For Taoist and Traditional Chinese Religion Readers: Who Is the True Creator?

Truth has nothing to fear from honest examination.

Thank you for taking the time to read this page.

You may regard Taoism primarily as a philosophy of simplicity, balance, humility, and harmony with nature.

You may read the Dao De Jing without participating in religious rituals.

You may practice meditation, breathing exercises, tai chi, qigong, or other disciplines intended to cultivate health, balance, or spiritual energy.

You may worship or honor deities at a Taoist temple.

You may burn incense, draw divination sticks, consult a fortune teller, observe auspicious dates, or seek protection and blessing.

You may honor deceased relatives at a family altar, visit their graves, offer food or incense, or participate in ceremonies intended to preserve family loyalty across generations.

You may combine Taoist, Buddhist, Confucian, and traditional Chinese practices without considering them contradictory.

You may not use any religious label at all.

Nevertheless, you may believe that:

• Harmony is more important than rigid doctrine.
• Different religions may express different aspects of one ultimate reality.
• The Dao cannot be fully described in words.
• Life should flow naturally rather than through excessive striving.
• Opposing forces such as yin and yang complement one another.
• Ancestors continue to deserve honor and remembrance.
• Spiritual beings may influence health, fortune, family, and prosperity.
• Rituals may restore harmony between humanity, nature, and the spiritual world.
• A person may cultivate spiritual life, longevity, or immortality.

Some of these ideas contain observations that deserve thoughtful consideration.

Pride is destructive.

Greed produces misery.

Constant striving can exhaust the soul.

Human beings should respect the created world.

Children should honor their parents.

Wisdom often appears gentle rather than boastful.

But important questions remain:

What is the Dao?

Did an impersonal Way produce personal beings—or did a personal Creator make the universe?

Are good and evil complementary forces that must remain balanced?

Should human beings seek help from deities, spirits, ancestors, divination, or sacred objects?

Can spiritual cultivation remove guilt?

Can ceremonies change our standing before the Creator?

Is immortality achieved through cultivation—or given through the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

“Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
— Isaiah 44:6, KJV

Taoism and Traditional Chinese Religion Are Not Identical

Taoism is an ancient Chinese religious and philosophical tradition.

Traditional Chinese religion is a broader expression that may include:

• Ancestor remembrance
• Local gods and protective deities
• Temple festivals
• Household altars
• Offerings and incense
• Divination and fortune telling
• Beliefs concerning spirits and ghosts
• Confucian family responsibilities
• Buddhist teachings and ceremonies
• Taoist priests and rituals

Many people participate in some of these customs culturally without consciously accepting a complete religious system.

Taoism itself includes different approaches.

Some readers focus primarily upon philosophical texts such as the Dao De Jing and the writings associated with Zhuangzi.

Others participate in organized religious Taoism with:

• Temples
• Priests
• Rituals
• Scriptures
• Deities
• Spiritual lineages
• Meditation and internal cultivation
• Practices relating to health, protection, longevity, or immortality

Representative explanations may be examined here:

• Taoist Beliefs — Taoist Federation of Singapore
• Religious Daoism — Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Daoism — Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Center of Traditional Taoist Studies

These sources do not represent every Taoist, but they illustrate the tradition’s diversity.

Important Areas of Agreement

Taoist teaching and the Holy Bible may share certain moral observations.

Many Taoist readers value:

• Humility
• Simplicity
• Gentleness
• Contentment
• Compassion
• Moderation
• Freedom from unnecessary ambition
• Careful use of power
• Harmony within relationships
• Awareness of human limitations
• Respect for the natural world

The Bible also commends humility:

“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
— James 4:6, KJV

It teaches contentment:

“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”
— 1 Timothy 6:8, KJV

It praises gentleness:

“A soft answer turneth away wrath…”
— Proverbs 15:1, KJV

Jesus said:

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
— Matthew 5:5, KJV

The Bible also warns against exhausting ourselves in the pursuit of wealth:

“Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.”
— Proverbs 23:4, KJV

These points provide meaningful common ground.

But similar observations about humility and simplicity do not establish agreement concerning God, creation, sin, spiritual powers, salvation, death, and eternity.

What Is the Dao?

The Chinese word Dao may be translated as:

• Way
• Path
• Course
• Method
• Principle

Within Taoist thought, the Dao is often described as the indescribable source, order, pattern, or Way underlying reality.

The Dao De Jing famously warns that the Dao which can be completely expressed is not the eternal Dao.

The Dao is therefore not ordinarily described as a personal Creator who speaks, loves, commands, judges, forgives, and enters covenant with humanity.

