>>ANNOUNCER: TODAY ON
THE JOHN ANKERBERG SHOW:
RAVI ZACHARIAS ANSWERS
THE SKEPTICS. RAVI GREW UP
IN INDIA WHERE HIS ANCESTORS
BELONGED TO THE HIGHEST CASTE
OF HINDU PRIESTS.
BUT ONE DAY HE HEARD
THE WORDS OF JESUS CHRIST
AND BECAME A CHRISTIAN.
HE HAS GONE ON TO BECOME
ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT
CHRISTIAN APOLOGIST'S
IN THE WORLD, TRAVELING TO MORE
THAN 70 COUNTRIES AND SPEAKING
AT THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS
UNIVERSITIES, NOTABLY HARVARD,
PRINCETON, DARTMOUTH, JOHNS
HOPKINS, AND OXFORD UNIVERSITY.
HE ADDRESSED THE WRITERS
OF THE PEACE ACCORD IN SOUTH
AFRICA AND MILITARY OFFICERS
AT THE LENIN MILITARY ACADEMY
AND THE CENTER FOR
GEOPOLITICAL STRATEGY
IN MOSCOW. THREE TIMES
HE HAS BEEN INVITED TO SPEAK
AT THE ANNUAL PRAYER BREAKFAST
AT THE UNITED NATIONS IN
NEW YORK, AND SPOKEN AT
THE CIA IN WASHINGTON, DC.
RAVI AND I ATTENDED SEMINARY
TOGETHER IN CHICAGO,
WHERE WE WHERE WE INVESTIGATED
CHRISTIANITY UNDER MANY OF
THE SAME PROFESSORS.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW RAVI
PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER EARLIER
THIS YEAR AND THESE WERE
THE LAST PROGRAMS WE TAPED
TOGETHER ANSWERING QUESTIONS
ABOUT CHRISTIANITY.
I INVITE YOU TO JOIN US
FOR THIS SPECIAL EDITION
OF THE JOHN ANKERBERG SHOW.
>>JOHN ANKERBERG:
WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM.
I'M JOHN ANKERBERG, I'M GLAD
THAT YOU JOINED US TODAY.
AND MY GUEST IS
THE BRILLIANT CHRISTIAN
PHILOSOPHER, APOLOGIST,
RAVI ZACHARIAS.
RAVI HAS TALKED TO MORE
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN MORE
COUNTRIES THAN ANYBODY I KNOW.
AND THIS WEEK WE'RE CENTERING
ON THE TOUGH QUESTIONS THAT STUDENTS WANT TO ASK YOU
FROM THE FAR EAST. AND
OUR FIRST ONE IS THIS.
A STUDENT ASKED, "COULD YOU
PLEASE EXPAND ON HOW JESUS
MIGHT RESPOND TO THE BAHA'I
FAITH, THAT ALL RELIGIONS ARE
ONE, AND THAT JESUS IS JUST
ONE OF MANY PROPHETS?"
>>RAVI ZACHARIAS: YOU KNOW,
COMING FROM THE EAST, JOHN,
WE JUST PLAGUE EACH OTHER
WITH QUESTIONS, I MEAN,
THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.
IF YOU DO AN OPEN FORUM IN
DELHI, FOR EXAMPLE, OR IN
MUMBAI, OR IN CHENNAI,
YOU WILL FIND YOU'LL NEVER
GET OUT OF THERE.
THEY HAVE VERY MANY QUESTIONS.
IT'S A QUESTIONING CULTURE.
AND IT'S ALSO TRUE IN
THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THAT'S
WHY I THINK RELIGIOUS IDEAS
ARE SO CENTRAL TO THEIR ETHOS
AND THEIR PATHOS AND
THEY FEEL IT SO PASSIONATELY.
SO, THE FIRST THING I WANT
TO SAY IS, TO THE LISTENER,
I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL
ABOUT THESE ISSUES
FOR TWO REASONS. NUMBER ONE,
IT'S A GENUINE QUESTION;
NUMBER TWO, IT'S CONNECTED
TO FAMILY AND TO ANCESTRAL
BELIEFS. AND SO WHEN THEY
RAISE QUESTIONS ON
EXCLUSIVITY, FOR EXAMPLE,
OR ON THE BAHA'I FAITH,
WHICH IS SYNCRETISTIC,
I KNOW, I KNOW WHY THEY'RE
ASKING THIS. BUT THE BAHA'I
FAITH, YOU KNOW, COMING UP
IN THE MID-1800'S,
A LITTLE AFTER THE 1850'S
AND SO ON, THAT PARTICULAR
FAITH BY THE ISLAMIC WORLDVIEW
IS TREATED AS HERETICAL
AND PEOPLE ARE PERSECUTED,
UNFORTUNATELY SO.
THEIR INTENTION WAS NOBLE-
TO TRY TO BRING EVERYBODY
TOGETHER. SO, IF YOU GO,
FOR EXAMPLE, TO THE BAHA'I
TEMPLE IN DELHI, WHERE
I'M SURE YOU'VE EVEN
BEEN, THERE ARE MASSIVE
EDIFICES AND SO ON.
THERE'S A FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM
WITH THAT: ALL RELIGIONS
SIMPLY CANNOT BE TRUE.
