Blame it on the Devil When Theology Cannot Solve

Introduction

This article is a personal reflection rather than a detailed theological treatise or academic paper. It is an attempt to engage honestly with Christian teachings from a non-Christian lens. I explore challenging questions about doctrines such as the virgin birth, atonement, resurrection, heaven, and hell, acknowledging the rich interplay of religious ideas across cultures and history. My emphasis is not on dismissing or affirming doctrines but on respectful exploration that may benefit fellow lay readers navigating faith and interfaith understanding.

Borrowed Concepts and the “Devil’s Trick”

Recently, I had another dialogue with my Christian friend about sharing the Gospel. My question was: What is the Gospel according to your understanding?

In that context, I pointed out that the early Church borrowed not only technical terms but also theological concepts from the cultures in which it emerged, such as Greek and Roman religious cosmology.¹ For example, although the Christian faith centres on the Incarnation, virgin birth, death, atonement, and resurrection, similar stories appeared in other religious traditions—often in symbolic or mythological forms.²

This surprised my friend, who believed these doctrinal foundations were exclusively biblical. He responded: When God planned to save humanity, Satan created counterfeit stories—the virgin birth, death, resurrection—to trick that plan.

I replied: That may be your Christian view, but it is not a biblical claim. If followers of other religions ask, “You say your story is from God and earlier similar stories are the devil’s trick. Why not think the devil copied your stories into the Gospel?”—what is the answer? He had no response.

Too often, when Christians cannot answer such harder questions, the devil becomes the scapegoat: “This is the devil’s trick … accept the Bible as final authority and don’t ask confusing questions.” This appeal echoes Paul’s challenge:

“Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
— 1 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)

Simple faith, trust, and devotion (“bhakti”) without over-worrying fine distinctions in theology can indeed be spiritually valuable. But when engaging people of other faiths, we also need to be ready for sceptical questions. It is better not to preach rigid formulas about heaven and hell (though those may be true within Christian belief) if the listener has never considered them, unless we can also explain why those beliefs make sense.

Heaven, Hell, and Borrowed Imagery

We then discussed heaven and hell. My friend insisted there is only one heaven and one hell. I asked: If a person accepts Christ they go to heaven. Muslims say if the same person refuses Allah and Muhammad they go to hell. So is the saved Christian both in Christian heaven and Muslim hell simultaneously—or are there different heavens?

All three Abrahamic faiths share a common religious tradition and scripture—what Christians call the Old Testament. Yet Jews do not accept the Christian Old Testament as authentic. From where then did Muslims and Christians derive heaven and hell? These concepts are largely absent in Jewish cosmology.¹ Even in the New Testament, terms like “heaven” and “hell” reflect Greek cosmology as the early Church developed its theology.² Did the New Testament writers give these terms new Christian meanings or simply borrow concepts from the wider cultural milieu?

If God is the same in Old and New Testaments—the Father of Jesus Christ—did He suddenly decide there was a need for “heaven” and “hell” to accommodate Christian theology? If not, can we use the same Christian theory and say that everything outside the Bible (including heaven and hell) was created by the devil—and then explain why Christianity borrows these concepts to present its doctrine? These questions show why “blaming the devil” is a weak answer.

Paul himself writes that God reveals mysteries to the simple but hides them from the wise (cf. 1 Cor 1:26-29). Simple faith without hair-splitting theological questions is vital for bhakti. But when engaging other faiths, unless one can answer sceptical questions, it is better not to preach rigid formulas of salvation and damnation irrelevant to listeners’ concerns. The Bible does not present a single, uniform Gospel or salvation formula; reducing it to “Adam → Eve → Apple → Snake and sin → salvation → heaven or hell” oversimplifies its rich diversity.³

Regarding virgin births and dying-rising gods predating Christianity, old myths abound—Osiris and Isis in Egypt, Greek heroes, Roman Mithra.³ But these myths are often symbolic and timeless, lacking historical detail such as named towns or witnesses—details central to the Christian claim that Jesus was born of a young woman in a real town at a known time, died under a named governor, and rose again witnessed by followers. Historical records outside the Bible also affirm Jesus’ existence.⁴

Covenant Rituals: Similar Form, Different Meaning

Many ancient fertility-cult myths tell of gods and humans making bargains, but their meaning is very different from the biblical covenant promise. In the Old Testament the covenant ritual sometimes resembles Near-Eastern practices—two parties “cut” animals and pass between the pieces to seal an oath.

For example:

“Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other… When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram…”
— Genesis 15:9-10, 17-18 (ESV)

In this scene God Himself, not Abram, walks between the pieces, taking on the penalty if the covenant is broken.

Later the prophet Jeremiah alludes to the same ritual when rebuking Judah for breaking its oath:

“And the men who transgressed my covenant … I will make them like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts.”
— Jeremiah 34:18-19 (ESV)

Thus the Bible uses a ritual familiar from Canaanite or other Ancient Near Eastern cultures but reinterprets it theologically: the covenant is God’s gracious promise rather than a fertility pact between equals.⁵

Contextualizing Incarnation in India

As Christianity spread to non-Jews, the Jewish Messiah concept shifted to Christ as Kurios (Lord), even equated with or replacing Caesar. Historical evidence like persecution of early Christians supports the historicity of the Jesus movement—thousands died for their faith, unlike myths from other religions.⁴

Indian contexts posed unique challenges: unlike Greek mythology separable from philosophy, Hinduism intertwines them. Christian theology struggled to contextualize Incarnation and virgin birth culturally, often equating Christ as Pūrṇa Avatāra (complete incarnation) versus partial divine avatars. Such comparisons may help Hindu converts understand Incarnation but they do not fully resolve theological differences. To be honest there is no way to equate Incarnation in Hinduism with the biblical view simply by using the word “avatāra.” Space does not allow a full treatment here; ample scholarly material is available online.