It may be regarded as beyond ordinary categories and names.

The Bible also teaches that God exceeds our complete understanding.

“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?”
— Job 11:7, KJV

God’s greatness cannot be contained within human language.

But unknowable in His fullness does not mean unknowable in every sense.

God has made Himself known.

He speaks:

“I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me…”
— Isaiah 45:5, KJV

He acts:

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
— Genesis 1:1, KJV

He loves:

“Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love…”
— Jeremiah 31:3, KJV

He judges:

“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing…”
— Ecclesiastes 12:14, KJV

He forgives:

“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions…”
— Isaiah 43:25, KJV

The ultimate reality is not merely an impersonal Way.

He is the living God.

Is God Merely the Order Within Nature?

No.

God created and sustains the order within nature, but He is not identical with that order.

The laws and patterns of nature describe how the created world ordinarily functions.

They do not explain why the universe exists.

A law cannot create the objects governed by the law.

A description of gravity does not create matter.

A description of harmony does not create the beings who enter harmony.

The Bible distinguishes clearly between Creator and creation:

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things…”
— Revelation 4:11, KJV

Creation is dependent.

God is self-existent.

Creation changes.

God remains:

“For I am the LORD, I change not…”
— Malachi 3:6, KJV

Can an Impersonal Dao Create Personal Beings?

Human beings possess:

• Consciousness
• Reason
• Love
• Moral awareness
• Intentions
• Creativity
• Personal identity

An impersonal principle has no mind, will, love, intention, or purpose.

How could a reality possessing no personality become the ultimate source of real persons?

The Bible presents a more adequate foundation.

Personal beings exist because the eternal God is personal.

Human beings were intentionally created in His image:

“So God created man in his own image…”
— Genesis 1:27, KJV

We think because our Creator possesses perfect intelligence.

We love because God is love.

We make real choices because God intentionally made responsible persons rather than meaningless movements within an impersonal process.

What Does the Bible Mean by “The Way”?

The Bible frequently speaks about a way or path.

God shows people the way of righteousness.

David prayed:

“Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.”
— Psalm 25:4, KJV

But biblical faith does not end with an impersonal way.

Jesus identified the Way with Himself:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
— John 14:6, KJV

Jesus did not merely discover harmony with a cosmic path.

He is personally the Way to the Father.

The true Way is not an abstract principle to be cultivated.

He is the Lord to be known, trusted, loved, and followed.

Is Jesus Similar to a Taoist Sage?

Jesus certainly displayed humility, gentleness, compassion, simplicity, and freedom from worldly ambition.

He did not pursue wealth or political status.

He washed His disciples’ feet.

He said:

“Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart…”
— Matthew 11:29, KJV

But Jesus cannot be reduced to a sage who perfectly harmonized with the Dao.

He claimed existence before Abraham:

“Before Abraham was, I am.”
— John 8:58, KJV

John writes:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
— John 1:1, KJV

All creation came through Him:

“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
— John 1:3, KJV

Jesus is not merely a wise person living in harmony with the source of reality.

He is the eternal Creator who entered the world He made.

What Is Wu Wei?

Wu wei is sometimes translated as:

• Non-action
• Effortless action
• Non-forcing
• Action aligned with the natural course

It does not necessarily mean laziness or doing absolutely nothing.

It often describes acting without anxious, aggressive, manipulative, or unnatural striving.

The Bible likewise warns against self-reliant anxiety.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
— Proverbs 3:5, KJV

Jesus said:

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.”
— Matthew 6:34, KJV

But biblical trust is not passive alignment with an impersonal process.

It is active trust in the personal God.

Jesus also commands decisive obedience:

“Strive to enter in at the strait gate…”
— Luke 13:24, KJV

There are times to wait quietly.

There are also times to act courageously, resist evil, defend the weak, repent, and obey regardless of difficulty.

The standard is not merely what feels natural or effortless.

The standard is God’s will.

Does Following God Mean Forcing Life?

No.

Christians are not called to control every circumstance.

We acknowledge our limitations:

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”
— Proverbs 16:9, KJV

We pray:

“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
— Matthew 6:10, KJV

We may work diligently while trusting results to God.

Paul wrote:

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.”
— 1 Corinthians 3:6, KJV

The Christian life contains both responsibility and dependence.

We act because God commands us.

We rest because the final result belongs to Him.

Are Yin and Yang the Foundation of Reality?

Yin and yang commonly describe complementary patterns such as:

• Dark and light
• Passive and active
• Cool and warm
• Night and day
• Receptive and initiating

The symbol is often used to emphasize interdependence, change, and balance.

