How do Jesus’ teachings challenge core Hindu teachings?

<p>How do Jesus’ teachings challenge core Hindu teachings?</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Hope Channel

InVerse 1st Quarter 2026: Apologetics

Sebastien Braxton

Felecia Lee

Joe Reeves

Paul Samuel

01 Why Apologetics?

Jonathan Walter

02 Climbing Mars Hill

03 Divine Design

04 The Problem of Evil

05 Jesus and Hinduism

06 Jesus and Buddhism

07 Jesus and Islam

08 Jesus is Different

09 The Resurrection: Evidence that Demands a Verdict

Joe Kretschmar

10 The Bible

11 Hellfire

12 Doomsday Cults

Coming to you from Silver Spring, Maryland, Welcome to Inverse, a Bible-based conversation on life principles, contemporary issues, and thought-provoking perspectives.

Now here's your host, Joe Reeves, with Inverse.

My name is Joe and we at Inverse study the Bible with friends at a table and with you.

And we're so excited that you've joined us today.

We're very glad to have you here, Felicia.

And we've been studying apologetics this season.

We've been learning as we've prepared for this, and these programs aren't scripted, but we do study and prepare, and then we have a great conversation and so apologetics what we've done for this is episode number 5 what what have you learned so far.

1 that apologetics does not mean you're apologizing for anything, but it means making a defense, giving answers as to why you believe what you believe, but knowing how to communicate in such a way with other people who have never heard the gospel, have never heard the name of Jesus, and knowing how to share that in a way that resonates with them, that is not in a dogmatic kind of way, but an attractive thing.

And so that's 1 thing that we've covered about apologetics.

It's also paying attention to getting an interest in the ideas out there, the beliefs of other people out there, knowing a little bit about the fears and hopes and desires of people, And that helps us respond with the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the medicine where the need is.

Uh-huh, and in episode 2, we looked at a story of Paul doing that when he was in Athens and he perceived their thoughts, their beliefs, and he addressed them.

He even quoted from some of their own authors.

Anything else you're picking up this season?

I think just a reminder that, you know, the word that we said it comes from apologia, obviously in that word is the root word logos, right?

And the idea of Christianity through apologetics shows us that it appeals not just to the heart, but to the mind.

That you don't have to check out your brain to be a Christian.

That you can be a reasonable, rational person and still believe in God, which we brought up that Richard Dawkins quote.

And the reminder of that, that yes, he can be vast and incomprehensible mentally, but still close to the heart.

And I wanna remind you that, that's important for each 1 of us.

So I, at a very young age, I learned the Bible stories.

But as a teenager, I thought, you know, I don't want to be a Christian just because it's my culture or my tradition.

I only want to be a believer if I can defend it and I can give reasons why.

And so that, it's not just about who gets the faith, it's about who keeps the faith.

And every single person, Every single believer needs to understand the reasons for themselves and to be able to explain and share with others.

Grappling with the questions is like developing antibodies within ourselves.

The grappling with the doubts, this is important.

If we do, when tragedy hits, when life's challenges hit us, then we're caught unawares, and our faith falls, and we fall apart.

But as Christians facing the doubts, facing the questions, they grow in us faith that's informed.

And we're looking at the scriptures today and we want to pray and ask God to be with us.

And Felicia, could you pray for us at the beginning?

Father, we thank you so much that we can bring our questions to you.

You don't ask us to follow you blindly, but as we go on our way and we have these different thoughts that come, we know that we can find the answers in the person of Jesus.

So as we study about different religions and different questions, we pray that our faith in Jesus would grow.

We are turning in our Bibles to John chapter 3.

It's a conversation that Jesus has with somebody.

Jesus came into this world in a certain context 2000 years ago.

There were already religions and worldviews that were out there.

Jesus offered something that was different.

So as we think about these words, we've studied John chapter 3 before, but we're listening to this conversation of Jesus and how would this be heard from an Eastern religion or from a worldview to the East.

And this is very important for us to think about in our context today.

I don't know how many of you have neighbors and friends that practice Hinduism or similar religions like that originating out of India and Nepal, but really a global religion now.

We have, Yes, 2 of the world's largest temples by area size are in the US and in Canada, in Europe and so forth.

It is a growing religion, adherents around the world.

They are migrating and building families and forming communities around the world.

So it's likely that you will find them as neighbors, that you'll interact with them in business, in the workplace.

And it's a rich opportunity to encounter their hopes and fears with the gospel.

So let's bring the words of Jesus to the conversation from John chapter 3, and I think verses 1 through 8.

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no 1 can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.

Jesus answered and said to him, most assuredly I say to you, unless 1 is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus said to him, how can a man be born when he is old?

Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?

Jesus answered, most assuredly I say to you, unless 1 is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

Do not marvel that I say to you, you must be born again.

The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.

So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Okay, so he's speaking to Nicodemus, he's religious, He's a rabbi, he's a teacher of the Jews.

But this was in a broader conversation as well, and the Gospel of John has gone to the whole world.

What if it was a Hindu teacher that was listening to Jesus and that he was conversing?

How do you think he would have heard it, Sebastian?

Well, I think the way that he would have heard it would be in Hinduism, the idea that every birth is a rebirth, right?

So there is this concept of the new birth.

They would have heard that in the context of reincarnation.

So every birth is a rebirth, And your current state and the level of society in which you live is a result of the life that you lived, unbeknownst to you.

Back to Menu

Series

InVerse 1st Quarter 2026: Apologetics

05 Jesus and Hinduism

Transcript

Description

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

InVerse, 1st Quarter 2023: God First

01 God: The Upholding Giver

28m

InVerse 1st Quarter 2026: Apologetics

03 Divine Design

29m

Darwinism On Trial

29m

InVerse, 3rd Quarter 2019: "The Least of These" : Ministering to Those in Need

01-God Created

27m

InVerse, 4th Quarter 2021: Deuteronomy

11 Life or Death

27m

The Great Mind Controversy

04 Redeeming the Time

1h

Origin Stories: Creation vs Evolution

Creation vs Evolution

1h

GYC 2013 Seminar: To All: World Religions and Mission

02-“The Cross and the Lotus”: Hinduism and Missions 101

49m

Sound Doctrine