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IS BUDDHISM ALL BAD? #3

DO YOU NEED A RHYME OR A REDEEMER?

In his latest bestseller, Christian writer Philip Yancey tells about a religious conference where the great scholars were gathered, discussing the comparative differences between the world's great religions. And really, there are a number of similarities. Moral codes to follow. Legends about life after death. Various "incarnation accounts" about how some form of God-in-human-form was suddenly among us here on earth. Christianity has things like this, but so do other faiths.

And finally these great students wondered: "Well, what is it that is truly unique to the Christian faith?" And as the discussion continued, one of our Voice of Prophecy favorites, the Anglican writer C. S. Lewis, wandered into the room. "What's all the rumpus about?" he asked. And they shared with him the question: What is Christianity's unique contribution or advantage?

And he answered instantaneously: "Oh, that's easy. It's grace."

Well, I tell you that story before sharing the title of Yancey's book, which is this: More Than Amazing Grace. Which, if you want a recommendation, is one of the finest, most ground-breaking books to come along in many, many years. But as we continue to think in this series about the tongue-in-cheek question, IS BUDDHISM ALL BAD?, Yancey's observation pretty much settles the question.

Because Buddhism is NOT all bad. It's NOT all false. There is much truth to be found in this great Eastern faith embraced by millions. It's a religion that embraces peace and holy living, respect for one's neighbor. "Turn the other cheek" is truly as Buddhist as it is Christian. Buddhist writings describe the three poisons of greed, anger, and stupidity — and how to focus one's mind away from such illnesses, or the working of "(quote) devils from within."

However, when it comes time to think about the dilemma of sin, and the need for forgiveness, and a person's yearning for a Savior . . . then the philosophies of Buddhism suddenly run dry. Because except for the endless cycles of karma, a slow balancing of the scales by living through many reincarnated lives of pain and sorrow and lessons learned over and over and over again, Buddhism has no answer for the sin problem of man.

Two of the most insightful books we've ever had come into our Voice of Prophecy library are written by prominent Jewish authors. One of them is entitled The Ten Challenges, and this gifted writer explores the Ten Commandments from a variety of faith perspectives: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, New Age, etc. And from his background as a skilled psychiatrist, he reveals how the Ten Commandments are an exceptional blueprint for successful living here at the turn of the 21st century. Whether you're a religious person or irreligious, you can't do much better than to adopt these ten Commandments, or Guidelines, or Challenges as your daily Magna Carta. The hugely popular radio personality, Dr. Schlessinger, has a similar book, co-written with Rabbi Stewart Vogel, entitled very simply: The Ten Commandments: The Significance of God's Laws in Everyday Life.

Now friend, these books are filled with great truth. Dr. Laura, who smilingly calls herself America's "Mommy" or the conscience of talk radio, dispenses biblical wisdom on her program every single day. There's very little a Christian would argue with in the 320 pages of her bestseller.

And of course, all Christians share a tremendous heritage with our Jewish brothers and sisters. The great Old Testament stories of God's leading. Principles of community living and health and lifestyle. And certainly, a radio broadcast like the Voice of Prophecy, with its Seventh-day Adventist tradition, would have to mention the wonderful gift of Sabbath celebration that we share with the worldwide community of Jewish believers.

And yet . . . I return to that quiet comment by Mr. Lewis about the unique advantage that only Christianity can offer. And we find it expressed again in the gospel of John, the very first chapter. John the Baptist is down at the Jordan River, baptizing people who have come to see in themselves a sin problem, a need for release from the guilt of their human depravity. These fishermen and housewives and teenagers and Roman soldiers look into the crude mirrors of Judean life and they know they are sinners. They know they need cleansing. And in one of the most important proclamations in the Word of God, John looks down the road and he sees his own Cousin approaching. And pointing to this Man they're already calling the Messiah, he makes the announcement:

"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

And this is the crucial difference, friend. This is the one thing that is needed, more than any other. The world needs a redeemer. Notice the wording here: "The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the WORLD." I can't explain the miracle of Calvary, or the science of the cross, or the theology of the blood, but the Christian faith offers to the entire world, six billion sinners, the release from sin, the amazing grace, that comes from this Lamb named Jesus Christ.

