Attractive brochures are currently being circulated promoting the Baha’i “faith.” [This article will not use the accent marks over the second a and the i because this computer does not function that way (so far as we know), and it looks messy anyway.] The main purpose of their publication appears to be to convince the public that the Baha’i religion is compatible with Christianity. In fact, on the front it quotes from no less an authority than Shoghi Effendi (no, we don’t have a clue as to his importance, either):
Let it be stated without any hesitation or equivocation that [Christianity’s] divine origin is unconditionally acknowledged, that the Sonship and Divinity of Jesus are fearlessly asserted, that the divine inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized…
The first question that comes to mind after reading such a statement is: “Why is such a statement necessary–unless the teachings of Baha’i-ism have left people the impression that this religion denies those facts (or at the very least left them confused)?” Maybe we are just too suspicious, but we will hold the brochure to this standard: Do they equivocate? Is Jesus Divine? Is the Gospel treated as divinely inspired?
Unfortunately, we only get to the first sentence on the first page inside before we find a major discrepancy. The Baha’i Faith is just a little over 100 years old. Whatever it is, it is way too young to be what the New Testament teaches. There is no mention of “the Baha’i faith” in the New Testament; there is no prophecy of some new faith to come 1,800 years after the completion of the New Testament. In fact, the Divinely-inspired Gospel teaches that there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:4). There were not many “faiths” in the New Testament, and there is not more than “one faith” authorized today.
The second paragraph lists this “faith’s” founder as Baha’u’llah (1817-92). We do not know a great deal about this man, but we do know that Jesus founded Christianity and that it is built upon His Deity (Matt. 16:13-19). Since “the faith” was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3-4), there can be no place for another “faith.”
Baha’u’llah “claims to be the latest in a series of Guides through whom the divine Christ-spirit has shepherded humanity toward redemption, and whose inspiration has been the chief civilizing force in history.” This sentence merits a whole host of comments. First, does the capitalization of the word Guides imply Deity for Baha’u’llah? There is only One who lived upon the earth who was Divine, and His name was Jesus. Anyone else making such a claim would be a false prophet. The only “guide” that was promised to come after Christ was the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent to His apostles (John 16:13). And since He would guide them into all truth, one cannot imagine the need for anyone else.
Second, who are these other “guides” preceding the founder of the Baha’i “faith”? Third, why have any of these “guides” been necessary, since the Gospel teaches God has “given us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3)? Fourth, humanity does not need to be “shepherded toward redemption”; Jesus obtained redemption for us (Heb. 9:12).
Fifth, Baha’u’llah is the latest in a series of “Guides”? Was Joseph Smith the one immediately preceding him, and should we give heed to The Book of Mormon? Why did Baha’u’llah follow so soon after Smith and so close to Mary Baker Eddy? Why hasn’t he been replaced by her? The fact is there are a number of people who claim to be “the latest prophet,” but they are all centuries too late. They do not have any message authorized by God. As it has been so correctly stated so many times: “If they have added teachings that are not in the New Testament, they teach too much; if they have removed portions of what the New Testament teaches, they teach too little. If their message is identical to the New Testament, they are irrelevant.”
Sixth, the only civilizing force in history has been Christianity, and it only works if people are willing to pay attention to it. Baha’u’llah’s influence has not stopped hostilities among India, Pakistan, or China. He has not kept the religious rivalries in Ireland or the Middle East from erupting periodically. And if hostilities ever do cease, it will be because of adherence to the teachings of the Prince of Peace, not some obscure individual who lived in the last century.
Baha’is see in today’s worldwide tribulations a divinely driven process that is leading in stages to the Christ-promised “Kingdom of God on earth”. Just as Jesus proclaimed the gospel of personal salvation, Baha’u’llah addresses the need for collective salvation through which society (as well as the individual) will be reborn in the image and likeness of God (panel 1). [The error in punctuation above is theirs–gws.]
As most premillennialists, they are completely unaware that the “kingdom of God” has been upon the earth for centuries. John and Jesus both preached that it was at hand(Matt. 3:2; 4:17). Jesus even said that some of those standing there would not taste of death until they saw the kingdom of God come with power (Mark 9:1). Did Jesus lie? Or are Premillennialists wrong?
How can society be reborn in the image of God? The new birth is spoken of as an individual requirement (John 3:1-7), as is conforming ourselves into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). Society will never be Christ-like–free from all corruption. It would be nice to pay for gasoline at a service station that did not sport abundant containers of alcohol, dozens of pornographic magazines, hundreds of cigarettes, and thousands of lottery tickets. When all of those industries have shut down, we might have a serious beginning at reforming society, but it will not happen while this world stands.
Baha’i sacred texts abound with passages that speak of Satan exactly as the Bible does. The reality of Satan is one question; his nature is another. Baha’is believe Satan is a manifestation of the lower, rebellious nature of the human ego. He represents the beast trapped inside each human being, seeking to tempt us away from the path of God. Because Satan exists inside every one of us, he is infinitely more dangerous than any external Adversary could ever be (panel 4).
Well, this warrants asking a few questions: “When Satan tempted Jesus, was it His own ‘beast trapped inside’ Him causing this conflict?” “When Satan appeared before God in the book of Job, was it really Job’s ‘lower, rebellious nature’ that God spoke with?” “When Peter warns against Satan seeking people to devour, is the beast within to be spewed out so that he can then devour its owner?” Where does the Scripture teach this figurative idea of Satan? What Scriptures were cited? None! (Some are given in which Christ calls Peter Satan and Judas is called a devil, but these do not at all prove their point–especially when the Bible speaks of Satan’s personality and characteristics.
Despite the Baha’is claim to believe in hell, how can they, since it was created for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41)? How can the devil exist in the lake of fire when he is only man’s “lower rebellious nature” (Rev. 20:12)? And how did the “beast trapped inside” become so clever as to deceive the whole world (Rev. 12:9)? And who are the devil’s “angels”?
If these facts are not enough to dissuade someone from Baha’ism, consider this: “Baha’is believe that all the Bible’s prophecies concerning the return of Christ are fulfilled in Baha’u’llah.” Oh, really? Jesus was to have returned on a cloud from heaven (Acts 1:9-11); is that how Baha’u’llah came to this world? Did every eye see Him (Rev. 1:7)? Sorry, but like so many others, Baha’u’llah is no more than a Baha’u’mbug.