Isaiah spoke of this plight in Isa. 60 v. 2, “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people.” Paul to the Ephesians similarly spoke of a darkness he and the early Christians were contending against, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephes. 6:12)
Is there not a similarity between both of these statements and conditions in the world today? There are approximately 2½ Billion people in the world today, the majority of whom are quite religious. But the religions do not harmonize with true Christianity. They do however have one or two common beliefs such as believing in some sort of reward for doing good, to be received generally after death. Even the definition of what is good is fairly common. For example Buddhism and its four noble truths . . . . . “Suffering is universal.” and “The cause of suffering is craving, or selfish desire.” and “The cure for suffering is the elimination of craving.” and “The way to achieve the elimination of craving is to follow the Middle Way described in the Noble Eightfold Path.” The Noble Eightfold Path is 1. Right knowledge. 2. Right intention. 3. Right speech. 4. Right conduct. 5. Right means of livelihood. 6. Right effort. 7. Right mindfulness. 8. Right concentration.
Confucius’ philosophy w a s somewhat similar and somewhat similarly defined “The way to heaven”. It really does not sound so terrible, so then what was wrong with these teachings as compared with those of the Son of God ? Well in the next few sentences we shall try to find out.
First let’s list the major religions in the world today and try to account for the 2’A billion by percentages.
Hinduism ——————— 12%
Buddhism——————— 20%
China ————————– 18%
(Confucianism, Taoism, Communism.)
Islam ————————— 12%
Christianity ——————- 34%
Misc. —————————- 4%
The author of Christianity who was Jesus, taught men as follows . . . “The first of all the commandments is, Hear 0 Israel ; the Lord our God is ONE LORD.” Hindus believe in one God who they call Brahman. They believe that everything and everybody is part of their Divine One Brahman. Yet along with this duty they believe in over 300 million other gods, any of which may be worshipped as a personal God. Nowhere in scripture is there to be found such confusion and duplicity concerning the God of Israel. Is not this then spiritual darkness surrounding the very basic elements of men’s beliefs? Over 300 million people are Hindus and none accept Christ as the only name given under heaven whereby men must be saved. (Acts 4, v. 12.)
Similarly Buddhism though allowing Christianity within itself does not conform to any of Christianity’s basic tenets. Here we have another 500 million people in complete spiritual darkness, that is by Christian standards, despite the fact that their principles are quite noble as for example the four noble truths and the eight fold path previously mentioned. Christianity has no quarrel with these high ideals, but apart from the ideals it does, for Jesus says “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life ; No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” Yet Buddha’s teachings, are the way to paradise (Nirvana) for all Buddhists, not those of Christ. Certainly this is darkness.
China with its 450 million is equally as dark, believing in Confucian philosophy, Taoist mythology and recently Marx’ ideology. None of these three agree with the principles of Christ.
Confucianism basically is a system of ethics which is very good in general but not promising any specific life in the hereafter. Centuries after his death Confucius became a god to whom sacrifices were made on a par with those made to the sun and moon. Practices such as these are completely abhorrent to the God of Israel. (see 2nd Kings, ch. 23.)
Taoism commencing about the same time (5th century BC) developed into a mythology, for example, one of its teachings declares “He who attains TAO is everlasting, though his body may decay he never perishes.” This sounds very much like many modern Christian beliefs that are astray, having the body decaying in the grave and the soul enjoying bliss in heaven. All of which makes nonsense of a judgment and a resurrection and the example of the process to Life Eternal as demonstrated by our Lord Jesus. Buddhism has 33 different heavens but Taoism beats this, it has invented 81 and then inhabited them with many gods such as the City God, the Kitchen God, the God of Wealth and numerous nature gods. This brings to mind Paul’s words in 1st Cor. 8:46 . . . “For though there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many and lords many.) But to us there is but One God.” etc. Surely his words imply spiritual darkness in the areas where there are gods many and lords many.
Marx is reputed to have said something like “religion is the opiate of the people” and in his judgement one assumes he included true Christianity with all the other religions. Here then is no light at all.
Thus far in our review then we have about half the world in utter darkness. Now what of the other half. Well let us next consider Islam and its 300 million adherents. At least in this case there is belief in ONE God, and strange as it may seem their God (Allah) is the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, but not the Father of Jesus. Jesus is merely an individual in history, and the way to Life is through the teachings of Mohammed. Now this is in complete contradiction to what Jesus said when he declared he alone was the Good Shepherd and the only door to the sheepfold and that all others were hirelings. Jesus, you recall, said that Abraham rejoiced to see his day and was glad. Islam on the other hand sees Abraham’s day but it does not as did Abraham, ‘see Christ’s day.’ Why? because of spiritual darkness.
But what of Christianity, the most remarkable of all religions with its 850 million followers ? It is not as old as some of the others and it grew from no more than 3 years of teaching of one man in a tiny captive province of the Roman Empire. How did it become so universal so quickly ? Was it the miracles ? Was it the Jewish background ? Was it because of the power of God ? Was it the wisdom of Jesus ? Was it his resurrection? It was these and much more for was not Jesus the Son of God, and that the only true God, the God of Israel ? Here then should be found light, not darkness. But what has happened ? Has not the light been obscured by the innovations and the inventions of the mind of man ? All the major religions today which comprise almost all of the 850 million believe in the Trinity. Yet no one believed in the Trinity in the Apostles’ time, it was a man made doctrine 300 years later, as were most of the other fallacies which do away with the necessity of the basic tenets of true Christianity.
We refer to such basic truths as, the return of Christ to the earth to set up his kingdom, the act of baptism, its meaning and its proper practice, the true state of the dead which results in the absolute necessity of a resurrection, the real purpose of God with the earth and mankind upon it. What has happened to these fundamentals that have been lost in the mysteries of three Gods in one and one in three ? Of many heavens and different places of abode for dead people? Dead bodies we see placed in the grave and declared dead by a legal death certificate but supposedly alive in paradise, according to the words of the graveside preacher. What has happened to Christian Truth in these mystical contradictions ?
Now there is a remaining 4% of the world population to whom we have not yet referred. These consist of Atheists, numerous strange and mystic cults, of Jews and splinter groups of untold varieties of Christianity. Somewhere in this latter minority is another minority, the Christadelphians and no doubt other believers in the same truths. If these be the only ones not in spiritual darkness, then the world at large is in the midnight hours and well described by Isaiah as ‘gross darkness’.
If the combined numbers of all believers in the Truth totaled 250 thousand, which by Christadelphian standards is a very large number, such a number would only represent one hundredth part of one percent of the total world population today.
Truly as Isaiah said . . . “darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people.”
May God’s light of truth be reflected by you that you may shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of LIFE. (Phil. 2, v. 15-16.)
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One