Can Christians Say "Yes" to All Faiths?

| September 1, 2010

On my way to breakfast today I noticed one of those bumper stickers that has the symbols of many religions laid out in a line. The message is that all religions are equal and that trying to share your own faith with someone of another is verboten. That leaves Christians (and others as well)  in a quandary.
The Christian knows that Jesus plainly said “No one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)  That pretty much prevents a Christian from agreeing that all religions lead to the same God, or to Heaven, or that all are equally valid.
Jesus also commanded His followers to share Him with the world, our families, our friends, and even strangers. (Matthew 28:19-20) 9 Instead, we are prevented not only by cultural pressure, but sometimes by law, from speaking of Jesus to anyone but another Christian for fear of embarrassment or even retribution.
So, we are left with a conundrum. Do we bow to cultural and legal pressure to be silent and, in a defacto sense, agree that Christ is no more valid than any other religion, god, or goddess?  Or, follow the commands and teachings of the One to whom we have made ourselves slaves? What do we owe Jesus? What is honoring that obligation worth?
The dilemma is true for other faiths as well, but in today’s America it is Christianity that is under the most aggressive attack from usually logical people. Islam is suffering the threat of extremist factions, but Christ is under attack from all sides.
The worst thing that Christians can do is to react in anger or accusation or with threats of hell and damnation. This only reinforces the stereotype that we are trying to overcome.  Pulling our heads into the church sanctuary isn’t the answer either. The answer to today’s growing rejection of Christ as a relevant part of life is to read the gospels (if you haven’t already) and actually be Christlike in everyday life. Listen to the other guy. Know what you believe so you can discuss it logically with anyone.  Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father whos is in heaven…” (Matthew 5:44-45)

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About the Author ()

Sue Wilson Native of Michigan (Traverse City); transplanted temporarily to San Diego area for husband's deployment to Vietnam; then off to Arkansas for thirteen years and then to Des Moines, IA where they have lived for most of the last seventeen years. Sue majored in Bible and History at Central Baptist College in Conway, AR. Among my 130 hours or so, she has several semesters of Greek and Hebrew. Her favorite area--Old Testament history and theology. After a position as a tech writer for a local manufacturer disappeared in January of 2009, she decided to settle down and pursue freelance writing. She has served on staff for the Iowa District West – LMCS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) offices as a writer and editor; also served on staff as a Director of Christian Education at a church in West Des Moines, IA and as a communications assistant to a pastor in Arkansas. Sue is politically conservative, socially conservative, culturally conservative--at least according to current definitions. She is a Lutheran Christian committed to the Lordship of Christ. Fan of Deitrich Bonhoeffer and Ravi Zacharias. Jesus calls us to a personal relationship with Him, and the Holy Spirit is working within us to make that possible. She has written weekly devotions for Iowa District West of the LCMS for ten years; she teaches adult Bible studies and always writes her own materials; I write two blogs which are basically verse by verse Old and New Testament commentaries (she’s currently on break from these and plans to reevaluate in September); She also writes devotions for Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Urbandale, IA and has rewritten (with author's permission) a course called "Divorce Care" to better fit some Lutheran doctrinal differences. Sue is married with two adult children and four grandchildren, and a beagle that rules their lives. She is working diligently right now on her family history and getting their historical photography scanned and distributed to cousins; she also enjoys nature photography, golf, shooting, computer gaming, hiking, reading, biking, working out, and driving (as odd as that may sound). Someday she would really like to get organized.

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