Bhakti, Exegesis, and the Meaning of Logos

My approach as a Hindu bhakta follows sincere faith infused with biblical study, acknowledging that there is no purely “biblical” interpretation as all depend on context and perspective. I strive to understand each faith and scripture in its own context, realising some theological questions cannot be fully settled through interfaith comparison because of differing cosmologies and historical origins. Hybrid theologies often fail to satisfy either framework fully.

For me, faith rests on my personal journey with Muktinath, learning from scriptures in their textual, historical, and sociological contexts, then integrating this into a systematic theological shape. For this a proper exegesis is required, but for a layman like me it is a Himalayan task. Yet I cannot despise these tools. Thank God several scholarly works are available, provided one invests time and interest rather than living with blissful ignorance thinking that is a spiritual virtue.

I have found Richard B. Hays’ work invaluable⁶ as an example of how careful exegetical study can illuminate Scripture. What follows is only a brief summary drawn from his discussion of John’s scriptural hermeneutics — “The Figural Web” — in pp. 343–45; 356–57 of his book.

Scholarly Excerpts: Richard Hays on Exegesis

• Hays emphasizes that New Testament authors perform intertextual readings, creatively transforming Old Testament motifs in light of Christ.⁶, ⁸
• His criteria for recognising scriptural “echoes” include availability, volume, recurrence, coherence, historical plausibility, and interpretive history.⁸
• The authors do not simply recycle myths; they generate new theological meaning and narrative coherence through figural interpretation—understanding earlier texts through Jesus’s life and mission.⁹
• Hays warns that exegesis requires attention to historical, textual, and theological contexts; interpretation always occurs within a community of readers.

Similarly, knowing how certain theological technical terms were borrowed from other religions but re-interpreted helps us understand the role of systematic theology later in Church history. For example, early Church theology assimilated concepts, exemplified by the Logos in John’s Gospel—a Greek term meaning “reason” or “universal principle,” resonant with the Jewish idea of “Word of God” by which creation occurred. John redefined Logos not as Greek or Jewish philosophy alone but as fully embodied in Jesus.⁷

Conclusion

Faith is precious and delicate. Sharing it well demands honesty, respect, and humility. Exegesis is not solely for scholars but for every believer seeking understanding—faith matters not just in feelings, but in a truthful grasp of who Muktinath is and why He matters. When Scripture is studied alongside cultural and historical context, and when we listen openly to others’ stories, sharing the Gospel becomes more than reciting formulas; it turns into a genuine connection.

This exploration from a Hindu bhakta’s perspective honours the mystery and grace woven into all spiritual journeys. In a world brimming with diverse beliefs, such honest and respectful dialogue nurtures compassion and deepens our collective searching for truth. May these reflections inspire all readers to embrace faith not as rigid certainty but as a humble, ongoing journey enriched by learning and listening.

Nagercoil, September 14th, 2025

The numbered notes in the text correspond to the references listed below

Footnotes

1. Ehrman, Bart. Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife. Simon & Schuster, 2020; “Heaven and Hell: When was Heaven and Hell Invented?” EhrmanBlog.org (accessed September 15, 2025).
2. “The Structure of Heaven and Earth: How Ancient Cosmology Shaped Everyone’s Theology,” IsThatInTheBible, 2019 (accessed September 15, 2025).
3. Wright, N.T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Fortress Press, 2003, pp. 68–100.
4. Bruce, F.F. Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament. Eerdmans, 1974.
5. Goldingay, John. “Covenant and Covenant Ritual in the Old Testament.” In Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Gospel, IVP, 2003, pp. 441–450; Peterson, Brian. “Walking Between the Halves: The Canaanite Covenant Ritual and Genesis 15.” Tyndale Bulletin, 2012 (accessed September 15, 2025).
6. Hays, Richard B. Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels. Baylor University Press, 2016; Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul. Yale University Press, 1989.
7. Robinson, John A.T. Truth is Two-Eyed. SCM Press, 1979, pp. 107–112.

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Bibliography

• Bruce, F.F. Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament. Eerdmans, 1974.
• Ehrman, Bart. Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife. Simon & Schuster, 2020.
• Goldingay, John. “Covenant and Covenant Ritual in the Old Testament.” In Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Gospel, IVP, 2003, pp. 441–450; Peterson, Brian. “Walking Between the Halves: The Canaanite Covenant Ritual and Genesis 15.” Tyndale Bulletin, 2012.
• Hays, Richard B. Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels. Baylor University Press, 2016; Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul. Yale University Press, 1989.
• Robinson, John A.T. Truth is Two-Eyed. SCM Press, 1979, pp. 107–112.
• Wright, N.T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Fortress Press, 2003, pp. 68–100.
• “The Structure of Heaven and Earth: How Ancient Cosmology Shaped Everyone’s Theology,” IsThatInTheBible, 2019.