of different faith-backgrounds has become increasingly popular. The ultimate motive for evangelical churches in reaching out this way, often begins as a starting point to sharing the gospel. Usually, however, the rules of engagement involve a prior agreement to refrain from attempting to convert one another, as with the Christian-Muslim dialogue sessions practiced at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, for example. This can result in the gospel message being obscured, and relativistic compromises being made, in an effort to maintain the amicable relations that have been forged through such sessions. Moreover, the biblical Jesus is often watered down, even misrepresented, so as to be compatible with differing religious beliefs. In these dialogues, deal-breakers like the Trinity, for example, are almost always conveniently ignored or down-played.

A good example of this was when a slew of evangelical leaders (Wheaton College President Duane Litfin[2], National Association of Evangelicals President Leith Anderson, Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren[3], and former Fuller Theological Seminary President Richard Mouw, to name a few) signed what was to become a controversial document produced by the Yale Center for Faith and Culture titled, “Loving God and Neighbor Together: A Christian Response to a Common Word Between Us and You.” The document was in response to an open letter in which 138 Muslim scholars, clerics, and intellectuals came together to declare that there is common ground between Christianity and Islam. The “Christian Response,” in agreement with the Muslim open letter states, “What is common between us lies not in something marginal nor in something merely important to each. It lies, rather, in something absolutely central to both: love of God and love of neighbor.”  Essentially, then, the “Christian Response” refers to the love of one shared God. It treats the God of the Qur’an and the God of the Bible as the same and makes no mention of the fact that the love of God, as represented in the Bible, is expressed most significantly through Christ’s death and resurrection. Christ Himself is the central component of Christianity, but is completely omitted in the Common Word documents, while “common ground” is declared “absolutely central” in His place. Patrick De Leon illustrates well the difficulties with the Common Word movement: “If we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, must we not be true to ourselves? Must we reject our own faith and deny the very persons we are in order to live in harmony? Such a peace is false from the beginning, and we would question if it is even possible to last. Can a peace founded upon falsehood be lasting?”[4]

Jesus Himself, however, demonstrated that understanding who He is, is of utmost importance. Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Matt 16:13-15). Our answer to this question will be the most important one we will ever give. The Bible tells us that knowing the true Christ is a matter of critical, life-and-death importance. In this vein, Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.” (John 16:6-7, emphasis added). A relationship with the authentic Son of God alone is upon which our salvation depends. The Bible is clear that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). But the fact is, many who use His name do not actually know the true Christ. Jesus said: "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matt 7:21-23) Jesus makes it clear, then, we must understand the truth about who He really is, and what He actually taught.

Jesus also taught us that being truthful with others about who He is, is paramount. He said,  "whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." (Matt 10:33). The fact is, Jesus is polarizing and His work on the cross is pivotal. Because of this, the very nature of who Jesus is, is a "stumbling block" and a "rock of offense" to many (1 Tim 1:16). Jesus said, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.'" (Matt 10:34). Tragically, many will reject Jesus because of who the Bible says He is. 

But thankfully for those whose hearts truly seek Him, Jesus is not an elusive figure. We are told that we will find Him if we seek Him with all our heart and with all our soul (Deut 4:29). And we must seek to know Him better through studying the Word; Jesus said: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32, emphasis added). The Word of God is the only dependable source of information about Jesus; the doctrines and beliefs of other faiths or philosophies that might use His name, should not be trusted or promoted in any way as a means to learning about Jesus. He Himself warned us to beware of false teaching (Matt 7:15; Matt 24:24). 

Despite this, there are missionaries today who use certain verses from the Qu'ran that shed Jesus in a positive light to teach Muslims about Him. The controversial Camel Method, for example, an evangelistic strategy that was promoted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2010, does just that. The figure of Jesus also features prominently in New Age spiritualism. New agers often use Christian-sounding language, which can be confusing to new believers who might be more susceptible to being led astray by false teaching. For this, reason, we should be on guard against the insidious strains of New Age teaching that are seeping into our churches.[5] 

The Great Commission to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded (Matt 28:19-20) was the last and, perhaps, the most important commandment given by Jesus right before His ascension. We can conclude from this that our mission as Christians is first and foremost to make disciples, which involves conversion and baptism, as well as the on-going teaching of Jesus' commands. Jesus said, "whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:27). Jesus made it clear that knowing the truth about who He is and responding in obedient submission to Him are what makes a disciple. We must encourage others, then, to study what the Bible teaches about Jesus, not confuse them with some type of kum-bah-yah notion that all religions can share Jesus and coexist happily.

So then, let's stop sharing Jesus with other religions, and stick to sharing the good news about Jesus as revealed in His word. 