I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY
RELIGIONS ARE ALL
FUNDAMENTALLY THE SAME AND
ONLY SUPERFICIALLY DIFFERENT.
SKEPTICS NORMALLY SAY THAT.
IT IS JUST THE OPPOSITE,
THEY ARE FUNDAMENTALLY
DIFFERENT AND AT BEST ONLY
SUPERFICIALLY SIMILAR.
ISLAM IS NOT THE SAME AS
HINDUISM; CHRISTIANITY IS NOT
THE SAME AS ISLAM.
WE NEED TO BE CORDIALLY ABLE
TO INTERACT ON THESE ISSUES
WITHOUT ANATHEMATIZING EACH
OTHER, BUT HOLDING ONTO
TRUTH. TRUTH IS ULTIMATELY
INCONTROVERTIBLE.
WHY CAN'T ALL RELIGIONS BE
TRUE? BECAUSE THE LAW OF
NON-CONTRADICTION APPLIES
TO REALITY: TWO CONTRADICTORY
STATEMENTS MEANING OPPOSITE
THINGS CANNOT BOTH BE CORRECT
AT THE SAME TIME. EXCLUSIVITY
IS A REALITY IN TRUTH BECAUSE
TRUTH IS PRIMARILY
A PROPERTY OF PROPOSITIONS.
WE SEE THIS IN A COURTROOM:
WERE YOU IN THE ROOM
WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE?
THE ANSWER IS EITHER "YES" OR
"NO". YOU CAN SAY ONE FOOT IN
THERE, ONE FOOT OUT OF THERE,
YOU CAN PLAY WORD GAMES,
BUT THE QUESTIONER IS LOOKING
FOR TRUTH. TRUTH BY DEFINITION
IS EXCLUSIVE.
SO WHEN JESUS SAYS,
"I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH,
AND THE LIFE, NO ONE COMES
UNTO THE FATHER EXCEPT
THROUGH ME," IT'S AN AUDACIOUS
CLAIM, IT'S A DRAMATIC CLAIM,
IT'S AN, IT'S AN ABSOLUTE
CLAIM. THE QUESTION IS,
CAN IT BE SUSTAINED BY
HIS LIFE TEACHING AND
SO ON? THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE
TO ASK. ALL RELIGIONS SIMPLY
CANNOT BE THE SAME.
GAUTAMA BUDDHA WAS BORN
A HINDU AND HE RENOUNCED
TWO OF THE FUNDAMENTAL
DOCTRINES OF HINDUISM:
HE DID NOT ACCEPT THE AUTHORITY
OF THE VEDAS,AND HE DID
NOT ACCEPT THE CASTE SYSTEM.
THAT'S WHY EVEN IN RECENT
TIMES THERE WERE PEOPLE
COMING IN SAYING IN A MOVE
FROM A OVER TO B, WHERE
WE DON'T HAVE A CASTE SYSTEM.
BUT THOSE TWO BELIEFS
HE RENOUNCED. AND THAT'S
WHEN HIS FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
AND HIS EIGHT-FOLD PATH
CAME INTO BEING.
ISLAM IS NOT THE SAME AS
SIKHISM; SIKHISM IS NOT
THE SAME AS HINDUISM.
THERE ARE... THERE ARE
DOCTRINES AND CLAIMS THAT ARE
MADE THAT ARE EXCLUSIVE TO
EVERY FAITH. EVERY FAITH HAS
ITS EXCLUSIVITY.
EVEN BAHAISM, WHICH CLAIMS
TO BE SYNCRETISTIC, ACTUALLY
EXCLUDES THE EXCLUSIVISTS,
AND SAYS YOU CAN'T BE
AN EXCLUSIVIST AND BE
A FOLLOWER OF THE BAHA'I FAITH
AT THE SAME TIME.
IT'S THE NATURE OF WHAT TRUTH
IS. SO RATHER THAN GETTING
UPSET AT AN EXCLUSIVE CLAIM,
REASON TELLS ME LET ME EXAMINE
THESE CLAIMS AND SEE IF
THEY STAND THE TEST OF TRUTH.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
>>ANKERBERG: NOW, I WANT TO
GIVE YOU ANOTHER HARD ONE.
I THINK ON EVERY UNIVERSITY
CAMPUS I'VE EVER BEEN,
THIS ONE COMES UP.
A STUDENT FROM THE FAR EAST
SAYS, "WHAT ABOUT ALL OF
THE RELIGIONS THAT HAVE COME
BEFORE CHRISTIANITY?
AND IF YOU GRANT THAT
THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE IS
EXCLUSIVE, ISN'T THIS VASTLY
UNFAIR TO CLAIM THAT
ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE DAMNED
TO HELL BECAUSE THEY DON'T
BELIEVE IN JESUS?"
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THAT?
>>ZACHARIAS: IT'S A GOOD
QUESTION. IN LOGIC,
IT'S CALLED THE, THE FALLACY
OF CALENDAR, OR TIME,
HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PUT IT.
IF THAT IS ASSUMED TO BE
THEREFORE THE GUIDEPOST FOR
TRUTH-THAT THIS CAME
BEFORE - THINK OF ALL
THE THINGS PEOPLE HAVE
BELIEVED BEFORE. WHAT HAVE
WE BELIEVED NOW THAT WERE
SO FALLACIOUS?
