August 1, 2025
“For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” 2 Corinthians 11:4, KJV, emphasis added.
Some Popes of Rome and other Catholic leaders still believe that Muslims and Christians worship the same creator god. Is that true? If you look at recent articles and videos on YouTube, you will find debates about this topic. Is the Jesus of the Roman Catholic Church the same as the Jesus of the Qur’an and Islam? Or is it another Jesus? Is the Jesus of the Mormon Church the same or a different Jesus? What about the Jesus of the Jehovah’s Witnesses? Is that the same Jesus or a different one? Do liberal and progressive churches believe in the Jesus of the Bible? What about evangelicals—do they believe in the Jesus of Scripture? Let’s explore these questions. The following comes from ChatGPT.
ChatGPT: Comparison of Jesus in Different Religions and Denominations. ((My additions)).
This document provides a comprehensive comparison of how Jesus is understood in different worldviews, including Biblical Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, Liberal Christian Churches, and Evangelical Churches. It highlights key similarities and differences in theology, Christology, and soteriology.
Biblical Christianity
• Jesus is fully God and fully man (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9)
• He is co-eternal with the Father
• Born of the Virgin Mary
• Lived a sinless life
• Died on the cross as a substitutionary atonement ((not all Christians agree with substitutionary atonement))
• Rose bodily from the dead
• Will return to judge the living and the dead
Roman Catholicism
• Affirms the Trinity, virgin birth, crucifixion, and resurrection
• Believes in transubstantiation (real presence in the Eucharist)
• Views Mass as a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice
• Includes sacraments and cooperation with grace for salvation
• Teaches purgatory and veneration of Mary as co-mediatrix
Islam
• Jesus (Isa) is a prophet, not divine
• Born of a virgin, but not the Son of God
• Did not die on the cross (substitution theory)
• No resurrection or atonement for sin
• Will return to defeat the Antichrist and affirm Islam
Jehovah’s Witnesses
• Jesus is Michael the Archangel, a created being
• Not God or co-eternal with the Father
• Died on a stake, resurrected spiritually
• His death atones only for Adam’s sin
• Returned invisibly in 1914
Mormonism
• Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer
• He became a god through exaltation
• Born of Heavenly Father and Mary
• Atonement primarily occurred in Gethsemane
• Believers can also become gods
Liberal Christianity
• Jesus is seen as a moral teacher or myth
• Divinity, virgin birth, and resurrection often denied
• Emphasizes inclusivism and moral example
• Denies divine judgment and hell
• Jesus adapted to fit modern values
Evangelicalism
• Jesus is fully God and Savior
• Emphasizes personal faith in Jesus
• Holds to substitutionary atonement and bodily resurrection ((not all Christians agree with substitutionary atonement.))
• Sometimes distorts gospel (easy-believism, prosperity gospel)
• Some movements downplay repentance and holiness
This brief ChatGPT analysis clarifies the title of this article, Another Jesus. Just because a person or a religion uses the name of Jesus, it doesn’t mean they are referring to the same Jesus revealed in the Bible. Minor differences are not critical, but significant differences, such as being fully God, are essential. If a crucial point is denied, then clearly, we are talking about another Jesus.
It should be evident that the Jesus of the Bible is not the same Jesus of Islam, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormon Church, and Liberal Christianity. They preach another Jesus. Paul warned the Corinthians and us to watch out for those who preach another Jesus. Why? Because another Jesus brings another spirit, not the Spirit of God. Another Jesus will also teach another gospel.
But what about the Roman Catholic Church? Is it another Jesus? This denomination affirms some of the essentials but also adds seriously false teachings to the work of Christ. I am referring to their belief in the Sacrifice of the Mass and their doctrine of transubstantiation. Jesus died once for all sins, never to be repeated, as the Catholics do. In addition, the church’s teaching that Jesus will always do what Mary asks Him to do is not listed in the ChatGPT comparison. This teaching is used to encourage Catholics to pray to Mary and the saints. Jesus is our high priest, not Mary. The church also teaches a distorted view of how a person attains the grace of God through the sacraments. In my opinion, the Jesus of the Roman Catholic Church is another Jesus, despite their affirmation of a few essentials.
