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)