YOU CAN'T REALLY GO BY
THE CALENDAR?
WHAT HAPPENS TO ISLAM?
BECAUSE CHRISTIANITY PREDATED
ISLAM BY SIX CENTURIES,
YOU KNOW. WHAT HAPPENS TO
THE GITA OVER AGAINST
THE VEDAS? THE VEDAS CAME
CENTURIES BEFORE, THEY WERE
MONISTIC; THE GITA IS MORE
THEISTIC, WHAT HAPPENS TO
THE VEDAS AFTER THAT?
WHAT HAPPENS TO HINDUISM
AFTER BUDDHISM COMES ON
THE SCENE? OR THEN AFTER
BUDDHISM COMES JAINISM;
AND THEN A LATECOMER
WAS SIKHISM TO ALL
THAT HAPPENED...
ALL THAT BELIEVED THINGS
BEFORE. SO IT'S A FALLACIOUS
STARTING POINT.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO ALSO
CORRECT, THIS IDEA THAT JESUS
CHRIST CAME 2,000 YEARS AGO,
AND THEREFORE ANYTHING THAT
PREDATES THAT WOULD HAVE
TO TAKE PRECEDENCE.
ACTUALLY, 3,000 YEARS BEFORE
JESUS WAS ABRAHAM WHO LIVED
BY FAITH. WE TALK ABOUT
THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW.
YOU GO BACK 1400'S BEFORE
JESUS AND YOU'VE GOT MOSES
GIVING THE LAW, AND TALKING
ABOUT HOW ULTIMATELY HOW
THE LAW POINTS TO A REDEEMER,
AND SO ON. SO, EVEN THAT
IS FALLACIOUSLY BELIEVED
THAT IT WAS SOMETHING NEW
THAT JUST CAME 2,000 YEARS
AGO. THE BIBLE SAYS,
"GOD, WHO AT SUNDRY TIMES
AND DIVERSE MANNERS
HAS SPOKEN TO US THROUGH
THE PROPHETS, IN THE LAST DAYS
HAS SPOKEN TO US THROUGH
THE SON."
HERE'S THE ILLUSTRATION
I LIKE TO GIVE, JOHN,
AND MY FRIENDS IN INDIA WOULD
APPRECIATE IT. IT'S LIKE THIS:
ONE OF OUR SERVANTS WENT
TO SEE A MOVIE FOR THE FIRST
TIME. AND HE WALKED INTO
THE THEATER AND WAS LOOKING
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
AND HE THOUGHT HE'D PAID
MONEY TO LOOK AT BEAMS OF
LIGHT COMING IN...
COMING OUT THROUGH HOLES IN
THE WALL, UNTIL HE TURNED TO
THE RIGHT AND LOOKED AT
THE SCREEN AND SAID,
"OH, MY WORD, WHAT AM I
SEEING? I'M SEEING A FACE."
MANY RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEWS
COULD HAVE BEEN THOSE BEAMS
COMING OUT OF THE WALL.
ULTIMATELY THE LIGHT SHINES
ON THE PERSON AND THE FACE
OF JESUS CHRIST, IN WHOM
WAS THE CULMINATION AND
THE CONSUMMATION OF ALL TRUTH.
THERE MAY BE HINTS OF TRUTH
IN THESE OTHER WORLDVIEWS,
THE TOTALITY OF IT WAS IN
THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.
SO, TO THE PERSON LISTENING,
I JUST SAY, TAKE THE GOSPEL
OF JOHN, START READING IT.
SEE WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT
JESUS; SEE HIS ANSWERS TO
YOUR QUESTIONS; AND YOU'LL FIND
THE CONSUMMATE EXPRESSION
OF TRUTH IN HIS PERSON.
>>ANKERBERG: WHAT ABOUT
THE PART, WHAT ABOUT THOSE
THAT HAVE LIVED IN THE PAST
AND THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IN
JESUS. IS IT FAIR OR UNFAIR
FOR THEM TO BE SEPARATED
FROM GOD FOR ETERNITY?
>>ZACHARIAS: HOWEVER
WE ANSWER THAT, THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART OF THE ANSWER
IS THIS: THAT THE BIBLE SAYS
"THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH
WILL DO THAT WHICH IS RIGHT."
IT'S INTERESTING THAT,
THAT STATEMENT COMES IN
THE CONTEXT OF THE JUDGMENT
THAT WAS COMING UPON SODOM
AND GOMORRAH. GOD IS MORE
FAIR THAN YOU OR I.
GOD WILL DO THAT WHICH IS
RIGHT. BUT IT ALSO TELLS US
HISTORICALLY HOW PEOPLE...
WHAT DID ABRAHAM KNOW?
HE WAS RAISED IN A CULTURE
OF POLYTHEISM AND SO ON.
BUT HE "LOOKED FOR A CITY
WHOSE BUILDER AND MAKER WAS
GOD." WHERE DID HE COME UP
WITH THAT IDEA FROM?
GOD SPEAKS TO US WITHIN
OUR OWN CONSCIENCES.
GOD SPEAKS TO US IN
THE PRIVACY OF OUR OWN...
OF OUR OWN LIVES.
