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Is Jesus the Christ? | Common Presuppositions and Worldviews to Tackle Before Sharing the Gospel

August 19, 2025 by Jay Underwood

On Sunday, Pastor Jay examined John 7:40-52, where we see how different groups of people view Jesus. Why does it matter how someone views Jesus? The theme verse of the gospel of John says, "but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:31). We see from Scripture that who someone believes Jesus to be has everything to do with their eternal state.

Pastor Jay challenged us in this sermon to use that question about who someone believes Jesus to be as an opportunity to share the gospel. By understanding someone’s worldview, we can better know how to share the gospel. Our closest relationships can be impacted by examining how Jesus is viewed and taking the next steps to lovingly challenge any presuppositions on the way to sharing the gospel. If you haven’t yet listened to this sermon, we recommend taking a listen before continuing on. Listen to the Sermon

So, you’ve been thinking about all of these different people in your life that need to know Jesus and you’ve been trying to put them in categories as to what you think they might believe about Him. You’ve been considering their worldview and presuppositions about Jesus, God and even the heavenly kingdom. Your aim by doing this is to discern how to best enter into a conversation or relationship with people of varying beliefs, so that you can eventually share the gospel.

Most often, it’s not going to be one simple conversation where you meet someone and immediately have the opportunity to share Jesus with them. You’ll need to form a relationship, and that might take some time to develop trust and openness.

Let’s consider some of the different religions of the world and how you might interact with them so as to make inroads for the gospel. For this, I commend to you the book “Cults, World Religions and the Occult” by Kenneth Boa. I am using excerpts from his book to help us understand how to engage with folks with the following beliefs:

Islam and the Muslim faith

It’s important to address the problem of sin and what the God of the Bible has done about it versus what Allah has not done about it.
Remember there are different Muslim sects with different views. You have to know what views are held by the person with whom you are interacting.
Because Islam is the state religion in some countries, it has a strong cultural and political base. There are also no racial barriers so it spreads quickly. Boa writes, “In the west, it is making appeals to the universal brotherhood of man, world peace, temperance and the uplifting of women.”[1]
Islam is not about a personal relationship with God, in fact just the opposite, everything is external and codified. There is no spontaneity or individuality.
There is a huge difference between Mohammed and Jesus. Mohammed sinned (public knowledge) and Jesus didn’t.
While Islam condemns things like stealing, lying, gambling and drinking, these have also become huge problems in Moslem countries. In addition, while western Islam promotes women, Moslem countries do not.

Buddhism

Also has many sects with varying beliefs. You need to understand the beliefs of the person with whom you are interacting.
Sin is downplayed and dulled so a challenge is convincing the person they are a sinner in need of a Savior.
Look for common ground and build on that as much as possible.
Know that a difficulty will be with the exclusivity of Christ.
Recognize that Buddhism is often more cultural than a practiced religion.

Hinduism

While Hinduism believes all religions are the same, the unique claims of Christ do not fit into the Hindu system. In fact, neither Hinduism nor Christianity can tolerate one another.
Christians should emphasize the unique claims of Christ and how it is really the only religion that deals with the problem of sin. Hinduism covers up sin by calling it an illusion.
Religious terms must be adequately explained because some Christian terms will have a different meaning to the Hindu.
Ask your Hindu friend what group or teachings they rely on as many Hindu teachings contradict one another. Demonstrate how the Bible is the only authority and completely harmonious in its teachings.

Mormonism

Mormons have worked hard to make themselves appear like Christians. “They present their doctrines in a subtle way, so as to preserve a veneer of orthodoxy.”[2]
Mormonism offers many “benefits.” It cares for the needs of it’s members; it seeks to build and strengthen the family; it provides many youth programs and encourages serving in the church by offering many platforms for this.
Mormon teachings cannot be reconciled with the Bible (Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, teachings of the Prophet) so they should be encouraged to compare these extra-biblical teachings with the Bible.
It’s a works-based system which does not allow for certainty about eternal destiny. They need to hear how a Christian’s salvation is certain based on the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ.

Jehovah’s Witnesses

Bold and aggressive in their evangelism as this tests their faithfulness and will hopefully secure their escape from judgment.
They know their biblical proof-texts for defending their doctrines (often apart from proper context). Christians need to know their Bibles and how to defend their doctrinal beliefs with proper context.
Their ultimate authority is the Watchtower Society, not the Bible. JW’s need to be encouraged to accept the final authority of the Bible regardless of what the Society teaches.
“The deity of Christ should be the central issue in any discussion with Jehovah’s Witnesses. [Christians] should be able to present a clear biblical case for Christ’s deity because their whole system crumbles when Christ is seen as Jehovah (Yahweh) God.”[3]

Judaism

Relationship is everything to a Jewish person. Get to know them. Cultivate a relationship with them.
The central issue, of course, is who Jesus is. He is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament who now shows up in the New. Use OT texts to show this. Focus on Isaiah 53.
Christianity was not primarily a religion for the Gentiles! Jesus was a Jew and the first Christians were Jews. The gospel was for the Jew first and then also for the Greek (Rom. 1:16). A Jew does not have to abandon their Jewish heritage to be a Christian.
Focus on the meaning of Christ’s death and His resurrection. The Jews understand blood atonement for sins. Show them how that came from Christ.
Jews believe in two Messiahs, the son of Joseph and the Son of David. The New Testament teaches the two Messiahs as one person who appears twice, Jesus in His first advent followed by His future return.