There is practical wisdom in recognizing that created life includes complementary relationships and rhythms.

Night and day both have proper purposes.

Rest and work are both necessary.

Gentleness and firmness may both be appropriate.

But not every opposite is morally complementary.

Truth and falsehood are not two equally necessary halves.

Love and cruelty do not need to remain balanced.

Righteousness and sin are not interdependent forces.

God is completely good:

“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
— 1 John 1:5, KJV

Darkness is not an eternal part of God.

Evil is not needed to complete goodness.

Evil is rebellion against what God created good.

Must Good and Evil Remain in Balance?

No.

The Bible promises the final defeat of evil.

God will not preserve a permanent balance between righteousness and wickedness.

“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth…”
— Revelation 21:27, KJV

In the restored creation:

“There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain…”
— Revelation 21:4, KJV

God does not need death to make life meaningful.

He does not need hatred to sustain love.

He does not need sin to preserve holiness.

His final purpose is complete righteousness.

Is Human Nature Naturally Good?

Chinese philosophical traditions have offered different answers concerning human nature.

Some emphasize an original tendency toward goodness.

Others emphasize the need for discipline, education, ritual, or cultivation.

The Bible teaches that humanity was originally created good:

“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”
— Genesis 1:31, KJV

But humanity rebelled against God.

Sin now affects every person.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
— Romans 3:23, KJV

Jesus said:

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit…”
— Mark 7:21–22, KJV

Human beings still reflect God’s image and may perform genuinely helpful actions.

But our hearts are not spiritually healthy by nature.

We need more than education or cultivation.

We need new birth.

Can Spiritual Cultivation Purify the Heart?

Disciplines may influence habits.

Meditation may increase awareness.

Breathing practices may reduce stress.

Moral instruction may restrain harmful behavior.

Ritual may create a sense of order.

But none of these can erase guilt.

A person may become calmer without becoming innocent.

A person may control outward anger while retaining hatred.

A person may cultivate physical energy while remaining separated from God.

The Bible says we need a new heart:

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you…”
— Ezekiel 36:26, KJV

This transformation is God’s work—not the achievement of sufficient spiritual technique.

What Is Qi?

Qi is often translated as breath, vital energy, or life force.

Different Chinese traditions explain it differently.

Some describe qi as the vital pattern or energy moving within the body and natural world.

Practices such as qigong may aim to cultivate, circulate, strengthen, or balance qi.

The Bible certainly speaks of breath and life coming from God.

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…”
— Genesis 2:7, KJV

But Scripture does not teach that an impersonal spiritual energy can be cultivated or manipulated to produce salvation, holiness, protection, or immortality.

Life belongs to God:

“In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.”
— Job 12:10, KJV

Our dependence is upon the living Creator—not upon mastering an invisible energy.

Are Breathing Exercises Spiritually Dangerous?

Breathing slowly for relaxation or performing ordinary physical exercise is not automatically a religious act.

People may practice certain movements for health without accepting Taoist spiritual explanations.

However, spiritual caution is necessary when practices involve:

• Invoking deities or spirits
• Attempting to awaken hidden spiritual powers
• Opening oneself to unknown spiritual influences
• Seeking immortality through energy cultivation
• Using visualization as a ritual connection to spiritual beings
• Believing that qi replaces dependence upon God

Physical benefits do not prove the truth of the spiritual worldview connected with a practice.

Every spiritual teaching must be tested:

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God…”
— 1 John 4:1, KJV

Are Taoist Deities Real Gods?

Religious Taoism includes many divine or heavenly figures.

Different traditions may honor:

• The Three Pure Ones
• The Jade Emperor
• Laozi in a divine form
• Heavenly officials
• Immortals
• Protective gods
• Local and household deities
• Deified historical figures

Not every Taoist understands these beings identically.

Some regard them as literal spiritual beings.

Others interpret them symbolically or as expressions of cosmic principles.

The Bible teaches that only one eternal God exists:

“Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
— Isaiah 43:10, KJV

God says:

“I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me…”
— Isaiah 45:5, KJV

Created spiritual beings may exist.

But no created being should receive worship, offerings, prayer, or confidence belonging to God.

Could Some Worshipped Spirits Be Deceptive?

Yes.

The Bible teaches that some spiritual beings rebelled against God.

They can deceive human beings and draw worship away from the Creator.