I've mentioned in these past two radio programs how every world religion has its great teachings and its great teachers. There are brilliant, compelling, sound formulas and logical theologies being suggested all the time. New radio preachers come and go and then come again. But I can't help but think of something that this same writer, C. S. Lewis — himself a genius writer — once said. He basically said: "Big deal." If Jesus is just another good philosopher, he says, then big deal. Who needs another one? There's no shortage of good ideas out there, of theologies, of systems, of teachings. If you want more Beatitudes than the ones in Matthew chapter five, we could always hire the people at Hallmark to write some more. And theirs would even rhyme. What we don't need is more good teachers; what we all need is a Lamb sent from God to take away the sin of the world.

Let me share a thought from another absolutely brilliant book . . . and we seem to be recommending a lot of great books today. By the way, I WILL say that the Christian faith, in my view, has the best books! But in Dr. John Stott's landmark volume, The Contemporary Christian, he lifts up again the one advantage only the Christian faith can offer to a dying world.

"Our claim, then [as Christians]," he writes, "is not just that Jesus was one of the great spiritual leaders of the world." Because if that's all he was, then really, who cares? One more teacher . . . who cares? He goes on, though: "It would be hopelessly incongruous to refer to Him as ‘Jesus the Great,' comparable to Alexander the Great, Charles the Great or Napoleon the Great." Now listen to this, because it gives me goosebumps: "Jesus is not ‘the Great'; He is the Only. He has no peers, no rivals and no successors."

And friend, any Christian who thanks God for this good news does so in absolute humility, because it's nothing good in US that we can boast about. In fact, it's our lack of goodness that makes the unique role of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God so needed, so gratefully embraced.

There's a New Testament story I like, because it has a lesson for our radio ministry. In Acts chapter three, Peter and John, two disciples of the risen Savior Jesus, are walking up to the temple for the three o'clock prayer meeting. And a crippled man there sits up expectantly, hoping they'll have a coin for him. And Peter hurts his feelings by saying, "Hey, I don't have any money." But then follows up with: "But what I do have I'll give you." And what he has is Jesus. The forgiving power of Jesus. The healing power of Jesus. And instantly the man is both forgiven and made well.

And so it is for us. I guess there are days when we share a bit of philosophy here during these 13 minutes. Here and there some theology, our "take" on key Bible ideas. But friend, most of all we want to simply offer Jesus. That's what we have: this Savior and Redeemer and Sin-Bearer and Friend whom to know is life eternal.

Back to Yancey's book, which is filled with hundreds of stories about grace, about people who in their desperation reached out for this singular pillar of providence, the Lamb of God. He tells how a secular humanist and novelist named Marghanita Laski once confessed in a TV interview:

"What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness. I have nobody to forgive me."

Which is not to say that other religions don't have the teaching of forgiveness. But friend, only the Christian faith, with the foundation of Calvary as its basis, provides the entire planet, and every person on this planet, with an eternal basis for lasting and complete forgiveness of our sins. And it's because the Christian faith has this one thing no one else can match. Not Jesus the teacher, or Jesus the wise man, or Jesus the philosopher. But the Lamb of God: Jesus the ONLY.

Today, if you need a poem, I don't have one for you. If you want to memorize a phrase or a slogan, I guess I could look one up, but I'm not going to. If you're looking for a life philosophy, a new mental approach, there are many to pick from at the nearest Super Crown bookstore. But friend, if right now you need a Savior, you need someone who can take away all of your sins, all of your guilt, then I'm here to tell you about Him.

"There IS a Savior; What joys express. His eyes are mercy, His Word is rest. For each tomorrow, For yesterday, There IS a Savior, Who lights the way."