“Questions About Life and God” Part 5
“What right do I have to convert others to my religion?”

One of the defining traits of our current American culture is the tremendous value it places on tolerance. About the worst thing that can be said of someone is that that person is intolerant. Americans are very intolerant of people who are intolerant!

This carries over into the realm of religion and faith. For someone to convey that his or her faith is the true faith or superior to other religions creates for many the feeling that this person is woefully bigoted and narrow-minded. This raises issues in regards to sharing our faith as Christians. It leads us to the next question we'll look at in this series of messages: What right do I have to convert others to my religion?

A lot of people today assume that all religions are pretty much of equal value. We hear things like, “All religions contain truth and one is as good as another…” “You shouldn’t criticize another person’s religion…” “The various faiths are just different paths to the same god…” "It doesn’t matter what religion you have as long as you live what you profess.” The conclusion many reach is that it’s wrong to impose your faith on someone else.

This raises some interesting questions about sharing the gospel in this kind of cultural climate that elevates tolerance to the highest level. Should I be witnessing to Jewish people? Is this disrespectful of them? Should Christians be sending missionaries to Muslim countries? Isn't Islam simply another way to the same God? What right do I have to label Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons a cult? What about witnessing my faith to people at work or school – is this trespassing too much into their private lives? Isn't it a bit presumptuous of me to witness to anyone, since that would suggest that I believe my religion is better than theirs?

We're going to look at some Scriptures that address these questions. But first, let's try to clear up the misconception that all religions teach the same thing.

They don't! The religion of Mother Theresa and the religion of an Islamic Jihadist are worlds apart in what they teach! Mormons are polytheists; they believe in many gods. Brigham Young, one of the “prophets” in the Mormon Church, taught that Adam was God, and had sexual relations with Mary to produce Jesus. Mainstream Christianity does not teach that. Hindus believe in reincarnation, that the soul of man is ever on a round of births and rebirths. That is far different from a Christianity that says, “People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

This sentimental idea that all religions basically teach the same thing can only be
believed by people who haven't put forth the mental effort to understand the teachings of the various religions. Someone has said, "People who talk in such fashion pride themselves
on their tolerance whereas they should apologize for their ignorance." Because the various religions differ widely in their teachings, all religions are not of equal value, nor do they generate the same kind of life style among their adherents.
Let's take a look at some Scripture passages that relate to this question, "What right do I have to convert others to my religion?" Please note a warning here! Depending on how much you've bought into this idea that all religions are about the same and of equal value, you may have some problems with some of the Bible verses we're going to look at!

Turn to John 14. Jesus was near the end of His life. He was trying to prepare His followers for the crucifixion, and that He would no longer be with them. Jesus says, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going. Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?'" (John 14:3-5). Look at Jesus' response: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

A lot of people resent or reject that verse, because it says Jesus is not a way, but the way, the truth, the life - and you can't get to the Father except through Him! This Scripture was read at the funeral service for President Gerald Ford. I was so happy that the gospel was read on national TV. But the pastor reading this passage stopped with the words, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." He didn't read: "No one comes to the Father except
through me." I'm not sure why. Was this too offensive for a broad audience? Yet, these are the words of the Lord Jesus.

Here's another Scripture that doesn't go over big today. Turn to Acts 4. Simon Peter is speaking to Jewish religious leaders, the "big guns" of Judaism. He’s been preaching about Jesus. "This Jesus is 'the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:11-12). Did you catch that? No other name, other than the name of Jesus, whereby we must be saved.

You may say, "C'mon now! How bigoted can you get? You're saying Christianity has something that no other faith has, that the Jesus of Christianity is the only way to salvation?" I remember a respected Christian leader being interviewed on one of the
major TV networks. This articulate Christian man stated his belief that those who don't
believe in Christ would not have eternal life. The news correspondent pressed him on this, like he couldn't believe anybody could be so narrow- minded and opinionated in his thinking!

Our culture has a hard time with this, but the Christian faith claims to have the Truth of God in a way that no other religion does. It's not because Christians are any better, or smarter, or more favored by God than anyone else. They're not. But rather that Christianity is unique, and set apart from all other religions, because of the One who is at the center of Christianity: Jesus Christ.

It is the claim of Scripture that Jesus is the fullest and most complete revelation of God and
of Truth that humankind has ever experienced. God's nature and God's truth were not revealed to the fullest extent through Buddha, or Mohammed, or Joseph Smith and the Mormons. God revealed Himself most supremely in the historical Person of Jesus of Nazareth some 2,000 years ago. What makes Christianity unique and separate from all other religions is Jesus! Someone has said, "In His life and teaching, His Cross and Resurrection, we believe we have found a moral and spiritual ultimate. We have come to a fixed point in our moral and spiritual universe. We know what life ought to be."

Now you don't have to believe this. And many people don't. They choose another
faith, or no faith. But that's the claim of Christianity.

Christians of the first century did not believe that their faith was just another religion equal to and similar to the religions of their day. They had the audacity to believe that they had found the Truth and that they had found the Way to God and the pathway to Life.
We read in the New Testament how the church from its beginning in the first century began to spread the news about Jesus to all people – to Jews, to those who believed in the Roman gods or the Greek gods, to people caught up in the present day mystery religions, such as the worship of Isis, the mother-goddess of the soil. They didn't stop their missionary efforts and say, "Gee whiz, these people have their own religion. We don't want to infringe upon their spiritual beliefs." They believed that only when one comes to Christ do you begin to walk in the Light and in the Truth. That’s what drives the Christian to share our faith with people today - even people of other religions.

All of this is hard to stomach in a time when it's politically correct to say all religions
are of equal value. But that's why the church sends missionaries into all the world. For instance, Susan Startzell grew up in this church, and she has felt a call to share the gospel
with those in the Arab world. Carol Lawrence grew up in this church, and she and her husband Brian are in Canada, working with Kurdish peoples. Lane Rumsey is a young lady from this church who recently began training for overseas missionary work. And that’s why we are called to share our faith with people at work and school and the neighborhood who do not know the Lord.

I think it needs to be said: Not all Christians who have a heart to share their faith are arrogant or bigoted. Now some do try to convert others in obnoxious ways; we'll say more about that in next week's message. But just because I believe Jesus is the unique Son
of God and not just another religious leader among many religious founders – this doesn’t mean I share my faith in a way that makes me better than others or that it disrespects their beliefs. Like someone has said, a Christian witnessing is just “one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread”. I can be very humble, yet at the same time be very certain that Jesus Christ is Lord!

What about working together with people of other faiths? I can respect Jewish people for their faith. I can respect Moslems who are devoted to their religion. In fact, in a world teetering on violence and terrorism, we need to understand our Islamic friends. I can
respect people without agreeing with them.

When I was serving a church in Easton, PA, we participated in an interfaith Thanksgiving Eve service. My first year there I was asked to preach at the service, which was held that year in the local Jewish synagogue. The church I served was a fairly conservative and evangelical congregation and I wasn’t sure how it would go. But we had a wonderful time worshiping and eating and enjoying conversation with our Jewish neighbors.

People of faith, no matter what their faith, can make our communities and world a better place if we can dialogue with each other, find common ground, and work together. But that
doesn’t mean we stop praying for our non-Christian friends and neighbors, nor quit looking for opportunities to tell them why we believe in Jesus.

Jesus made it clear that we are to share the message about Him with all people. Each of our four gospels ends with Jesus commanding His followers to tell the world about Him.
In Matthew's gospel, before Jesus ascends back to the Father, he says this, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20). In Mark, Jesus says, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16).

Look at the end of Luke's gospel. "(Jesus) said to them, 'Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things'" (Luke 24:46-48). In John's gospel, the Risen Christ appears to the disciples, breathes on them the Holy Spirit, and says, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (John 20:21).

There didn't seem to be any doubt in Jesus' mind that when He comes into a person's life, that is news too good to keep to yourself!

Let’s suppose someone finds a cure for cancer. Someone develops a serum to finally eradicate this horrible disease. But this person decides not to share that serum with others, because there is a group of scientists somewhere working on a cure and they've got their theories about it, and there's another team of researchers somewhere else who say they're on the brink of coming up with a cure. So as not to offend these sincere people, the person keeps the serum to herself. Wouldn't that be sad? In fact, wouldn't that be criminal?

Maybe we need to admit that the question we're asking in this message is not the right question. "What right do I have to convert others to my religion?" For first, Christianity is more than a religion. It's a living faith in a living Christ that changes our life forever! And, wouldn't it be better not to talk about what "right" I have, but rather the privilege I have to share with others the life-giving word of Jesus!

Harry L. Kaufhold, Jr.
Preached February 4, 2007
Lititz United Methodist Church

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