Skip to main content

Incarnation Vs. Avatar: 8 Differences

Some tend to confuse the incarnation of Christ with the avatars of Hinduism. There are a few who even consider Christ to be the tenth avatar or the Kalki avatar. However, there are significant fundamental differences between the incarnation and the avatars. Following are a few of them:


THE INCARNATION
THE AVATAR
1. Real. Christ truly incarnated in flesh, real flesh.
1. Appearance. The avatar appears to be in flesh. The physical body is a mere garment that the soul puts on and puts off (Bhagavad Gita 2.22).
2. Permanent. The incarnation was permanent and irrevocable. Christ continues to be in flesh.
2. Impermanent. The avatar returns to its former form after the fulfillment of its mission.
3. Complete. Christ became full man. He is full man and full God.
3. Partial. The avatar is semi and partial. It is never fully incarnated. The avatar is considered to be purna (full) when the divine is fully manifested in the human; however, it does not mean that the avatar is also fully human at the same time, i.e., fully participates in human pain.
4. Propitiatory. Christ’s incarnation was propitiatory. He came in flesh to represent man to God as a Mediator and High Priest, and to sacrifice His body for the sins of the world. There would not be a need for omnipotent God to incarnate in order to destroy sinners.
4. Vindicatory. The avatar appears to destroy the sinners and to save the righteous.
5. Revolutionary. Christ’s incarnation, death, and resurrection destroys the old order and establishes a new order. The new order is the Kingdom of believers in Christ, who partake of the resurrection from the dead and inherit the Kingdom of the Son.
5. Restorative. The avatar restores the world to its original state of balance (dharma) by removing the elements of wickedness (adharma). The world then moves along in the same way until the surge of iniquity again invokes another avatara.
6. Impartational. The virtue of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ is imparted to the believer who is reckoned to be united with Christ in His Body.
6. Segregated. The avatar preserves a discontinuity between the world and the deity throughout. They are never united in one.
7. Final. Christ’s incarnation was final. It can’t be repeated again.
7. Several. The avatars are many and cyclical.
8. Trinitarian. The doctrinal setting of incarnation is Trinitarianism. There is only One God who is Triune, Tri-personal, and distinct from the universe.
8. Polytheistic. The setting of avatars is polytheistic that avouches myriads of finite gods, demons, the world of magic, and a cyclical and evolutionary view of the universe.


© Domenic Marbaniang, February 2010.

Updated November 24, 2015
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How Do We Know If An Opportunity Is From God?

1. Usually, it should be clear; but, if there is doubt, then there are reasons to reconsider (Rom.14:23) 2. Sometimes the goal may be noble, but the opportunity not. Any opportunity that compels you to hurry ahead of God will land you in a crash (Jer.48:10). 3. It should not invite you to do things or employ means that the Bible clearly forbids. If it does so, it is not divine opportunity but temptation to sin (James 1:13). 4. It should not tempt God, i.e. it should not be something like "I will jump from the pinnacle, He will send His angels in time to save me, because His Word promises so" (Matt.4:6,7). It will lead to disaster. 5. It should not be forced by human whims, even so-called prophecy or divine leading, especially when you don't have peace about it in your heart. Remember how a young prophet fell prey to a lion because he disobeyed God by listening to the lie of a prophet (1Kgs.13:16-24). There is a reason why Paul mentioned that when He heard God's cal...
Post a Comment
Read more

7 Ghastly Sins of Ministry (Micah 3)

Text: Micah 3 1.  Hatred of Good and Love of Evil (Mic 3:2) A. Values that are Self-Centered, Not Christ-Centered B. Values that are Self-Defined, Not Spirit-Defined C. Values that are Self-Glorifying, Not God-Glorifying A confused value-system that honors culture, man, and the world rather than the Law of God Luke16:15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 2. Exploitation of the Sheep (Mic 3:2) A. Manipulating People Like Things and Not Treating Them as Persons B. Over-Demanding C. Not Caring for the Well-being of Sheep Mat 20:25-28 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let hi...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Opposition in Democracy

"The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him." (Prov.18:17) The Opposition is a vital part of modern democracy. It ensures that the government elected by the people is working on behalf of the people and fulfilling the goals it set before them. It also ensures that the ruling party practices transparency and accountability. The Opposition has the right to question the actions of the government and demand an account or rationale for its actions. It may be wrong in its assumptions, but it has the right to voice its questions, without which democracy will be annihilated. To try to silence the voice of the Opposition by any means whatsoever is to kill the soul of the nation which is liberty, unity, fraternity, and justice; for where the right to freedom is exterminated, democracy is dead. A government that labels the Opposition as traitor for questioning its actions is against the people. The Opposition provides an opportunity for the ...
Post a Comment
Read more