Paul wrote:

“The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God…”
— 1 Corinthians 10:20, KJV

A spirit may appear helpful while encouraging reliance upon:

• Offerings
• Talismans
• Divination
• Temple rituals
• Fear of bad fortune
• Spiritual intermediaries

Apparent help does not prove that the source is holy.

Satan can appear as:

“An angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14, KJV

God commands us to reject every spiritual power that competes with Him.

Should We Offer Incense to Deities?

In Scripture, incense sometimes represented prayer and was used in worship commanded by God.

But it was offered according to His direction.

Religious incense offered to other spiritual beings is forbidden.

God commanded:

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
— Exodus 20:3, KJV

Jesus said:

“Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
— Matthew 4:10, KJV

Burning incense as a pleasant household fragrance is not worship.

Burning it devotionally before a god, spirit, ancestor, or sacred image is a religious act and should be directed to no one except the true God.

Should We Worship or Pray to Ancestors?

The Bible strongly commands family honor:

“Honour thy father and thy mother…”
— Exodus 20:12, KJV

We should:

• Care for aging parents
• Remember deceased relatives with gratitude
• Preserve truthful family history
• Learn from the sacrifices of previous generations
• Maintain family responsibilities

But honor is not worship.

The Bible never commands us to:

• Pray to ancestors
• Offer food for their spiritual use
• Burn incense to gain their favor
• Ask them to protect the household
• Seek guidance from their spirits
• Fear that neglecting rituals will bring misfortune

There is one Mediator between God and humanity:

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
— 1 Timothy 2:5, KJV

Does Rejecting Ancestor Worship Dishonor the Family?

No.

A person may lovingly honor parents and grandparents without performing religious acts directed toward them after death.

True honor is shown through:

• Love
• Care
• Faithfulness
• Gratitude
• Truthful remembrance
• Responsible family conduct

Continuing a spiritual practice merely because previous generations practiced it is not the same as honoring them.

Our ancestors were human beings who also needed God’s mercy.

They were not infallible.

Jesus said:

“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…”
— Matthew 10:37, KJV

Following truth may be painful, but placing God first is not hatred toward family.

Can Ancestors Hear Us?

The Bible does not teach that departed relatives remain near family altars, consume offerings, or receive messages through incense and ceremony.

Death separates people from ordinary earthly life.

Scripture warns against attempts to communicate with the dead:

“There shall not be found among you… a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.”
— Deuteronomy 18:10–11, KJV

Seeking contact may expose a person to deception by a spirit pretending to be a loved one.

Bring grief, questions, and family needs directly to God.

He hears without incense, offerings, or intermediaries.

What About Qingming and Family Remembrance?

Cleaning a grave, remembering loved ones, gathering as a family, and expressing gratitude are not inherently acts of worship.

The spiritual concern depends upon what is being done and believed.

A Christian may respectfully remember deceased family members without:

• Praying to them
• Offering food for their use
• Burning ritual money for the afterlife
• Seeking their blessing
• Believing their spirits control family fortune

Family remembrance should not become communication with the dead or spiritual dependence upon ancestors.

Should We Burn Spirit Money or Paper Offerings?

Traditional ceremonies may involve burning paper money, houses, clothing, vehicles, or other symbolic items believed to benefit departed relatives.

The Bible gives no reason to believe burned paper transfers possessions into the spiritual world.

After death, material provision from surviving relatives cannot alter a person’s condition.

“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
— Hebrews 9:27, KJV

Neither wealth nor poverty in the afterlife depends upon paper objects burned by descendants.

Every person’s eternal standing depends upon his relationship with God.

Can Fortune Telling Reveal the Future?

Traditional Chinese practices may seek guidance through:

• Divination sticks
• Birth dates
• Face reading
• Palm reading
• Astrological systems
• Fortune tellers
• Mediums
• Temple lots
• The interpretation of signs

Some people treat these as cultural entertainment.

Others rely upon them for serious decisions concerning marriage, business, health, travel, or auspicious timing.

The Bible forbids divination:

“There shall not be found among you… one that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter…”
— Deuteronomy 18:10, KJV

Only God possesses complete knowledge of the future:

“Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done…”
— Isaiah 46:10, KJV

We should seek wisdom from God rather than hidden information through spiritual techniques.

What If a Fortune Teller Is Sometimes Accurate?

Accuracy does not prove divine authority.

A prediction may appear correct because of:

• Coincidence
• General statements
• Careful observation
• Information supplied unknowingly by the client
• Selective memory
• Fraud
• Spiritual deception

The Bible warns that even a sign which comes to pass does not justify following a message that leads away from God.

