Sikh Views on Christianity

At this time of year as Christians celebrate the Christmas holiday I have been spurred to put down my observations of Sikh Views on Jesus.

Q: Is Jesus God?

A: Sikhs respectfully disagree with some Christians who believe that Jesus is God. According to Sikhi, Jesus or any other person who took birth in this world in a physical body is not God. Sikhi has a clear description of God.

ONE
Formless into form
Thou art that

Flowing through all
Fearless
Reactionless
Dance Beyond death
Shine Beyond birth
Guru’s Grace

Primal Truth
Timeless Truth
True forever
Oh Nanak
True in this moment (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1)

"He has no form, no shape, no color; God is beyond the three qualities (gunas.) One understands Him, O Nanak, by Grace alone." (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 283)

Jesus took birth and had physical human form, therefore, Sikhi tells that Jesus cannot be God since God does not take birth and nor does He die. Any individual who has taken birth in the history of mankind including Sikh Gurus, Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha are not God. Sikhs however do not discount that Jesus is a prophet and like Sikh Gurus may be One with God.

A much-used analogy to describe this is that of an ocean. If God is like an ocean, then our soul is like a drop of water taken from the ocean. The drop of water can become one with the ocean but cannot never be label as the ocean itself. A human soul can become one with God and attain salvation but can never be labeled as God Himself. Jesus could have been one with God but not God Himself.

Guru Granth Sahib Ji states :

"One who is not touched by pleasure, pain, greed, emotional attachment and egotistical pride. Nanak says, listen mind: he is the very image of God. One who is beyond praise and slander, and looks upon gold and iron alike. Nanak says, listen mind: know that such a person attains salvation. One who is not affected by pleasure or pain, and looks upon friend and enemy alike. Nanak says, listen mind: know that such a person attains salvation" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1427).

That person becomes the image of Lord, he becomes united with God and merges in the fearless Lord. There no longer remains any difference between that person and God. Juts like the drop of water mingles with the ocean, that person and God become One. Sikh Gurus had become one with God before they taught about God in this world. The tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji said, “Those who worship me will be destined to hell. Consider me the son of God and worship my Father. For I am His servant”. He made it very clear so that people would not worship Guru Gobind Singh Ji, or any man or woman.

Sikhs only worship One God. Sikhs highly respect Jesus and his teachings. Sikhi instructs to respect all religions. Sikhi also instructs not to consider any religion superior than the other as religion is a way to reach God and there are no religions hereafter.