Understanding Hinduism: A Christian Perspective on Eternity, Culture, and Gospel Hope
World Mission
By Joel Gass
In our ever-globalizing world, Christians are increasingly likely to encounter people from a wide array of religious backgrounds. One of the most ancient and complex of these is Hinduism. Far from being a tidy list of doctrines or a set of unified beliefs, Hinduism is a way of being—a worldview deeply rooted in culture, mysticism, and cyclical views of eternity.
In this post, we’ll explore Hinduism’s general beliefs, sacred texts, social customs, and their concept of eternity. Finally, we’ll consider how Christians can share the gospel faithfully with those who follow this intricate religion.
What Hindus Believe: The Purpose of Life
Hinduism teaches that the purpose of life can be understood through four goals:
Dharma – Living virtuously and rightly.
Artha – Pursuing material prosperity and success.
Kama – Enjoying the pleasures of life.
Moksha – The ultimate goal: liberation from the cycle of reincarnation and union with Brahman, the universal soul.
Moksha is the most difficult and prized goal—often requiring many lifetimes to achieve.
Sacred Texts and Ancient Hymns
The foundational scriptures of Hinduism include the Vedas, Brahmanas, and Upanishads. The Vedas—among the oldest religious texts on earth—are seen as divine, even though the Hindu conception of “god” is abstract and impersonal. Interestingly, the Vedas even contain a flood narrative, echoing distant parallels with the biblical account in Genesis.
Social Practices and Daily Worship
Daily Hindu life is immersed in religious practice. Families maintain household idols, which they bathe, feed, and care for—part of their domestic worship. Arranged marriages are the norm, occurring within the same social caste.
Hindus also engage in spiritual disciplines such as yoga and meditation to escape the physical realm and reach spiritual maturity. The cow, considered sacred, roams freely in India and is revered and even worshipped.
Hindu Views of Eternity and the Soul
Hinduism believes in reincarnation—a never-ending cycle of rebirth governed by karma, the idea that one’s actions in this life affect one’s station in the next. There is no concept of a personal God who offers forgiveness. Instead, salvation (moksha) is something to be earned through many lifetimes of purification. Material existence, including the body and mind, is seen as something to eventually escape.
The Gospel and the Hindu Heart
So how can Christians share the good news of Jesus with someone immersed in Hinduism?
First, remember that salvation belongs to the Lord (Jonah 2:9). It is not earned, nor is it the product of human effort. It is a free gift, offered by the one true God, who alone saves (Isaiah 43:11; 45:21). Before anything else, we must pray for God to open their eyes.
Second, preach the whole gospel. Hindu worldviews often interpret suffering through karma or illusion (maya), making it challenging to explain the wrath of God or human sin. But the Bible starts with creation, not just judgment. In Genesis, God made the material world very good (Genesis 1:31). The problem is not matter—it is the fall of man into sin.
The gospel must speak into this. We proclaim a personal God who created everything in love, and who entered His creation in the person of Jesus Christ to save sinners. This good news is not something earned across lifetimes—it is received by grace through faith.
Education as a Bridge
In 1829, Scottish missionary Alexander Duff arrived in Calcutta. He saw how Christian education could plant seeds of gospel truth in a culture steeped in Hindu tradition. For Duff, Western education grounded in Scripture became a tool to challenge the Hindu worldview from within.
This is still true today. Christian schools, colleges, and relationships are vital opportunities to display the hope we have in Christ—and to equip Hindus with both truth and transformation.
Final Thoughts
Hinduism is a vast and deeply spiritual religion. But no matter how ancient or complex a belief system may be, the gospel of Jesus Christ is sufficient and powerful to reach hearts.
Christian witness among Hindus must be rooted in prayer, steeped in love, and anchored in truth. We don’t need to win every argument—but we must proclaim every word of the gospel and trust God to save. For He is mighty to do so.
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Disclosure: This post was created using gathered research and academic material from a seminary course on world religions. A full bibliography of sources is available upon request.