“If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
And the sign or the wonder come to pass… saying, Let us go after other gods… thou shalt not hearken…”
— Deuteronomy 13:1–3, KJV

The source and message must be tested—not merely the apparent result.

Are Some Days, Numbers, or Directions Spiritually Lucky?

Wisdom may consider practical timing.

Weather, preparation, finances, and responsibilities may make one date more suitable than another.

But the Bible does not teach that numbers, directions, colors, or calendar dates possess spiritual power to control success.

Paul warned believers against becoming enslaved to observances:

“Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
I am afraid of you…”
— Galatians 4:10–11, KJV

The believer’s future is in God’s hands:

“My times are in thy hand…”
— Psalm 31:15, KJV

We should make wise decisions without fear of unlucky numbers, dates, or directions.

Can Feng Shui Control Blessing or Misfortune?

Some elements of feng shui involve practical observations about:

• Light
• Ventilation
• Organization
• Comfort
• Movement through a space
• Relationship to the surrounding environment

These may have ordinary architectural or psychological value.

But arranging objects or structures cannot manipulate invisible forces to guarantee prosperity, health, marriage, protection, or spiritual blessing.

God’s favor cannot be controlled through:

• Mirrors
• Water features
• Compass directions
• Door placement
• Colors
• Statues
• Lucky objects

God looks upon the heart:

“For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
— 1 Samuel 16:7, KJV

Do Talismans or Amulets Provide Protection?

People may use written charms, symbols, jewelry, statues, red cords, blessed objects, or temple items for spiritual protection.

The Bible does not teach believers to trust objects containing spiritual power.

Protection comes from God:

“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer…”
— Psalm 18:2, KJV

An object may remind someone of a belief, but it possesses no independent authority over spirits, illness, accidents, or destiny.

Trusting a charm transfers confidence from the Creator to a created thing.

What Is True Harmony?

Harmony is good when it means:

• Peaceful relationships
• Justice
• Mutual respect
• Reconciliation
• Faithfulness to proper responsibilities
• Care for creation

But harmony must not become agreement with evil.

Jesus said:

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
— Matthew 10:34, KJV

Jesus was not promoting violence.

He was warning that truth divides when some receive it and others reject it.

Peace purchased by denying truth is false peace.

Biblical harmony begins with reconciliation to God:

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— Romans 5:1, KJV

What Separates Us From the Creator?

Our deepest problem is not simply imbalance, disharmony, ignorance, excessive striving, or improper energy.

We have sinned against God.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
— Romans 3:23, KJV

Sin includes:

• Idolatry
• Pride
• Dishonesty
• Hatred
• Sexual immorality
• Greed
• Unforgiveness
• Selfishness
• Failure to love God
• Failure to love others

Sin is not merely living out of harmony with a natural principle.

It is personal rebellion against the God who created us.

David prayed:

“Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight…”
— Psalm 51:4, KJV

Can Good Deeds Restore the Balance?

Good deeds matter.

Compassion, honesty, generosity, family loyalty, and service are valuable.

But later good deeds cannot erase earlier guilt.

If someone commits a crime and later performs many acts of kindness, the kindness is good.

It does not make the crime disappear.

The Bible says:

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
— Ezekiel 18:20, KJV

We need more than improved moral balance.

We need forgiveness from the God against whom we have sinned.

Can Rituals Remove Guilt?

Ritual may express grief, gratitude, repentance, or community identity.

But ceremony cannot transform guilt into innocence.

God warned people who continued religious observances without true repentance:

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
— Matthew 15:8, KJV

Temple attendance, incense, chanting, offerings, purification ceremonies, and religious festivals cannot substitute for a changed heart.

Jesus said:

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
— John 3:3, KJV

Why Is a Sacrifice for Sin Necessary?

God is loving and just.

He cannot pretend that evil never occurred.

If a judge ignored murder, abuse, theft, and oppression, he would not be righteous.

But God loves sinners and provided the sacrifice Himself.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8, KJV

Jesus bore our sins:

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…”
— 1 Peter 2:24, KJV

He suffered:

“The just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God…”
— 1 Peter 3:18, KJV

At the cross:

• God’s justice was upheld.
• God’s love was revealed.
• Sin’s penalty was borne.
• Forgiveness was made available.
• The way back to God was opened.

Who Is Jesus Christ?

Jesus is not a Western god or a religious leader belonging only to Europeans and Americans.

He was born in the Middle East into a Jewish family.

His message is for every nation.

The Bible identifies Him as the eternal Word:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
— John 1:1, KJV

He became human:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…”
— John 1:14, KJV

He created all things:

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible…”
— Colossians 1:16, KJV

Jesus is not one deity within a heavenly government.

