Pray for Jainism

Though most of the world knows little about Jainism, God knows every Jain intimately, down to the number of hairs on their heads. He loves them so much that He sent His own Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for their sins.

Jainism originated around the 7th century BC during a time when many groups – including Buddhists – were breaking away from Hinduism. There is no “founder” of Jainism, but rather 24 Tirthankaras, or “teachers who show the way.” These 24 people all achieved enlightenment and then taught others to do the same.

The 24th Tirthankara, Mahavira, is often regarded as the traditional founder of the Jain faith. He abandoned the world he knew at age 30, going into solitude and reaching enlightenment (moksha) after 13 years. He then established a monastery that is said to have had 14,000 monks and 36,000 nuns.

Today, Jainism is generally thought to be the 9th largest religion in the world, with 5.7 million followers, mostly in India.

Jains believe the universe was not created – it has always been and is eternal. But the Bible says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

Jains believe that the soul, or jiva, goes through life cycles – reincarnation – until it reaches enlightenment by removing all karma. It then has unlimited knowledge, power, perception, and happiness, and is a god itself. It is not able to interfere with humans’ lives, though, as there are no higher spiritual beings to help humans. If a soul does not reach enlightenment, it will be reincarnated. Reincarnation is determined by how sinful a person was in their current life – by the amount of good or bad karma they have accumulated. But the Bible says, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment…” (Heb. 9:27).

Jains also do not believe in an eternal hell. The Bible says, “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power” (2 Thess. 1:9).

The number of souls in the universe, according to Jainism, is unlimited. Everything has a soul, including plants, animals, and humans. The Bible says humans are unique in this way. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen. 1:27).

Because of their belief regarding souls, Jains are vegetarians and try to use as few resources as they can. But the Bible says, “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything” (Gen. 9:3).

Jains have five Great Laws by which they live their lives – non-violence, non-possession, honesty, non-stealing, and sexual restraint. They take non-violence very seriously and do their best not to harm any other living thing, including bacteria. They also do not travel long distances so as to limit their use of the world’s resources.

To find their purpose in life, they go through the Triple Jewels: true perception, true knowledge, and true conduct. This is the Jain ethical code, which helps them achieve enlightenment. But the Bible says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).

There are two distinct sects of Jainism – Digambara and Svetambara. Differences between these sects center upon whether women can achieve enlightenment, what particular scriptural texts should be accepted, the details regarding Mahavira’s life, and whether or not monks or ascetics should wear clothes. Digambaras believe that enlightenment can only be achieved by male ascetics/monks while naked, meaning women would need to be reincarnated as men to qualify. Svetambaras believe that both male and female ascetics/nuns can be enlightened while wearing white.

Although millions of people are lost within the Jain faith, God is moving and revealing Himself. The growth rate of Jainism is 0.87%, but all its followers are born into the faith. God is revealing Himself to these people through various situations like illnesses and bringing entire families to know Him through one person. There is not much known about missions within the Jain community, but God is certainly present and moving because He loves and cares for them unconditionally.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,

the world and those who dwell therein,

for he has founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the rivers.

Psalm 24:1-2

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them

Genesis 1:27

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

Genesis 1:28-30

“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.”

Nehemiah 9:6

Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

1 Corinthians 8:6

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:3

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving

1 Timothy 4:4

He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.

Psalm 78:39

The dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it

Ecclesiastes 12:7

It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment

Hebrews 9:27

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:25-26

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:9-10