S
At no time did Jesus, or the apostles encourage the people of God to investigate similarities between Christianity and other religions. The closest example of a Christian connecting with the practices of another religion in order to win souls was the Apostle Paul in Acts 17:23, addressing the people of Athens, and as a result some believed.
‘For as I passed by, and saw your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom you are ignorantly worshipping ,Him I declare to you’.
Jesus himself established that there was only one way, one truth and that He was the life. He further taught that no man comes to the Father except through Him. There is a philosophy which is popular in some circles, which proposes that there are many ways to Heaven, or in other words, all roads lead to the same place. This false belief could not be further from the truth, or at least the truth of the Bible.
If a person believes that Jesus existed, is he/she saved? Not at all. If someone acknowledges Jesus as a prophet, a teacher or a good man, is this what they must do to be saved? Certainly not. The bible says that even the devils believe, and tremble! Is this a starting point upon which a better understanding of the gospel can be built? Absolutely!
Who are we to say by what means a person should come to know the Savior? Paul said, in
ICorinthians 9:22 ‘ To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some’.
It is not possible to fulfill the great commission in Mark 15:16 “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel”, without lowering the walls of righteous indignation, fully perceiving that within every false belief system there are a number of lost souls whose only bible, at the moment, may be
you or I.
When dealing with individuals who thumb their noses at the Christian God, presenting their false religions and alternative lifestyles as completely harmless, I do not hesitate to draw a very clear line between Christianity and false beliefs. But in affirming our position, these differences should not be used as a reason for hatred. We are most certainly commanded to ‘Love our enemy’
Matthew 5:46
If you love only those who love you, what reward have you earned?
I once heard a testimony from a man who entered a bar, drank no alcohol, witnessed, and won the soul of a man inside the bar. But, this man went in the ‘ power of God’. Not even the apostles were sent or allowed to leave Jerusalem until they receivedpower fromGod. And so, I caution those who have good intentions but are simply ‘hanging out’ with unbelievers. I implore you to evaluate your motives, your sense of purpose, your preparation, and whether these encounters are divine appointments orchestrated by the Holy Spirit or by you. Many people go, but not many are sent.
Paul, the apostle, after being shipwrecked on the island of Malta, was adding wood to a fire and was struck by a viper. The snake fastened itself onto his hand. Paul simply shook the poisonous snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. It was only the protection of God that kept Paul from succumbing to the snake’s venom.
Unless we are prayerful concerning our encounters and friendships with unbelievers, we could very easily find ourselves exposed to unseen dangers which may not be so easy to shake off.
‘For as I passed by, and saw your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom you are ignorantly worshipping ,Him I declare to you’.
Jesus himself established that there was only one way, one truth and that He was the life. He further taught that no man comes to the Father except through Him. There is a philosophy which is popular in some circles, which proposes that there are many ways to Heaven, or in other words, all roads lead to the same place. This false belief could not be further from the truth, or at least the truth of the Bible.
If a person believes that Jesus existed, is he/she saved? Not at all. If someone acknowledges Jesus as a prophet, a teacher or a good man, is this what they must do to be saved? Certainly not. The bible says that even the devils believe, and tremble! Is this a starting point upon which a better understanding of the gospel can be built? Absolutely!
Who are we to say by what means a person should come to know the Savior? Paul said, in
ICorinthians 9:22 ‘ To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some’.
It is not possible to fulfill the great commission in Mark 15:16 “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel”, without lowering the walls of righteous indignation, fully perceiving that within every false belief system there are a number of lost souls whose only bible, at the moment, may be
you or I.
When dealing with individuals who thumb their noses at the Christian God, presenting their false religions and alternative lifestyles as completely harmless, I do not hesitate to draw a very clear line between Christianity and false beliefs. But in affirming our position, these differences should not be used as a reason for hatred. We are most certainly commanded to ‘Love our enemy’
Matthew 5:46
If you love only those who love you, what reward have you earned?
I once heard a testimony from a man who entered a bar, drank no alcohol, witnessed, and won the soul of a man inside the bar. But, this man went in the ‘ power of God’. Not even the apostles were sent or allowed to leave Jerusalem until they receivedpower fromGod. And so, I caution those who have good intentions but are simply ‘hanging out’ with unbelievers. I implore you to evaluate your motives, your sense of purpose, your preparation, and whether these encounters are divine appointments orchestrated by the Holy Spirit or by you. Many people go, but not many are sent.
Paul, the apostle, after being shipwrecked on the island of Malta, was adding wood to a fire and was struck by a viper. The snake fastened itself onto his hand. Paul simply shook the poisonous snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. It was only the protection of God that kept Paul from succumbing to the snake’s venom.
Unless we are prayerful concerning our encounters and friendships with unbelievers, we could very easily find ourselves exposed to unseen dangers which may not be so easy to shake off.