AND THE FACT IS THAT
HE SPEAKS THROUGH CONSCIENCE;
HE SPEAKS THROUGH CREATION;
HE SPEAKS ULTIMATELY THROUGH
HIS WORD; AND THEN IN
THE INCARNATION OF JESUS
CHRIST. BUT HAVING SAID THAT,
GOD REALLY DOESN'T SEND
ANYBODY TO HELL, JOHN.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
TRUTH. WE MAKE OUR CHOICE.
C.S. LEWIS SAYS THERE ARE
TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE IN
THIS WORLD: THOSE WHO BEND
THEIR KNEE TO GOD AND SAY
TO HIM, "YOUR WILL BE DONE;"
OR THOSE WHO REFUSE TO BEND
THEIR KNEE TO GOD
AND GOD SAYS TO HIM (OR HER),
"YOUR WILL BE DONE."
ULTIMATELY, THE CHOICE
WE MAKE FOR ETERNITY IS MADE
BY THE SUBMISSION OF
OUR WILLS TO OUR HEAVENLY
FATHER. HE WILL NOT VIOLATE
OUR WILLS. EVEN HEAVEN
WILL BE HELL TO THE PERSON WHO
DOESN'T WANT TO SPEND ETERNITY
WITH GOD. THAT SACRED GIFT
OF MY FREEDOM IS GIVEN TO ME
BY GOD. I INVITE THE LISTENER
TO BEND YOUR KNEE AND SAY
TO HIM, "YOUR WILL BE DONE."
HIS WILL IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
THING YOU CAN PURSUE.
>>ANKERBERG: WE'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE WITH TOUGH QUESTIONS
FROM STUDENTS, UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS, IN THE FAR EAST
ABOUT GOD, ALRIGHT?
AND THIS QUESTION WAS ASKED,
"MAYBE, RAVI, WE ARE ALL GOD.
MAYBE WE ARE COLLECTIVELY
GOD. AND GOD IS EXPERIENCING
HIMSELF, HERSELF OR ITSELF
THROUGH US. NOTHING IS
ABSOLUTE. THERE ARE SO MANY
RELIGIONS OUT THERE,
SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE
CLAIMED TO BE THE SON OF GOD
BEFORE. CHRISTIANITY IS
A HISTORICAL ACCIDENT.
BUDDHA TAUGHT THE SAME SORT
OF THING, SO DID CONFUCIUS,
SO DID MUHAMMAD.
THEY ALL TEACH PRETTY
MUCH THE SAME STUFF.
CAN WE REALLY SAY WHAT'S
RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG?"
>>ZACHARIAS: YOU KNOW, I HEAR
THAT QUESTION IN DIFFERENT
FORMS, JOHN, SO MANY TIMES.
AND ONE WONDERS WHERE TO
BEGIN. I RECALL A STATEMENT
BY WINSTON CHURCHILL AFTER ONE
OF HIS NEMESES HAD GOT INTO
A TIRADE ABOUT HIM AND CALLED
HIM ALL KINDS OF NASTY
THINGS. AND WHEN THAT PERSON
FINISHED, CHURCHILL JUST
LEANED OVER TO THE PERSON
NEXT TO HIM AND SAID,
"THERE, BUT FOR THE GRACE
OF GOD, GOES GOD."
[LAUGHTER]
YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE BEHAVE
SHOWS WE ARE ANYTHING BUT
DIVINE. AND SO WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE,
CONFUCIUS SAYING THE SAME
THING, NO, HE DOESN'T.
ACTUALLY CONFUCIUS BELIEVED
IN THE INNATE GOODNESS OF
HUMANITY; AND JESUS TAUGHT
THAT WE ARE ALL SINFUL.
YOU TALK ABOUT BUDDHA SAYING
THE SAME THING, NO HE DIDN'T.
GAUTAMA BUDDHA WAS, IF NOT
AN ATHEIST, A NON-THEIST.
HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.
THE WHOLE IDEA OF NIRVANA IS
REALLY TO END UP IN A STATE
OF NOT DESIRING, NOT WANTING.
AND YET JESUS TOLD US TO
HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER
RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND THAT
HOW... THAT'S HOW WE WILL
BE FILLED. SO THEY ARE
DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE
PROPOSITIONS HERE.
ISLAM, FOR EXAMPLE, CLAIMS
THAT JESUS NEVER DIED ON
THE CROSS, IT ONLY APPEARED
THAT HE DIED ON THE CROSS.
THAT IS HISTORICALLY
CHALLENGED BY EVERY OTHER
HISTORY OR RELIGION-WHETHER
YOU LOOK AT PAGAN HISTORIANS,
GREEK HISTORIANS,
ROMAN HISTORIANS,
JEWISH HISTORIANS,
CHRISTIAN HISTORIANS.
EVERY ONE OF US
TELLS US THAT HE,
HE DIED ON THE CROSS, AND
THEN THEY CLAIM ULTIMATELY
THAT HE, HE ROSE AGAIN FROM
THE DEAD. SO THESE RELIGIONS
ARE NOT ALL SAYING THE SAME
THING. TAKE ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
IF YOU ASK A HINDU, "HOW DO
YOU OBTAIN MOKSHA, RELEASE
OR NIRVANA? AND THE HINDU
WILL TELL YOU IT IS WHEN
YOUR.... YOU HAVE PAID
YOUR KARMIC DEBT.
