Jesus only followed Judaism because he was born in it. Doesn’t Jesus want his followers to remain in whatever religion they were born into?
Question:
Jesus was born a Jew and he followed the rites of the Jewish community. Had he been born in a Brahmin family he would have worn a sacred thread and follow all their rites to the letter and spirit. He would also have reprimanded their priests for hypocrisy. He had not started a new religion (Christianity), the Jewish religion was sufficient for him. That means in whatever religion you are born you should remain in it and try to follow its rites and belief to the letter and spirit. He did not abolish circumcision. You might ask why Paul wanted to abolish it. He said circumcision was only a shadow of Christ and you should hold on to him rather than his shadow. For the convenience of pagans to follow Christ, he thought that the commandment of God the Father can be abolished. But Jesus himself even when he is on this earth never exhorted to abolish it. But exhorted what is really needed is circumcision of the heart. In my opinion, it was foolishness on the part of disciples to follow a ritual that was prevalent in another form in their community.
Seeing the disunity in the church now, Paul (if he were alive today) would have abolished the baptism altogether. If he could abolish a commandment of God the Father, he could have abolished the commandment of Jesus, the Son, as it is now a curse.
Mahatma Gandhi believed in Jesus and followed him in spirit. When some prominent Christian missionaries of different denominations once asked him why he did not join the church since he followed Christ. Gandhi asked them to which denomination should he join. This was sufficient for the missionaries to understand that it is not an important matter to join a church (denomination) but one should believe in Christ and follow him.
Can you explain what is wrong in my thinking? Many think like this.
Answer:
You start from a falsehood and wind many more falsehoods into it. Yet the sum of them does not yield a truth.
Jesus stated, "I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don't seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me" (John 5:30). You stated that it was just a coincidence that Jesus was born an Israelite. But Jesus said he came to accomplish the Father's will. Thus I can say for certain that Jesus would not support Hinduism and its belief in Brahma did not come from God, it is a man-made idolatrous religion. The sermon outline on Transcendental Meditation covers Hinduism, which is the foundation of Transcendental Meditation, and why those beliefs are contrary to the Scriptures.
Jesus stated, "Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). It is correct that Jesus did not come to destroy or make a ruin of the Old Testament. But he did state he came to fulfill it. The Greek word for "fulfill" is pleroo, which means to finish filling something, to bring something to its completion, or to accomplish something. Jesus came to finish the Old Law and bring it to its completion. See the sermon outline called The Mission of Christ for more details. On the mount of transfiguration, God the Father stated that we should listen to Jesus, even though Moses was there present with Jesus at that time (Matthew 17:5).
You stated that Jesus did not come to establish his own religion. Jesus said, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Throughout the gospels are repeated references to the coming kingdom. This kingdom is the church established by Jesus. Jesus stated it would come within that generation (Mark 9:1). Peter argued that by prophecy Jesus is currently reigning in his kingdom (Acts 2:25-36). Paul spoke of the kingdom being in existence (Colossians 1:13). And Paul speaks of the duration of Jesus' reign (I Corinthians 15:24-25).
You speak as though the apostle taught and did things contrary to what Jesus desired. But Paul stated, "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. or I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul's claim is that he is merely teaching what Jesus taught him. Either you must accept that the entire New Testament is the teachings of Christ, or you must state that it is based on a lie. You can't have it in between. But then you called the disciples foolish, so we know where you stand. "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence" (I Corinthians 1:25-29). Paul did not abolish a command of God. Paul taught that God had changed the terms of His covenant with mankind. "Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don't be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace" (Galatians 5:1-4).
Paul would not abolish baptism today because of disunity. Paul didn't have the authority to alter the words of God. "But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him." But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God's Spirit. But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things" (I Corinthians 2:9-13). What Paul taught were not his own ideas or commands. He was the messenger bringing the word of God to mankind. "If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord" (I Corinthians 14:37).
There is only one church belong to Christ and it is to that one church we must belong to be saved (Ephesians 4:4-6). The Jews and the Gentiles were required to convert from their former religious beliefs to put on Christ. "For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise" (Galatians 3:25-29).
As Jesus warned, "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). And as Peter later said, "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19).