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[1] Famous CS Lewis argument, "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. ... Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God." Lewis, C.S., Mere Christianity, London: Collins, 1952, p54-56

[2] Due to the unbiblical nature of the Common Word document, the evangelicals who signed it have come under criticism, after which Dr. Litfin, for one, felt the need to explain his decision: 
“I signed the statement because I am committed to the business of peace-making and neighbor-love,” Litfin wrote in The Record. ”I did not savor the document’s unnuanced apology section, but swallowed that in order to be a part of reaching out a hand to these Muslim leaders who had courageously taken the initiative. Though the statement was not written in the way I would have written it, it seemed to me that I could sign it without compromising any of my Christian convictions.” Eventually, Litfin chose to have his signature removed from the document, however. 

[3] Despite signing the document, Rick Warren, has since stated very clearly that he does not believe that Muslims and Christians worship the same God.  

[4] Patrcik De Leon, “Who You Gonna Serve? Theological Difficulties in A Common Word Between Us and You.”

[5] Please refer to future blog posts on the New Age Jesus and Jesus in Islam.

Are Mormons Saved if They Believe in Jesus as Savior?

Due, in part, to an aggressive emphasis on missions, Mormonism is the fastest growing religion in America. With an increasing number of people committing their lives to the Mormon Jesus as their savior, it is important for us to know who this influential figure is and what he stands for. 

In 2011, in a special report to CNN, Richard J. Mouw, then president of Fuller Theological Seminary, an evangelical school in Pasadena, California, described how he had engaged in “behind-doors dialogue” with Mormon theologians from Brigham Young University along with a dozen other evangelicals. He noted that “Brigham Young University is a world-class educational institution, with professors who’ve earned doctorates from some of the best universities in the world. Several of the top leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have PhDs from Ivy League schools.” After describing the academic credentials represented by Mormon theologians and top leaders, Dr Mouw concluded his article by stating that Mormonism is not a cult, adding, “While I am not prepared to reclassify Mormonism as possessing undeniably Christian theology, I do accept many of my Mormon friends as genuine followers of the Jesus whom I worship as the divine Savior.”[1]

I contacted Dr. Mouw for clarification and he kindly reasserted his position to me, explaining that he had just spent two days in Salt Lake City with top leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whom he had found to be placing new emphasis on Jesus as the only Savior, who died on the Cross, shedding his blood as a sacrifice for our sins, rather than on works as a means to earn salvation. Dr. Mouw expressed his belief that people can be wrong or confused about many theological issues and still be saved by the work of the Cross.

In conversations with Christian friends over the years, I have heard similar sentiments to those articulated by Dr. Mouw, especially after American Christians were confronted with the implications of a potential Mormon president in 2012. Many Christians are struck by how committed their Mormons friends are to following Jesus and are impressed by their moral standards and social conservatism. If Mormons fervently claim Jesus as their savior, should this not mean, therefore, that they are saved?

This is evidently a confusing issue for a significant number of Christians. Indeed, much of the language of Mormon theology connotes biblical-sounding ideas. For example, Mormons believe that Jesus is “the way.” This is familiar language for many Christians, which seems at first glance to mirror evangelical soteriology. Indeed, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) upholds Jesus as central to their doctrine, and He is proclaimed to be the only Messiah, and the only way to the Father. Mormon Scriptures declare that Christ is the only name under heaven whereby salvation comes (2 Ne. 25:20). As the official website of the LDS states: “Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of God. He is our Redeemer…Only by His mercy and grace can anyone be saved…Jesus Christ saves us from sin and death. For that, he is very literally our Savior and Redeemer.” Certainly, this language sounds biblical.

LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley encourages members of other faiths to bring all the goodness of their belief in Jesus Christ and “let us add to it.” [2] Mormonism certainly adds many qualities to the biblical Jesus—and it subtracts plenty too. If one delves more deeply into Mormon Christology, fundamental deviations from the biblical view of Jesus become starkly evident. 

Firstly, Mormon theology rejects the Trinity. Mormons believe in three distinct and separate members of the godhead. The Doctrine and Covenants, one of the four sacred books of Mormonism, states, “Christ, the Firstborn, was the mightiest of all the spirit children of the Father.” In other words, Jesus is not eternally God, nor an innate Person of the Trinity, but was begotten as a spirit baby of the Heavenly Father, a physical God of flesh and bones,[3] through sexual relations with a spirit mother. Being one of many begotten offspring of God the Father, Jesus is, therefore, not one with God, nor is he unique in his deity. 

Why is this significant? Because it is a complete deal-breaker. The Mormon rejection of the Trinity is a denial of Jesus’ own claim that He and the Father are one and the same (John 10:30; John 14:7). While the Mormon Jesus may be divine, his is a derived form of divinity, which is neither unique to him nor inherent in him. Milton R. Hunter[4] wrote, “Jesus became a God and reached His great state of understanding through consistent effort and continuous obedience to all the Gospel truths and universal laws.”[5] In other words, Jesus became divine through works, like the Father before him. In Mormon theology, then, the Father and Jesus are neither innately nor uniquely divine as part of the Trinity. The Mormon denial of the Trinity paves the way for polytheism and ultimately for self-deification in the Mormon faith; If divinity is gained through faith and works, then all men possess the potential for godhood. 