Catholicism

Works oriented. Relies on the different sacraments for salvation versus the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ.
They don’t just believe in the Bible, but also rely on the magisterium of the church (church’s teachings, including the apocrypha) and the pope as authorities.
Belief that Mary and the saints should be worshipped and that Mary is in some sense a co-redemptress with Jesus.
Should be encouraged to weigh extra-biblical teachings against Scripture to know what’s true or not.
Some Catholics may actually be Christians, but if they are, it’s because they don’t strictly adhere to Catholic doctrine.

Seventh Day Adventists

Recognize that some may be true Christians, but if they are, like Catholicism, it’s because they don’t strictly adhere to Seventh Day Adventist teachings.
Has a strong emphasis on morality, family, health, missions, medical, welfare and educational programs.
The Sabbath and obedience to the Sabbath laws is a huge deal. Christians should be able to give a defense as to why we’re no longer under Sabbath law.
We need to study up and know our Bibles in order to show where Adventists doctrinally differ from us.

Kabbalah (a form of Jewish mysticism popular with some inside Hollywood)

Relies on Secret Doctrines only the initiated can know.
Many of the teachings vary and contradict each other.
Has metaphysical, magical and occult practices. Many also subscribe to things like Tarot and astrology.
New Age (also popular in the entertainment industry)
Vastly different in beliefs that can include “I am my own god,” karma, no such thing as sin, a promotion of self-esteem and self-confidence. Can include props such as crystals or elements of Wicca. Sort of an ‘anything goes’ religion.
“The majority are victims of desperate propaganda. They have been disappointed in life. Their church backgrounds are weak or nonexistent. Their understanding of the Christian gospel is unclear or confused. Such are easy prey for cults, especially New Ageism… For the Christian, love never ceases to be the rule of operation.”[4]
New Agers are most often asking questions like, “Is there real meaning in the world?” “What’s my significance in it?” “What hope do I have?”
Parents should recognize how New Age thought can subtly come through things like public education including “psychological, political, sexual and religious interference.”[5]

Scientology (also popular in the entertainment industry)

Founded by L. Ron Hubbard who wrote sci-fi books on which religion is mythologically based.
Promotes Dianetics, the belief that mind can resolve all problems by humans becoming their own savior and freeing their inner spiritual being.
Believes people have bad “impressions” in their minds and they need to be replaced with good.
Has nothing to do with the Bible so the Bible needs to be presented as the authority.
Also, consider all of the controversy that’s surrounded the religion including it’s high-profile celebrities such as Tom Cruise.

The Masonic Lodge

“Freemasonry preys on some of man’s nobler impulses, including the desire to do good, the urge to believe in something mysterious, the need for acceptance and friendship, and the craving to be part of something greater than himself.”[6]
Masonry claims to be Christian and promote the Bible, while it actually promotes secrecy, oaths, salvation by works and other things that are contrary to the doctrines of Scripture.
Help the Christian mason to restore his first love back to Christ. Encourage them towards holiness and to come out from secret things and oaths and to be separate.

For those who don’t subscribe to a specific religion (atheists, naturalists, agnostics, skeptics), here are some things to consider about their worldview and presuppositions:

“The theoretical atheist denies God; the practical atheist simply lives as if God does not exist.”^[1]
They have a loss of standards and values.
They are often relativists believing that the human mind is limited and therefore knowledge is as well; ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups holding them.^[2] Man relies on his own reason.
They seek freedom and autonomy; “an escape from responsibility,”^[3] an ‘anything goes’ worldview, no such thing as absolute truth.
Challenge these folks that their belief systems will produce inconsistencies.
There is no “evidence, proof, science or sound reasoning” for an atheist.^[4]
“Atheism has no answer for the question “Why is there something rather than nothing at all?”^[5]
“Naturalism cannot adequately explain how mind, knowledge, reasoning, and morality arises from random, mindless, natural processes. Atheists must assume that the personal somehow arose from the impersonal.”^[6]
“Naturalism generates pessimism and despair. Life is meaningless if we live in a cold, impersonal, indifferent universe. Good and evil can have no meaning for a naturalist. As one atheist stated, “Man is an empty bubble on the sea of nothingness.””^[7]
Encourage them to examine the arguments for the existence of God by showing them the Scriptures. It will often go something like this: 1. The universe manifests evidence of design. 2. All design demands a designer. 3. Therefore, the universe must have a designer. 4. This designer is the God of the Bible.^[8]
Share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ.