Offensive Christians

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released today a second part of their US Religious Landscape Survey. I’m reading the summary now and frankly, its very disheartening.

• 66% of American Protestants believe other religions can have eternal life - I assume this does not mean a life of eternal suffering in Hell.
• 79% of Catholics hold this position.
• The most shocking statistic to me is the 57% of self-identified evangelical Christians who believe that other religions can lead to eternal life.

The postion that “all religions can get you eternal life” betrays a sad ignorance of the Word of God. That so many Protestants, Catholics, and evangelical Christians can hold this anti-biblical view show us that we are far from where we need to be.

Please consider the following scripture in light of the survey’s findings:

John 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Luk 13:23-30  And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.  And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

As Christians we must test our salvation. We must be clear as to who our Lord is. Many Christians and Christians in Name Only.  Nominal Christians - We must all strive not be included in this group.  A verse that strikes the fear of God in me is:

Matthew 7:21-23  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

For the sake of Christianity and the Church - Be Offensive with your Christianity. Do not compromise your faith or the Word of God by adhering to this idea of “tolerance” which is really no tolerance at all but just a postmodern denial of Truth.  All religions can not be right. All roads do not lead to Rome.

David

It speaks for itself doesn’t it? OC

Actually, I just found out it doesn’t speak enough. It seems the book being promoted is being reported as largely plagiarized. The fact remains that Oprah is out there leading Christians astray but the Obama link and other items in the book appear to be merely inserted to sell rather than adhere to the truth. I’ll leave the video up but I want viewers to know that its not as altruistic as it seems.

OC

I just watched this video from UC Berkeley. Tim Keller addresses “Belief in an Age of Skepticism?” It should be very interesting for Christians and nonChristians alike. Half of the time is Q&A.

This week the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a significant study of religion in the United States of America. This is important because I believe the public in the USA is still holding on to their faith where most of Europe has reverted to a denial of the Creator. USA stands alone in it’s majority affirmation of Christianity - or at least so it seems to me. If anyone has more data to shine on this topic I’d like to see it.

My concern is that the study shows US citizens are likely to view religion as a choice one can make almost with no consequence. I don’t know the underlying politics behind the Pew Charitable Trusts but the sensation I got while scanning the study was that we’re all in this huge marketplace trying on clothes based solely on whether we like the cut, the fabric, the latest trends, and not whether the clothes are appropriate for the environment. You see, believe ideas have consequences, especially ones which have eternal as well as short-term impacts. To quote Greg Koukl - Truth is not ice cream and faith is not wishing. This study of over 35,000 people matters because it reveals the fickle and fluid nature of American conviction. All roads cannot possibly lead to Rome. It seems so common these days to hear someone speak of “your truth” and “my truth” or “that might be true for you but not for me.” No, truth is truth. If you are sick and need medicine you need the proper medicine to treat the disease. The disease we face as humans is our sin and selfish nature. The only effective antidote is a heart transplant. The Creator of the universe offers us free-will (the option to love) and then makes a path back to Him when we choose to go our own way.

There are many other aspects of this study I’d like to unpack later but suffice it to say that the idea that we can make our own reality is inherently flawed. Christians need to get out into the marketplace of ideas and speak to nonbelievers about what the Lord has done for them. Explain that there really are only two ways to live - For the Creator of the universe and against Him. Make your life a beacon. Be so different from the culture in your service to others and selflessness that nonChristians are drawn to you. Be offensive with God’s love.

OC