EVERY BIRTH IS A RE-BIRTH.
THAT IN ITSELF IS DIFFERENT,
YOU KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS,
"IT IS APPOINTED UNTO
A PERSON ONLY ONCE TO DIE."
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE PAID
YOUR KARMIC DEBT IS WHAT
THE PANTHEIST WILL TELL YOU.
AND THERE, THERE'S A SHADE
OF DIFFERENCE WITHIN BUDDHISM
AND HINDUISM AND WHAT ITS
ULTIMATE STATE IS ACTUALLY
ABOUT. IF YOU ASK A MUSLIM,
"HOW DO YOU OBTAIN PARADISE."
HE OR SHE WILL TELL YOU YOUR
GOOD DEEDS ARE GOING TO BE
WEIGHED AGAINST YOUR BAD
DEEDS. SO IT'S A DIFFERENT
VIEW, OR WAY OF LOOKING AT
THINGS. JESUS CHRIST TELLS
A STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON.
THE BOY RENOUNCED HIS FATHER,
TOOK HIS INHERITANCE,
SQUANDERS IT. GOES AWAY
INTO THE FAR COUNTRY;
ENDS UP MESSING HIS LIFE UP
COMPLETELY. AND TURNS AROUND
AND HE IS WANTING TO COME
BACK TO HIS FATHER.
TO ME, JOHN, AS AN EASTERNER
READING THIS STORY COMES,
HERE COMES THE SHOCK, OKAY,
AN EASTERNER WOULD BE
THINKING, "HE'S COMING BACK,
WHAT IS HIS DAD GOING TO DO?
HOW IS HE GOING TO
WAIT IN THE INSIDE?
WHAT IS HE GOING TO SAY
WHEN...?" NO, NO, NO!
JESUS, THE FATHER, GETS UP
AND GOES OUT OF THE HOUSE.
HE GOES OUT OF THE HOUSE TO
MEET HIS SON HALFWAY AS HE IS
COMING BACK. ANY EASTERN BOY
OR GIRL LISTENING TO ME KNOWS
THIS IS COUNTERINTUITIVE
TO THE EASTERN FATHER.
THE EASTERN FATHER WOULD HAVE
EXPECTED HIM TO COME AND
GROVEL AND WHATEVER IT IS,
DO ALL THAT IT TOOK.
HE GOES AND EMBRACES HIS SON
AND SAYS, "THIS, MY SON,
WAS LOST AND IS FOUND;
WAS DEAD AND IS ALIVE."
THIS MESSAGE OF GRACE AND
FORGIVENESS IS UNIQUE IN
ALL OF THE RELIGIONS OF
THE WORLD: THAT THE HEAVENLY
FATHER PURSUES YOU.
AND WHEN YOU RETURN
THE HEAVENLY FATHER RECEIVES
YOU. FORGIVENESS AND GRACE
IS THE STORY OF THE GOSPEL.
IT'S NOT A CHEAP FORGIVENESS,
ITS NOT JUST LIKE,
"OKAY, I'M FORGIVING YOU."
IT COST THE VERY DEAREST
THING IN THE DEATH OF JESUS
ON THE CROSS TO TAKE
THE JUDGMENT AND TAKE THE PAIN
SO THAT YOU AND I COULD BE
FORGIVEN. ALL RELIGIONS
ARE FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT.
AT BEST SOME OF THE ETHICAL
IMPERATIVES MAY BE SIMILAR,
BUT EVEN THERE THE ETHICAL
IMPERATIVES IN MOST RELIGIONS
ARE A MEANS TO YOUR
SALVATION. IN THE CHRISTIAN
FAITH IT IS THE FRUIT OF
YOUR SALVATION. YOU DO NOT
ATTAIN IT BY YOUR GOOD WORKS;
YOU ARE FORGIVEN
AND THE GOOD WORKS ARE
AN EXPRESSION OF YOUR
GRATITUDE TO THE GIFT THAT
YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER
HAS GIVEN TO YOU.
>>ANKERBERG: RAVI, YOU'VE GOT
TWO MORE ILLUSTRATION THAT
I WANT YOU TO SHARE WITH
THE AUDIENCE ABOUT THOSE WHO
HOLD TO THE PANTHEIST VIEW.
>>ZACHARIAS: YES.
ONE HAPPENED, OF ALL PLACES,
AT GAINESVILLE,
THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA,
JOHN. AND WE HAD FINISHED
THE TALK, AND THIS MAN WALKS
OVER. IT'S FUNNY WE'VE
ACTUALLY CAPTURED IT ON VIDEO
BECAUSE IT IS ALMOST HUMOROUS
TO SEE IT. HE LUMBERS OVER
AND COMES UP TO THE MICROPHONE
AND HE SAYS, "HOW DO
I KNOW THAT I EXIST?"
AND, OF COURSE, THERE IS
A HALF-GROAN, HALF-LAUGHTER.
BUT EVERYBODY IS LEANING
FORWARD BECAUSE THEY'RE
WONDERING HOW YOU EVEN ANSWER
A QUESTION LIKE THAT.
