Salvation in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Salvation in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Christianity, Islamic, and Judaism remain the most significant religious groups in the world. These denominations emerged at different times but shared some concepts. The adherents from the three tenets trace their faith from one ancestor, Abraham. They share other beliefs like the concept of salvation and only God. However, these groups have some differences in the creed that governs the idea of redemption. The Judaists maintains that a strict observance of the laws given by their deity leads to glorious life in the heavenly kingdom. Christians consider the grace of God as the assurance to live in heaven with the redeemer Jesus Christ. The Islamic adherents believe the pilgrimage visit to Mecca as the surest way to achieve a glorious life before and after death.Although Judaism, Islam, and Christianity trace a similar history, they have different salvation doctrines in terms of habitation, the type of manifestation, and the process.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islamtrade their religions from one ancestor who taught the ways of salvation.The biblical accounts, Abraham moved from Ur to Hebron in 1750 BCE to receive the ideas of faith (Swidler, 2016). Abraham had a son called Ismail with Hagar, his maid. Later, his wife Sarah bore a son named Isaac. Subsequently, Isaac had a bore Jacob who was then known as Israel (Swidler, 2016). Jacob had twelve male children who became the twelve tribes of Israel. These three religious groups trace their origins from this extended family. Jew believes that their savior Yeshuavisited Abraham’s Promised Land, to name one of Jacob’s sons Judah(Swidler, 2016). The Christian assumes that the bot named Judah was the origin of their religion. Further, the Islam believers maintain that Abraham and his son Ismail built the Kabaa, which is the present-day known as Mecca. Therefore, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share the source of their religion and salvation.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islamic religions share the place of origin and deity. The three tenets maintain that their faith originated from the Middle East in Israel (Swidler, 2016). Their forefather, Abraham, was promised to relocate to Ur to receive blessings from God. Your was the world’s oldest civilization, where people recognized the presence of many idols. The Abrahamic religion was the first monotheism, where he worshipped and offered sacrifices to a heavenly divine being (Swidler, 2016). Since the three religions trace their faith in Abrahamic religion, they share Israel as the place of their origin. Besides, they serve a similar immortal that was adored by Abraham. Therefore, Judaism, Christianity, and Islamic believers share the same God and place of origin and presence of a savior.

The three religious groups that originated from the Middle East recognize the presence of a savior, who is the son of their deity.Judaism believes that their God, YHWH, had a son called Yeshua(Medhanie, 2018). According to their doctrine, Yeshua visited Abraham and his descendants and revealed the ways of righteousness.Yeshua has a significant role in redeeming the faithful believers in the future. Christian maintain that their divine being, God, had a son called Jesus, who was to save humanity from sins(Swidler, 2016). In their teachings, Jesus was born by a Virgin Jewish woman in Bethlehem. He later dies through crucifixion as a sacrifice to remit human sin and set them free from the servitude of iniquities. Islamic believe that their deity, Allah, sent a savior by the name Isa al-Masih(Travis, 2000). The believers maintain that following Isa leads to deliverance. Besides, Isa al-Masih remains the king who rules over humans. Therefore, Judaism, Christianity, and Islamic religions contain the doctrine of a savior, which differs in terms of habitation and form of manifestation.

Judaists believe that their savior, Messiah, will come to rule the world with humans in the future. The believers in this faith rely on the book of Daniel, the second and seventh chapters, to describe the current world as the succession of gentile kingdoms (Breed, 2017). The account by Prophet Daniel identifies the Babylonian kingdom as the first global empire, followed by Medians and Persians, Greece, and Romans as the last. A heavenly kingdom established here on earth would mark the start of human salvation and the end of the gentileeras.The Yeshua Messiah’s kingdom will establish its authority globally by replacing the current governments (Breed, 2017). The adherents believe that they will assist their king as administrators in different parts of the world. However, the physical bodies will resemble that of angelic beings. According to the Jews, human redemption will include the transformation of the living and the dead (Breed, 2017). This statement implies that the forefathers of faith like Abraham will be present in the transformed world. These concepts remain the pillar of the salvation teachings among the Judaists. Therefore, Judaism supports a deliverance of humans that must include a heavenly kingdom established on earth, which differs from the Christian faith.