Finally, we examine the Jesus of evangelicalism. Contrary to ChatGPT’s comments, some of us believe that many evangelicals preach a different Jesus in one key aspect. It is Jesus who is lenient on sin. ChatGPT stated that evangelicals: “Sometimes it distorts the gospel (easy-believism, prosperity gospel), and some movements downplay repentance and holiness.” All of that is true. When considering the gospel message alongside their false idea about Jesus, it becomes clear that, for the most part, evangelicalism preaches a different Jesus. The true gospel proclaims a Jesus who saves his people from their sins, not in their sins, as most evangelicals believe and teach. This is what the Bible teaches regarding Jesus and the word of God.
Jesus as the Perfect Man Who Obeyed the Law
Jesus Christ obeyed the Law of God perfectly, not merely as God, but as a real man. This demonstrates that the Law is not impossible to keep, but that humanity is generally unwilling to obey. Jesus walked in full submission to the Father, showing us what perfect obedience looks like. If we can keep the law, then the lie of Original Sin and Augustinian Calvinism must be rejected because it denies this truth.
Hebrews 4:15 declares that He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.
Romans 8:3-4 shows that God condemned sin in the flesh so that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us. The statement that the law “might be fulfilled in us” refutes the lie of imputed obedience, which most evangelicals believe and teach.
Biblical Righteousness and Real Obedience
Throughout Scripture, there are examples of men and women who are described as righteous, blameless, or upright before God. This contradicts the idea that all people are utterly sinful or incapable of obedience.
- Noah: A just man and perfect in his generations (Genesis 6:9)
- Job: Perfect and upright, fearing God (Job 1:1)
- Zacharias and Elisabeth: Walking in all commandments blameless (Luke 1:6)
- Simeon: Just and devout (Luke 2:25)
- Joseph (Mary’s husband): A just man (Matthew 1:19)
The passage which states that “All Have Sinned”: Contextual Clarification
Romans 3:23 is often interpreted as proof that no human is or has ever been righteous. However, Paul’s citation in Romans 3:10-18 draws from Psalm 14, which targets the wicked, not the godly. In Psalm 14:5, David distinguishes “the generation of the righteous” from evildoers.
Early Church Fathers on Free Will and Sin
The pre-Augustinian Church taught that humans are capable of obeying God through the free exercise of their will. Here are several examples:
- Justin Martyr: Taught that humans have free will and moral accountability. (*First Apology*, ch. 43)
- Irenaeus: Emphasized that obedience is a choice. (*Against Heresies*, Book IV, ch. 37)
- Clement of Alexandria: Stated that righteousness comes through effort and practice. (*Stromata*, Book VII)
- Origen: Taught that sin comes from free will, not nature. (*De Principiis*, Book III)
Rebuttal of Augustine’s Inherited Guilt Doctrine and the Sinful Nature Doctrine
Augustine taught that all humanity inherits both the guilt and corruption of Adam’s sin. This view, later adopted by Roman Catholicism and the Reformers, goes beyond what the early Church believed. It misinterprets Romans 5:12 by suggesting that Adam’s guilt is imputed to all. But the passage says death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, not because Adam’s guilt was transferred.
The Eastern Church rejected Augustine’s doctrine, holding instead that we inherit mortality and a weakened condition, not guilt. The early fathers consistently upheld personal responsibility for sin.
Reformation Theology and Total Inability
Martin Luther and John Calvin embraced Augustine’s doctrine and expanded it into ‘total depravity ‘- the teaching that man cannot will, choose, or do good without a sovereign act of God first regenerating him.
This view leads to a denial of human responsibility and collapses the gospel into predestinarian determinism. It contradicts Jesus’ call to repent and obey, as well as the numerous scriptures holding people accountable for their choices.
Summary and Call to Obedience
Jesus proved that the Law is not unjust or impossible. Many in Scripture were described as righteous. The early Church upheld human free will and the capacity to obey. The doctrines of inherited guilt and total inability/total depravity are late additions that distort the gospel’s call to genuine repentance, holiness, and obedience.
Closing comments. The idea that Muslims and Christians worship the same god is absurd. Listening to Catholics who also believe that both religions worship the same god is offensive. Muslims and followers of other faiths have the right to worship any deity they choose, even if they invent it. Some of us should feel free to criticize all those, including evangelicals, who have strayed from the clear teachings of the Bible in following the Jesus they have fashioned. Do you follow another Jesus?