SO I ANSWERED IT BY TELLING
IT BY TELLING HIM
WHAT PROFESSOR NATHAN AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
USED TO SAY WHEN STUDENTS
ASKED HIM THAT. HE WOULD
LOWER HIS GLASS AND SAY,
"AND WHO SHALL I SAY
IS ASKING?" [LAUGHTER]
IN THE TESTS OF TRUTH
ONE OF THE TESTS IS
THE UNDENIABILITY TEST.
YOU CANNOT DENY YOUR OWN
EXISTENCE WITHOUT AFFIRMING
IT AT THE SAME TIME.
IT'S LIKE SAYING, "I CANNOT
SPEAK A WORD OF ENGLISH;"
WHILE YOU ARE SAYING THAT,
YOU ARE ACTUALLY SPEAKING
A WORD OF ENGLISH.
SO IN THE PANTHEISTIC
WORLDVIEW THE STRUGGLE FOR
IDENTITY IS KEY. YOU HAVE
AN "I-YOU" RELATIONSHIP.
YOU SEE, MEDITATION IS TRYING
TO TAKE YOU AWAY INTO
A CAPITAL "I". YOU LOOK
INWARDS AND YOU MEDITATE.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER
IS, THEY STILL TELL YOU,
YOU HAVE TO TRANSCEND THAT
STATE INTO SOME SUBLIME
CONSCIOUSNESS OR WHATEVER.
IN THE WORLD OF REALITY
YOU AND I EXIST AS DIFFERENT
ENTITIES. THAT'S WHY
THE HUNGER FOR GOD.
THAT'S WHY THE SACRIFICIAL
SYSTEM COMES INTO SO MANY
OF THESE PLAYS. THAT'S WHY
THE BENDING OF THE KNEE.
THAT'S WHY THE OFFERING THAT
TAKES PLACE IN TEMPLES.
IT IS EXISTENTIALLY
INESCAPABLE THAT WE LIVE
IN AN "I-YOU" WORLD.
AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH,
IN THE CHRISTIAN WORLD
YOU DON'T LOOK FOR UNION
YOU LOOK FOR COMMUNION
IN FELLOWSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE LIVING GOD.
WE ARE IN AN "I-YOU" WORLD.
YOU SEE, WE ALL KNOW THAT
ULTIMATELY WE CANNOT LIFT
OURSELF UP BY OUR BOOTSTRAPS
OF ANY COSMIC DEBT
THAT WE THINK WE ARE TO PAY.
WE ALL KNOW THAT MY GOOD
DEEDS WILL NEVER OUTWEIGH
MY BAD DEEDS. THIS IS
THE BEAUTY OF THE GOSPEL
OF JESUS CHRIST WHO
FORGIVES, COMES TO YOU,
AND SAYS THE PROBLEM IS INSIDE.
SIN IS THE THING WE DON'T
LIKE, BUT IT IS A REBELLION
AGAINST GOD, LOSS OF PURPOSE.
WHEN I RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST
INTO MY LIFE AT THE AGE OF 17
HE REDEFINED EVERYTHING.
HERE I AM OVER HALF A CENTURY
LATER, JOHN, MORE IN LOVE
WITH JESUS CHRIST THAN EVER
BEFORE, REALIZING MORE BEFORE
THAT OUTSIDE OF HIM THERE ARE
NO ANSWERS. HE OFFERS ME
REDEMPTION, SALVATION.
>>ANKERBERG: PEOPLE THAT HAVE
A HUNGER TO KNOW JESUS LIKE
YOU KNOW JESUS, AND THEY FEEL
GUILTY FROM THINGS THEY'VE
DONE IN THEIR PAST, AND THEY
REALIZE THEY'VE GOT NO HOPE
FOR THE FUTURE, AND THEY
REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
JESUS CHRIST, WHAT DO YOU
ADVISE THEM TO DO RIGHT NOW
TO COME INTO A PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP OF KNOWING HIM?
>>ZACHARIAS: VERY SIMPLE.
WE ARE NOT, MAYBE, AS BAD AS
EACH OTHER; BUT WE ARE ALL
AS BADLY OFF IN THE,
IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.
AND HE SAYS TO US THAT
IF ANYONE COMES TO HIM,
"HE WILL IN NO WISE CAST US
OUT". HE SAYS IN HIS WORD,
"IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS HE IS
FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE
US OUR SINS." HE SAYS
HE BRINGS A NEW BIRTH WITHIN
US WHEN WE SUBMIT TO HIS WILL.
I WOULD JUST SAY TO THEM,
BOW YOUR HEAD WHERE YOU ARE,
IN A SIMPLE PRAYER.
THIS IS A MATTER BETWEEN YOU
AND GOD. YOU CAN GO BACK
TO YOUR HOME, IN THE PRIVACY
OF YOUR HOME; YOU CAN BE
AT YOUR DESK; YOU CAN BE
IN YOUR CAR. YOU COME TO HIM
WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER,
"JESUS CHRIST I NEED YOU
AS MY LORD AND MY SAVIOR.
I ASK YOU TO FORGIVE ME AND
MAKE ME A CHILD OF YOURS."
HE WILL FORGIVE YOU IF THAT
PRAYER IS GENUINELY MEANT.