He is the eternal Creator of every visible and invisible power.

Did Jesus Live in Perfect Harmony With God?

Yes—but His relationship with God cannot be reduced to that of an enlightened human sage.

Jesus lived without sin:

“Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.”
— 1 Peter 2:22, KJV

He always did the Father’s will.

But He also said:

“I and my Father are one.”
— John 10:30, KJV

He received worship.

He forgave sins.

He claimed authority to raise the dead and judge humanity.

He is more than the perfect example of harmony.

He is Lord.

Why Did Jesus Come?

Jesus explained His mission:

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
— Luke 19:10, KJV

He also said:

“The Son of man came… to give his life a ransom for many.”
— Mark 10:45, KJV

Humanity did not merely need a better philosophy of balance.

We needed someone to:

• Live without sin
• Bear our guilt
• Defeat spiritual evil
• Conquer death
• Reconcile us to God
• Give us eternal life

Did Jesus Rise Bodily From the Dead?

Yes.

Jesus predicted the resurrection of His body:

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
— John 2:19, KJV

John explains:

“But he spake of the temple of his body.”
— John 2:21, KJV

After His resurrection, Jesus said:

“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
— Luke 24:39, KJV

He ate in His disciples’ presence.

Thomas examined His crucifixion wounds.

Jesus did not merely survive as an ancestor, immortal, spirit, or cosmic influence.

He bodily conquered death.

Can Taoist Cultivation Produce Immortality?

Some Taoist traditions have pursued longevity or immortality through:

• Meditation
• Breathing disciplines
• Diet
• Internal alchemy
• Energy cultivation
• Moral purification
• Ritual practices

Different traditions understand immortality in different ways.

It may involve physical longevity, spiritual transformation, transcendence, or becoming an immortal being.

But every human body remains subject to death.

No breathing method, diet, elixir, energy practice, or meditation can remove the divine sentence against sin.

“The wages of sin is death…”
— Romans 6:23, KJV

Eternal life is God’s gift:

“But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
— Romans 6:23, KJV

What Is the Difference Between Immortality and Resurrection?

Human efforts toward immortality attempt to overcome death through spiritual or physical cultivation.

Resurrection is God’s act of raising the dead.

Jesus said:

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
— John 11:25, KJV

Christian hope does not depend upon preserving the present body indefinitely.

Even if believers die, Jesus will raise them.

“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body…”
— Philippians 3:21, KJV

Immortality is received through Christ’s victory—not manufactured through cultivation.

What Happens After Death?

Traditional Chinese beliefs concerning death may involve:

• Ancestors remaining connected with the family
• Spiritual judgment
• Heavenly officials
• Ghosts
• Rebirth
• Buddhist or Taoist realms
• Ritual assistance from the living
• Becoming an immortal

The Bible teaches:

“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
— Hebrews 9:27, KJV

We live once.

We die once.

Then we face God.

Our eternal condition is not determined by funeral rituals, descendants’ offerings, paper money, or temple ceremonies.

It is determined by whether we belong to Jesus Christ.

Can Family Members Save the Departed?

No.

Each person must respond personally to God.

“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
— Romans 14:12, KJV

No relative can:

• Repent for someone after death
• Believe for another person
• Purchase a better spiritual condition
• Supply salvation through offerings
• Change God’s judgment through ritual

This is why the gospel carries loving urgency.

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
— 2 Corinthians 6:2, KJV

Can Jesus Protect Us From Spirits?

Yes.

Jesus possesses authority over every spiritual power.

Demons obeyed His command.

Paul writes that Jesus:

“Spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them…”
— Colossians 2:15, KJV

Believers do not need:

• Talismans
• Temple charms
• Protective deities
• Spirit mediums
• Lucky objects
• Ritual paper
• Divination

Jesus is greater than every spiritual power.

“Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
— 1 John 4:4, KJV

Does Becoming a Christian Mean Rejecting Chinese Culture?

No.

Chinese language, family heritage, art, food, music, history, clothing, and many social customs are not enemies of the gospel.

Jesus does not require Chinese people to become culturally European or American.

The final redeemed multitude includes people:

“Of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues…”
— Revelation 7:9, KJV

A Chinese follower of Jesus may continue honoring:

• Family responsibility
• Respect for parents
• Humility
• Education
• Hospitality
• Diligence
• Community responsibility
• Appreciation for natural beauty

But every spiritual practice must be submitted to God’s Word.