On the other hand, Christian supports the concept of human salvation that must take place in heaven.The doctrine maintains that faithful believers must follow the teachings of Jesus Christian found in the New Testament (Hitchcock &Hindson, 2018). This statement implies that a believer must lead a righteous life to receive salvation. Besides, the righteous ones receive full redemption after death. For instance, Christians maintain that the righteous-dead dwell in heaven with Jesus and God while the wrongdoers suffer in hell (Hitchcock &Hindson, 2018). The belief supports the transformation of the current physical body to a spiritual one. Besides, Christians maintain that their saviors will come for the faithful at the fullness of antiquity. Christian scholars argue that as the immorality increases in the earth, the rapture will occur (Hitchcock &Hindson, 2018). The event will involve the mass transportation of the righteous ones to heaven. In this case, they will reside together with God and Jesus for seven years. Further, the wrongdoers will experience a period of tribulation on earth. Therefore, Christians believe in salvation manifested as rapture and transportation of the faithful believers to heaven, which differs from the Judaism and Islamic principles.

The Islamic adherents trust that the righteous believers receive rewards from Allah in this life and after death. Those who follow the ways of Allah and Isa have a special place among humans (Bahador, Alireza, Ali, &Sadegh, 2016). Such people possess specialized knowledge and wisdom. Besides, they hold a special place in their communities. From Shiite’s perspective, the righteous-dead live in a particular area not known to humans (Bahador, Alireza, Ali, &Sadegh, 2016). Despite the uncertainty of the exceptional life by those who receive full redemption, all believers desire the unique experience. They devote their efforts to reach the shrine at Mecca, which grants the certainty of redemption. Therefore, Islamic believers hold on salvation beliefs that differ from those by Christians and Judaists in occurrence and manifestation.

The three religions differ in the process that humans must use to achieve salvation. The Judaists maintain that a person must observe the Ten Commandments and other laws given to Moses by YHWH at Mt. Sinai (Breed, 2017). These beliefs support a strict observance of the Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sundown and three annual feasts. The faithful followers of this doctrine accept the authoritarian character of YHWH as the most appropriate way to salvation. Christians oppose the observance of the Ten Commandmentsand Jewish laws as a way to redemption (Hitchcock &Hindson, 2018). These adherents argue that Jesus Christ set them free from observing the harsh regulations and ordinances given in the Old Testament. Instead, Christians maintain that their redemption comes from the Grace of God, who saves those who serve him diligently out of love.Besides, the followers of this doctrine oppose the act of proving one’s righteousness by keeping all the laws given to the ancient Jews.The Islamic believers consider the pilgrim visit to Mecca as the most suitable way to earn salvation (Bahador, Alireza, Ali, &Sadegh, 2016). The annual rituals performed at the shrine built by Abraham and Ishmael plays a significant role in ensuring cleansing the sinners. Those who access the holy site, engage in daily prayers, and live according to Allah’s will receives the assurance a noble life before and after death. Therefore, the process of receiving salvation in the three religions differs significantly in terms of laws, ordinances, and rituals.

In summary, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity trace a similar history. They consider Abraham as the father of their faith. In this case, they are monotheist doctrines that originated from the Middle East, current Israel. Despite sharing some history, these tenets have different salvation doctrines in terms of habitation, a form of manifestation, and the process.The Judaists maintains that a strict observance of the laws given by their deity leads to glorious life in the heavenly kingdom. Christian followers consider the grace of God as the assurance to live in heaven with the redeemer Jesus Christ. The Islamic enthusiasts consider the pilgrimage visit to Mecca as the surest way to achieve a glorious life before and after death. Another difference includes the place where deliverance must take place. Judaists hope to rule the world with their Yeshua Messiah while Christians anticipateliving in heaven after the rapture.

References

Bahador, N., Alireza, P., Ali, A. S., &Sadegh, V. M. (2016).The Place of God and humans in the Islamic doctrine of salvation, with an emphasis on the Shiite perspective.Www.Sid.Ir, 12(45), 73–88. Retrieved from https://www.sid.ir/en/journal/ViewPaper.aspx?id=523374

Breed, B. W. (2017). Daniel’s four kingdoms schema: A history of re-writing world history. Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, 71(2), 178–189. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020964316688051

Hitchcock, M., &Hindson, E. E. (2018).Can we still believe in the rapture? Eugene: Harvest House Publishers.

Medhanie, T. K. (2018). Messianic Judaism’s proximity to the universal Church : What are Israeli Messianic Jewish communities’ views on their relationship to the Church? XII, 59. Retrieved from https://mfopen.mf.no/mf-xmlui/handle/11250/2588825

Swidler, L. (2016). Focus on Jewish-Christian-Muslim commonalities. Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 51(2), 157–164. https://doi.org/10.1353/ecu.2016.0019

Travis, J. (2000). Messianic Muslim followers of Isa a closer look at C5 believers and congregations. International Journal of Frontier Missions, 17(1).