The LDS tenet that men can become gods was famously coined in a couplet by fifth LDS President Lorenzo Snow. In June of 1840, Snow declared, “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.” Because Jesus represents a necessary path--indeed the only way--to self-deification, an eternal relationship with God is not the end result of our salvation, but merely a means to our own godhood. The Mormon gospel, then, is fundamentally different from what the bible proclaims to be the good news. The end goal for a Mormon is to be a god of his own world, where he will procreate with his celestial wife and populate his own planet with spirit babies. This is the highest reward granted by the grace of God, based on faith and works.

The Mormon Jesus is, therefore, a counterfeit who bears little resemblance to the authentic Christ, when he is removed from the Trinity, relegated to the level of one supreme god among gods, and extracted from the true gospel. The Mormon Jesus may even himself have fathered children[6] and had wives[7]. What is worryingly overlooked by Dr. Mouw and others who seek common ground with Mormonism is that the Mormon Jesus is an insidious counterfeit, a wolf in sheep's clothing, that must be rejected, not befriended. He quite simply is not the same Jesus.

Despite the fundamental differences between biblical and Mormon Christology, however, the “Christ”-centeredness of Mormonism, and their new emphasis on grace, has led some to argue that it is not a cult and to perceive the religion as close to Christianity, if not qualifying to be a denominational part of it. There has been of late a great effort from within the LDS Church to be reclassified as a Christian denomination, which might be why their more blatantly heretical theology is found only by digging more deeply into the content of the official LDS website and teaching manuals, for example. After perusing the LDS website thoroughly a couple of years ago, I was horrified to find later that much of the more descriptive information about Mormon theology I had previously seen was removed altogether prior to the presidential election of 2012 in which self-professed Mormon, Mitt Romney, endeavored to win the evangelical vote. 

So, are Mormons saved? Is following a distorted version of Jesus sufficient? How wrong can one be about Jesus, and still be saved by Him? This is a difficult question to answer. No one except God can know the heart of a person and it is certainly not our place to judge. I am sure there are many Mormons who are truly seeking Jesus by intention and I am not willing to take a position on the status of any individual’s salvation. It is clear, however, that the Mormon Jesus does not represent the way, the truth, and the life because who he is, and where he leads, is fundamentally at odds with the authentic Son of God and the Gospel of Christ. 

Jesus taught that truly knowing Him is vital; He said: “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.” (John 14:7). The Bible also states, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13). It is doubtful that one can truly find God if one’s heart is divided, and is ultimately seeking after self-deification rather than God alone. 

In the end, the leaders of the LDS Church will have a lot to answer for, for they will be held to a higher standard of judgment and will be accountable for leading others astray (James 3:1). Jesus warned us of the serious ramifications of misusing His name when He said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matt 7:21-23). It is worth noting here that Jesus doesn't beat around the bush and seek common ground with those who misuse His name. In light of this, we should always be prepared to address the truth should God open up the opportunity in a conversation with a Mormon friend or acquaintance. As Christians, we are to be witnesses to His truth, which should always be expressed in His love.

Many Mormons are genuinely seeking after God. Refraining from lambasting Mormons, and bombarding them with our misgivings about their faith is important. While it is useful to be aware of what Mormons believe, we should also be sensitive to the fact that many Mormons are passionate about their faith, and attacking it outright will lead to a defensive reaction, and likely further them even more from the truth. We should always speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15) with gentleness and respect (1 Pet 3:15). 

Furthermore, it is of vital importance for us as Christians to have a firm, biblically sound grasp on what we believe. It is by staying well-grounded in the Word that we are able to accurately discern the distinction between Mormon and biblical views on Jesus, and not get confused by the similarities. Then, with confidence, we can share the true Christ with our Mormon friends and avoid getting caught up in interfaith dialogue that can lead to smoothing over our differences and ultimately watering down the gospel. 

As Christians, we should come together in prayer for truth-seekers to rise up within the LDS Church, that their hearts will be ill-at-ease within them, causing them to see the fatal flaws within Mormon theology, and that they will be drawn to seek after and to find the authentic Son of God. 
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[1] “My Take: This evangelical says Mormonism isn’t a cult,” Richard Mouw, CNN. Oct 9, 2011. Emphasis added.
[2] "Words of the Living Prophet: INSIGHT AND COUNSEL FROM PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY," www.lds.org
[3] Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 3.
[4] Milton Hunter was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served as a member of the church’s First Council of the Seventy from 1945 until his death in 1975.
[5] Milton Hunter, G.T.A., p. 51, (emphasis added)
[6] For example, Orson Hyde said, “Before the Savior died, He looked upon His own natural children, as we look upon ours.” (J. of D., Vol. II, p. 82).
[7] Many leading Mormons have taught that Jesus was married and was even a polygamist.