Culture may be appreciated.

Idolatry and spirit contact must be rejected.

Does Following Jesus Require Dishonoring Parents?

No.

Jesus strongly affirmed the command to honor parents.

Christians should care for their families and avoid arrogant or insulting behavior.

A follower of Christ should become:

• More loving
• More truthful
• More responsible
• More patient
• More willing to serve
• More faithful toward parents

But family loyalty cannot require participation in false worship.

Daniel respectfully served foreign rulers while refusing idolatry.

The apostles said:

“We ought to obey God rather than men.”
— Acts 5:29, KJV

Are All Paths Expressions of the Same Dao?

Different traditions may contain some moral wisdom.

But they make contradictory claims concerning reality.

One says:

Ultimate reality is an impersonal Way.

The Bible says:

The foundation of reality is the personal Creator.

One path permits offerings to multiple deities.

The Bible commands worship of God alone.

One tradition seeks spiritual guidance through divination.

The Bible forbids divination.

One view seeks immortality through cultivation.

The gospel gives eternal life through Christ’s resurrection.

These teachings cannot all be equally true.

Jesus said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
— John 14:6, KJV

Why Is Jesus the Only Way?

Jesus is not the only way because Christianity is Western, politically powerful, or culturally superior.

He is the only way because He alone:

• Is the eternal Creator
• Became truly human
• Lived without sin
• Bore humanity’s guilt
• Died as the final sacrifice
• Bodily rose from the dead
• Defeated every spiritual power
• Lives forever to intercede

Peter proclaimed:

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
— Acts 4:12, KJV

Can We Save Ourselves Through Moral or Spiritual Effort?

No.

We cannot save ourselves through:

• Harmony
• Meditation
• Energy cultivation
• Temple ceremonies
• Offerings
• Ancestor rituals
• Good works
• Philosophical wisdom
• Self-discipline
• Seeking immortality

Scripture says:

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…”
— Titus 3:5, KJV

And:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
— Ephesians 2:8–9, KJV

Salvation is received—not cultivated into existence.

Does Grace Mean That Good Works Are Unnecessary?

No.

Jesus calls everyone to repentance and obedience.

After explaining that salvation is not earned by works, Paul says:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…”
— Ephesians 2:10, KJV

The order matters:

1. God saves by grace through faith.
2. God transforms the believer.
3. The transformed believer performs good works.

Good works are the fruit of salvation.

They are not payment for salvation.

Can You Know That You Have Eternal Life?

Yes.

You do not have to remain uncertain about:

• Your spiritual balance
• Your accumulated merit
• Your ancestors’ influence
• Your destiny
• The favor of various deities
• Whether you have cultivated enough spiritual power

John wrote:

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life…”
— 1 John 5:13, KJV

Jesus said:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
— John 6:47, KJV

Assurance rests upon Jesus—not upon our ability to master spiritual practices.

What Must You Do?

1. Seek the Personal Creator

Pray honestly:

“God who created heaven and earth, show me who You truly are and lead me into truth.”

2. Turn From Every Other Object of Worship

Reject dependence upon deities, spirits, ancestors, fortune tellers, charms, idols, and spiritual intermediaries.

“Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
— Matthew 4:10, KJV

3. Recognize Your Sin

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
— Romans 3:23, KJV

Your deepest need is not merely restored balance.

You need forgiveness.

4. Repent

Turn from sin, idolatry, divination, spirit contact, self-reliance, and every practice that contradicts God’s Word.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…”
— Acts 3:19, KJV

5. Believe the Gospel

“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, KJV

6. Receive Jesus Christ

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
— John 1:12, KJV

7. Trust Him Completely

Do not trust partly in Jesus and partly in:

• The Dao
• Deities
• Ancestors
• Spiritual cultivation
• Divination
• Charms
• Rituals
• Your good deeds

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”
— Acts 16:31, KJV

8. Follow Jesus as Lord

Salvation is a gift, but Jesus calls those He saves to obey Him.

“If any man serve me, let him follow me…”
— John 12:26, KJV

A Prayer From an Honest Heart

Repeating a prayer cannot save you. Jesus Christ saves. But you may express sincere repentance and faith in words such as these:

God who created heaven and earth, I want to know You as You truly are. I confess that I have sinned against You and cannot save myself through harmony, spiritual cultivation, meditation, energy practices, good works, temple rituals, offerings, deities, ancestors, divination, or the pursuit of immortality. I turn from every false object of worship and every spiritual practice that contradicts Your Word. I believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Lord and Creator who became man, died for my sins, and bodily rose from the dead. I place my complete trust in Jesus Christ as my only Lord and Savior. Forgive me, give me a new heart, fill me with Your Holy Spirit, protect me from spiritual deception, and teach me to follow Your Word whatever it costs. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The saving power is not in repeating these exact words.

