Heart to Heart Publications

(Both chapters have been researched by Gary Mathews)

These two presentations are arranged to engage in a conversation with our friends who have begun to question organized religion, attend church infrequently and yet still have a basic belief in Jesus Christ, just a many Baha’is do. They do not want to engage in conversations using the bible, but want to be assured that Baha’u’llah upholds Christ station as the Son of Man. A further discussion is added as to the Baha’i perspective on the authenticity of the bible.

Here we examine a conversation from the perspectives of the Baha’i Writings only on a variety of Christian topics. Some of them ask if Baha’is recognize Jesus Christ as both human and divine? Did Jesus Christ refer to Himself as the Son of God? Do we accept the divine authority of Jesus Christ? Is Christ’s living spirit still living with us today? In what sense is Jesus Christ born or the only begotten Son of God? How does “only begotten” refer to Christ’s human nature or His divine nature? Is the Primal Word (Will) identical with God? Primal Will…a blind force or conscious power? Does the Divine Christ Spirit reappear from age to age? How do Baha’is interpret reports of the risen Christ eating food with His Disciples? How did the resurrection of Jesus Christ take place? References to Christ as the “Only Way”. How did Christ sacrifice Himself for the sins of humanity…to mention a few.

The question that is asked most often is if the Baha’is acknowledge the Bible as the Word of God? Do we regard the Bible as sacred scripture? Is it divinely inspired? Is it authentic? How can the Bible be true in spiritual substance but not necessarily in literal detail? How about the authorship of the Torah and the Four Gospels? How does Baha’u’llah defend against charges of tampering with Bible texts? Has the Bible been corrupted? How should we view paradoxes and apparent contradictions? May we dismiss as mere imaginations something that the bible unmistakably affirms? How does Baha’u’llah invite Christians to judge His claims by the Bible? (See separate publications titled “Bible Topics” for biblical scriptural examinations).