Transcript Hinduism

World
Religions
Lesson 9:
Hinduism
An Introduction
• Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world,
with approximately 900 million adherents
• It is also the oldest known religion in the world
today (2500 BC- 1500BC)
• The origins cannot be ascribed to any single
founder or a specific time or a single place
3 major texts of Hinduism
• The Vedas
– The oldest and most important is the Vedas
(in 4 parts)
• First in the form of oral histories
• The Bhagavad Gītā (400 BCE)
– It is perhaps the most famous, and
definitely the most widely-read text of
ancient India.
• The Upanishads (400 BCE)
– Focus on 1) meditation and 2) religious
instruction with a guru
Polytheistic?
• Many Hindus believe in many deities
• Key: These very interesting looking gods
are not to be taken literally
• The Hindu Trinity (the big 3):
• After this top tier, there is a virtually
endless list of second-string deities
Brahma
• Brahma is the Hindu God
of Creation
• Brahma is traditionally
depicted with four heads
and four faces and four
arms.
• There is one big God
• The Vedas depict
Brahman as the
Universal Soul
Shiva
• Shiva is the Destroyer
• Even though he represents
destruction, Shiva is viewed as
a positive force
• Shiva is the supreme God in
Shaivism
Vishnu
• Vishnu is the Preserver, he is
most famously identified with
his human and animal
incarnations (AKA, avatars)
– He manifested Himself as a
living being in ten avatars.
•
• For Vaishnavas, he is the
Ultimate Reality or God. The
Brahman.
And let’s not forget Ganesha
• Ganesha is one of the most
well-known and venerated
representations of God
• The Lord of Good Fortune
Biblical Response
The Bible teaches that God is personal and
describes Him as having personal attributes. The
Bible regularly describes God in ways used to
describe human personality. God talks, rebukes,
feels, becomes angry, is jealous, laughs, loves,
and even has a personal name (Gen. 1:3; 6:6, 12;
Ex. 3:15; 16:12; 20:5; Lev. 20:23; Deut. 5:9; 1
Sam. 26:19; Pss. 2:4; 59:9). The Bible also warns
Christians to avoid all forms of idolatry (Gen.
35:2; Ex. 23:13; 1 Cor. 10:20). No idol or pagan
deity is a representation of the true God. They are
all false deities and must be rejected.
The Beliefs of Hinduism Overview
1) Reincarnation
– Based on the idea that every living being has
an eternally existing spirit
– Reincarnation is the soul's cycle of birth and
death until it attains Mokṣha (Moke-sha)
(salvation) and is governed by Karma (see
below)
Biblical Response
People are created in God's image (Gen. 1:27).
The body's physical resurrection and eternal
worth are emphasized in John 2:18-22 and 1
Corinthians 15. The Bible declares, "And as it is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the
sins of many" (Heb. 9:27-28, KJV).
Biblical Response
Since we only die once, reincarnation cannot be
true. Instead of reincarnation, the Bible teaches
resurrection (John 5:25). At death, Christians
enjoy a state of conscious fellowship with Christ
(Matt. 22:32; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23) to await the
resurrection and heavenly reward. A person's
eternal destiny is determined by his or her
acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior
and Lord (John 3:36; Rom. 10:9-10).
The Beliefs of Hinduism Overview
2) Karma
– Karma rests on the idea of human free-will
(not moved by God)
– One’s actions determine the course of one’s
life cycle & rebirth
– You can't refine your soul overnight,
however. Hindus believe it takes many
lifetimes to achieve moksha
Biblical Response
Man’s actions do determine the course of one’s
eternity – hell (Prov 14:22; Rm 6:23; 1 Cor 1:2131; Titus 3:3-7). Man cannot do anything apart
from the grace of Jesus Christ to earn or achieve
heaven (Eph 2:8-9)
The Beliefs of Hinduism Overview
3) Moksha
When a soul finally escapes the karmic cycle, it
becomes one with Brahman when the last
bodily incarnation dies.
Biblical Response
Salvation is a gift from God through faith in Jesus
Christ (Eph. 2:8-10). Belief in reincarnation
opposes the teaching of the Bible (Heb. 9:27).
The Christian hope of eternal life means that all
true believers in Christ will not only have personal
existence but personal fellowship with God. It is
impossible to earn one's salvation by good works
(Titus 3:3-7). Religious deeds and exercises
cannot save (Matt. 7:22-23; Rom 9:32; Gal. 2:16;
Eph 2:8-9).
The Beliefs of Hinduism Overview
5) The Caste System
– The caste system is a painfully rigid system
of class oppression
– The caste system has come to be seen as a
manifestation of karma
– Your next lifetime is your only hope for rising
through the castes
Biblical Response
Man is the special creation of God, made in His
own image. He created them male and female as
the crowning work of His creation. The gift of
gender is thus part of the goodness of God's
creation. The sacredness of human personality is
evident in that God created man in His own
image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore,
every person of every race possesses full dignity
and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5;
51:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Romans 1:19-32; 3:1018,23; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11.
How To Witness To Hindus
Pray and trust the Holy Spirit to use the gospel
message to reach the hearts and minds of your
Hindu friend.
Share your personal faith in Jesus Christ as your
Lord and Savior. Keep your testimony short.
Stress the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as God's
revelation of Himself.
How To Witness To Hindus
Stress the necessity of following Jesus to the
exclusion of all other deities.
Keep the gospel presentation Christ-centered.
Share the assurance of salvation that God's
grace gives you and about your hope in the
resurrection. Make sure you communicate that
your assurance is derived from God's grace and
not from your good works or your ability to be
spiritual (1 John 5:13).
How To Witness To Hindus
Give a copy of the New Testament. If a Hindu
desires to study the Bible, begin with the Gospel
of John. Point out passages that explain
salvation.
References
The Compact Guide to World Religions, Dean
Halverson, General Editor, 1996
Nelson’s Illustrated Guide to Religions, by
James Beverley, 2009
So What’s The Difference, by Fritz
Ridenour, 2001
Online:
http://4truth.net