The question is whether you have genuinely turned to the living God through Jesus Christ in repentance and faith.

What If Your Family Continues Traditional Rituals?

This situation requires both courage and gentleness.

Do not insult your family.

Do not mock your ancestors.

Do not act as though you are morally superior.

Continue helping your parents.

Continue attending appropriate family gatherings.

Continue showing gratitude and respect.

But respectfully decline participation in acts involving:

• Worship of deities
• Prayer to ancestors
• Offerings intended for spirits
• Divination
• Burning ritual objects for the dead
• Dependence upon charms or sacred objects

You may explain gently:

“I love and honor our family, but I now worship the Creator through Jesus Christ and cannot direct religious devotion to anyone else.”

Peter wrote:

“Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
— 1 Peter 3:15, KJV

What If You Fear the Spirits?

You do not need to remain enslaved to fear.

Jesus possesses all authority:

“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
— Matthew 28:18, KJV

Believers have been delivered:

“From the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
— Colossians 1:13, KJV

Remove objects used for:

• Spirit worship
• Divination
• Occult protection
• Invocation of deities
• Communication with the dead

Do not replace one protective spirit with another.

Come directly to Jesus.

He said:

“Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
— John 6:37, KJV

What Should You Read Next?

Begin with the Gospel of John.

As you read, ask:

Is ultimate reality impersonal—or does Jesus reveal a personal God?

Is Jesus merely a wise sage—or the eternal Creator?

Why does Jesus forgive sins?

Why does He command worship of God alone?

Why does He possess authority over spirits?

Why does He claim to be the Way rather than merely teaching a way?

Did He bodily rise from the dead?

Continue with:

• Genesis 1–3
• Exodus 20
• Deuteronomy 4, 13, and 18
• Psalm 19
• Psalm 51
• Isaiah 40–46
• Isaiah 53
• The Gospel of John
• Acts 4, 8, 17, and 19
• Romans 1–6
• 1 Corinthians 8, 10, and 15
• Ephesians 1–2 and 6
• Colossians 1–2
• Hebrews 1 and 9–10
• 1 John
• Revelation 21–22

As you study, ask:

Can an impersonal Dao love, command, judge, and forgive?

Can the order within nature explain why nature exists?

Are evil and goodness complementary—or will God finally eliminate evil?

Should created spiritual beings receive prayer, incense, offerings, or trust?

Does honoring ancestors require communicating with them?

Can divination provide trustworthy guidance?

Can spiritual cultivation erase guilt or conquer death?

Is immortality achieved through human discipline—or received through Jesus Christ?

Our Purpose

Our purpose is not to insult Chinese people, reject everything within Chinese culture, mock ancient wisdom, or pretend that everyone carrying a Christian label truly follows Jesus.

Many church members also trust in:

• Family tradition
• Religious ceremonies
• Lucky objects
• Superstitions
• Spiritual experiences
• Good works
• Church membership
• A prayer once repeated

rather than Jesus Christ.

Every person must examine the foundation.

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.”
— 2 Corinthians 13:5, KJV

Our purpose is to help every person make sure they are going to Heaven by comparing every belief with the Holy Bible.

Humility is good.

Simplicity is good.

Gentleness is good.

Contentment is good.

Family responsibility is good.

Care for creation is good.

But ultimate reality is not an impersonal Dao.

The personal God created heaven and earth.

Good and evil are not equally necessary forces.

God is light, and in Him is no darkness.

Deities, immortals, spirits, and ancestors must not receive worship.

Divination cannot safely reveal God’s will.

Charms and rituals cannot protect the soul.

Spiritual cultivation cannot remove guilt.

Human effort cannot conquer death.

Jesus Christ is not merely a sage who discovered the Way.

He is the Way.

He is the eternal Word.

He created everything visible and invisible.

He became flesh.

He lived without sin.

He bore our guilt.

He defeated every spiritual power.

He died once for sinners.

He bodily rose from the dead.

He offers forgiveness, new birth, protection from spiritual evil, resurrection, and everlasting life.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
— John 14:6, KJV

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
— Acts 4:12, KJV

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
— 1 John 5:11–12, KJV

Do not merely seek harmony with an impersonal Way. Come personally to the living Creator through Jesus Christ—the true Way, the eternal Truth, and the only source of everlasting life.