FIND A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHERE
THE BIBLE IS BEING STUDIED.
JOIN A BIBLE STUDY; GO TO
A CHURCH WHERE THE BIBLE
IS PREACHED. READ THE GOSPEL
OF JOHN. START A CHAPTER
A DAY. BUT IN A SIMPLE PRAYER
OF COMMITMENT YOU CAN BECOME
A CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD.
JESUS DIDN'T POINT TO
A PHILOSOPHER TO TELL US
HOW WE NEED TO COME TO HIM,
HE POINTED TO A CHILD.
HE SAID IF YOU "BECOME AS
A LITTLE CHILD, YOU SHALL
ALSO KNOW HOW TO INHERIT
THE KINGDOM." AND THAT IS
A CHILDLIKE, NOT A CHILDISH,
A CHILDLIKE FAITH AND TRUST.
HE WILL RECEIVE YOU.
HE HAS PROMISED THAT IN
HIS WORD, TO FORGIVE YOU
AND BE YOUR REDEEMER.
>>ANKERBERG: WONDERFUL.
FOLKS, I HOPE THAT YOU
WILL TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.
ONE DAY I ASKED JESUS TO
COME INTO MY LIFE AND I KNOW
HE CAME IN. AND IF YOU WILL
ASK HIM SINCERELY, YOU WILL
KNOW THAT HE HAS COME INTO
YOUR LIFE AND HE WILL START
TO CHANGE YOU. HE WILL GIVE
YOU DESIRES THAT YOU DO NOT
HAVE RIGHT NOW IN
YOUR OWN STRENGTH.
HE DOES THE CHANGING.
THAT'S WHY HE IS
THE SAVIOR, HE IS THE LORD.
NEXT WEEK WE ARE GOING TO
TURN TO THE TOUGH IMPORTANT
QUESTIONS FROM STUDENTS IN
THE MIDDLE EAST. AND I HOPE
YOU WILL JOIN US THEN.
>>ANNOUNCER: STAY TUNED TO LEARN
HOW YOU CAN ORDER THIS SPECIAL
SERIES BY RAVI ZACHARIAS.
>>DR. JOHN ANKERBERG:
NOW FOLKS AS YOU LISTENED
TO RAVI TALK TODAY:
DID YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE
MORE OF JESUS' PRESENCE IN
YOUR OWN DAILY LIFE?
IF SO, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT I THINK WILL
HELP YOU. MANY OF YOU MAY
NOT KNOW THAT RAVI AND I
ATTENDED SEMINARY TOGETHER
IN THE CHICAGO AREA.
AND RAVI OFTEN TALKED ABOUT
HIS BEST FRIEND SUNDER
AND HIS SISTER SHYAMALA
AS THEY GREW UP IN INDIA.
THROUGH THE YEARS THEY ALL
STAYED CLOSE. IN FACT,
SUNDER MARRIED RAVI’S SISTER
SHYAMALA. RAVI WENT ON TO
SPEAK TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
ALL ACROSS THE WORLD AND
SUNDER WENT ON TO GRADUATE
FROM M.I.T. WITH A MASTER’S
DEGREE IN MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING AND WAS HIRED
BY CANADA’S BOARD OF ATOMIC
ENERGY. AND LATER, GOD CALLED
SUNDER TO PASTOR A CHURCH
IN TORONTO AND OPENED DOORS
FOR HIM TO SPEAK TO STUDENTS
AROUND THEN WORLD,
MANY SET UP BY RAVI HIMSELF.
NOW RAVI’S SISTER SHYAMALA
GRADUATED WITH A BACHELOR OF
ARTS IN PSYCHOLOGY AND TAUGHT
WITH THE TORONTO CANADA
BOARD OF EDUCATION IN SPECIAL
EDUCATION. WHEN DARLENE AND I
MET SUNDER AND SHYAMALA
WE QUICKLY LEARNED THAT
THEY WERE EXPERTS IN EQUIPPING
NEW BELIEVERS TO GROW IN
THEIR CHRISTIAN LIFE.
SO, I ASKED IF THEY WOULD
JOIN ME IN TEACHING A VIDEO
DISCIPLESHIP COURSE THAT
WE COULD PUT ONLINE FREE FOR
CHRISTIANS ALL AROUND THE WORLD
TO LEARN THE ESSENTIAL
TEACHINGS OF HOW TO FOLLOW
CHRIST AND GROW IN HIM.
THEY AGREED, AND WE CALLED
OUR SERIES, "FOLLOW ME:
EXPERIENCING THE JOY OF
WALKING WITH JESUS." NOW IN
THIS VIDEO SERIES WE WALKED
THROUGH ALL KINDS OF TOPICS,
FROM EXPLAINING WHAT IT MEANS
TO FOLLOW JESUS, TO WHAT DID
JESUS ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH FOR
US ON THE CROSS, TO HOW
YOU CAN HEAR GOD SPEAK TO YOU
DAILY THROUGH HIS WORD.
WE EXPLAINED BIBLICAL
STRATEGIES FOR OVERCOMING
TEMPTATION, AND HOW YOU CAN
DISCOVER GOD’S WILL FOR
YOUR LIFE, AND MUCH, MUCH,
MORE - ACTUALLY WE CREATED
OVER 40 VIDEO TOPICS.
