Jesus was not a man of war like Mohammed and Krishna; nor was Jesus just a man like Buddha, who became enlightened, though never acknowledging God. Christ walked the earth as a man, but before and after his earthly life, he reigned in the heavens, King of the Angels, creator of all things, including the heavens and earth and all in it. Although he ruled the heavens, he stripped himself of his glory and godhood to humble and abase himself, becoming human form to dwell in a tabernacle of flesh and die on the cross; so that he could reconcile man back to the Father through love; the ultimate gift, his life, for all the errant children of his creation. But in this life on earth he seeks to reconcile as first fruits, only those followers who wish to become like him, in union with him - because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
John says: "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The true light that gives light to every man coming into the world." John 1:1-9. So the Light of all men is Christ, the Light that many meditation-based religions seek.
So, since he created us, it stands to reason that he is the one to reconcile us back to himself and to the Father. But the Father is logical. He doesn't just make a rule unless it is necessary. I can accept the rule, but I always wondered why good people from other faiths were not able to find union with God in this life. Somehow it just didn't seem fair when some of the other faiths stressed peace, love, holiness, purity, enlightenment, and less materialism than 'christians,' who used Jesus as an excuse to live in sin without repentance to purity. My question was answered with the following understandings:
First, those who live in sin without the fruit of repentance to purity, calling themselves 'Christians,' do not find unity with God or true salvation. So, he doesn't discriminate on the basis of a technicality.
Second, remember Christ is the light that enlightens all men. Remember the Spirit of God has been poured out on all mankind. Anyone who totally obeys the Light of their conscience can attain union with God. However many forms of meditation teach you to ignore all thoughts and all voices; but unless you obey the convictions and complete moral commands heard and understood, there is no spiritual progress. So, people from some other faiths can get very spiritual in meditation; like all men, they have the spirit within them chained down waiting for liberation from prison. They can become more enlightened and more spiritual than 'christians' of the various 'christian' deficit sects. Some of the other religions strive for the death of the ego, rejection of materialism, attaining inner peace, reaching enlightenment, and call for more holiness from their believers; all as necessary to please God. They find today's 'Christianity' unacceptable, because the 'christian' sects use the death of Jesus as an excuse to live in sin without guilt; the opposite of holiness and instead, an embrace of hypocrisy. As reported, when Gandhi was asked why he couldn't accept Jesus, he said, "I too will become a Christian, when I meet a Christian like Jesus."
Third, the Light in all men, which is the only teacher anyone needs, will eventually reveal its identity as Christ to the sincere individuals of other religions in their meditations. They then have the choice whether to accept him or not. Unfortunately they often decline, because of their loyalty to the teachings of their inherited faith and because of the poor record of most 'christians' around them and throughout history. They may live a very peaceful life, but their progress stops. They cannot get to total union with God to live in the Kingdom of Heaven, unless they accept Christ - the only way to enter the spiritual dimension in this life. Rejecting Christ, they have thrown the proverbial baby out with the dirty bath water. They have rejected Christ, because of 'churchianity.'
We know people who have gone into the Light by a variety of meditation methods; one person using TM had the Light tell her that He would heal her. It was suggested to her that the Light was Christ, but that person rejected the Light to be Christ, because she had rebelled from a condemning fundamental christian sect. Rejecting the Light to be Jesus, she missed the opportunity to be healed of her sickness and the opportunity to attain union with God in his Kingdom.
So if he reveals himself to you in your meditations, this is not the Jesus of the deficit sects, who claim him as an excuse for an unholy lifestyle while condemning others living similarly, but this is Christ, the life which is the light of men. He said, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. Believe in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.