AND WE CREATED THIS WHOLE
COURSE SO YOU COULD LEARN
HOW TO GROW CLOSE TO CHRIST.
AND THE ENTIRE COURSE IS
ONLINE RIGHT NOW IN ENGLISH
AND 10 OTHER LANGUAGES.
AND YOU CAN EASILY ACCESS
THIS FREE VIDEO COURSE
3 DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE FIRST WAY IS TO GO TO
OUR MAIN WEBSITE AT JASHOW.ORG
AND DROP-DOWN THE FRONT PAGE
AND CLICK ON “DISCIPLESHIP
COURSES.” IT WILL OPEN RIGHT
TO THE VIDEO DISCIPLESHIP
COURSE WITH THIS PICTURE.
THE SECOND WAY IS TO GO
DIRECTLY TO JABIBLE.ORG
WHICH WILL OPEN DIRECTLY
TO THE COURSE.
THEN THE THIRD WAY IS
TO ACCESS OUR COURSE
THROUGH OUR ANKERBERG APP.
JUST GO TO THE APP STORE IF
YOU HAVEN’T DOWNLOADED IT YET,
AND TYPE IN “ANKERBERG.”
A-N-K-E-R-B-E-R-G.
ONCE YOU DOWNLOAD THE APP
AND OPEN IT UP, SCROLL DOWN
AND TAP ON “DISCIPLESHIP
COURSE.” NOW I ENCOURAGE YOU
TO WATCH THIS VIDEO SERIES
RIGHT AWAY. EVERY TIME
I WATCH IT GOD SHOWS ME
SOMETHING NEW IN MY OWN LIFE.
AND I THINK IT WILL ANSWER
THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO KNOW
AND HELP YOU GROW MUCH
CLOSER TO THE LORD JESUS
IN YOUR DAILY WALK WITH HIM.
>>ANNOUNCER: IF YOU WOULD LIKE
TO HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION
IN OUR NEW SERIES:
RAVI ZACHARIAS ANSWERS SKEPTICS
IT IS AVAILABLE ON DVD
FOR A GIFT OF $49.
IN THIS SERIES RAVI DESCRIBES
HOW HE GREW UP IN INDIA
WHERE HIS ANCESTORS BELONGED
TO THE HIGHEST CASTE
OF HINDU PRIESTS. IN A LAND
OF 330 MILLION DEITIES
HE OFTEN PONDERED LIFE'S
MEANING, BUT FINALLY LOST
HOPE AND ATTEMPTED
TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE.
WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL A MAN
GAVE HIM A BIBLE AND HE READ
JESUS' WORDS "BECAUSE I LIVE,
YOU SHALL ALSO LIVE."
HE THEN GAVE HIS LIFE
TO JESUS CHRIST AND WENT ON
TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST
BRILLIANT CHRISTIAN
APOLOGISTS IN THE WORLD.
IN THIS SERIES HE ALSO
ANSWERS THE QUESTION:
"CAN MAN LIVE WITHOUT GOD?"
AND THEN THIRD HE ANSWERS
THE MOST ASKED QUESTIONS
HE RECEIVES FROM STUDENTS
IN THE FAR EAST. THE 3 PROGRAMS
IN THIS IMPORTANT SERIES
ARE AVAILABLE ON DVD
FOR A GIFT OF $49 U.S.
THEN OUR SECOND SERIES
IS CALLED: RAVI ZACHARIAS
ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM
EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST AND
AMERICA. AREN'T ALL RELIGIONS
BASICALLY THE SAME?
ISN'T JESUS JUST ONE
OF MANY PROPHETS?
IF GOD IS ALL POWERFUL,
AND ALL LOVING, WHY WOULD
HE CHOOSE TO CREATE A WORLD
HE KNEW WOULD FALL APART
AND BRING SO MUCH EVIL AND
SUFFERING? THE 3 PROGRAMS
IN THIS SERIES ARE ALSO
AVAILABLE FOR A GIFT OF $49.
THEN THIRD, WE HAVE WRITTEN
2 NEW STUDY GUIDES WITH
EXTENSIVE NOTES THAT PARALLEL
OUR 2 TELEVISION SERIES.
EACH STUDY GUIDE CONTAINS
4 SESSIONS FOR YOUR
PERSONAL STUDY OR BIBLE STUDY
GROUP AND IS AVAILABLE FOR
A GIFT OF $8 EACH OR FOR
5 OR MORE COPIES FOR $5 EACH.
AND FINALLY IF YOU WISH
TO ORDER ALL 4 OF
THESE ITEMS TOGETHER,
THAT IS BOTH TELEVISION SERIES
PLUS THE 2 STUDY GUIDES
THEY ARE AVAILABLE TOGETHER
IN A SPECIAL PACKAGE FOR ONLY
$99 U.S.
YOU MAY ORDER THIS SERIES
NOW BY CALLING US
AT 1-800-805-3030.
THAT'S 1-800-805-3030.
YOU MAY ORDER THESE PROGRAMS
NOW AT OUR WEBSITE
AT JASHOW.ORG.
AND THEN THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE
IN CANADA MAY CALL US
AT 1-866-746-5803.
AND OUR CANADIAN WEBSITE
IS JASHOW.CA.
