Tolerating Tolerance

Pray

Introduction

3 years ago, a woman was in a shop and saw a dress that she liked. She took a picture of the dress and sent it to a friend - if I remember correctly. Or she put it on Facebook or another social media site and the picture went viral.

[show slide of dress]

Now, why did it go viral, you may ask…what’s viral you may even be asking.

What happened is that this picture prompted a mass debate. It was shared all over the world millions of times because nobody could decide what colour it was.

What do you think? Is it blue/black or is it white/gold?

Does it matter? Not really.

But let’s say two different people are describing this picture to their friend - one thinks the dress is blue/black and the other thinks the dress is white/gold. So one says, ‘I saw this lovely dress. It’s white with gold.’ The other says, ‘I saw this lovely dress. It’s black with blue.’

Two very different descriptions but they are both describing the same dress.

Now, is that what’s going on with all the religions in the world? Are they simply different ways of describing the SAME God?

Is that what’s going on? Are all religions different ways of describing the SAME God? Do you think that all religions point to their own version of the SAME God, but just a different aspect of God or a different understanding of the SAME God and actually what matters is the fact that they believe in something bigger than themselves? I mean, they all BELIEVE IN THE SAME DIVINE BEING, after all - they’re just describing God in different ways.

Is that how we should view other religions?

Cos many people think that…and that way of thinking can be called religious tolerance. All religions are tolerated because they are essentially following the same god.

Pause

If that’s the case, Christianity is, by definition, intolerant…because Christians believe that Jesus CHRIST is God and they believe that Jesus is the ONLY WAY to God. Remember John 14:6...

John 14:6 ESV

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

But what about the other religions? Are we being intolerant of other religions because they are wrong and we’re right?

Are we saying that EVERY human being who belongs to a religion that does NOT believe in Jesus Christ is going to hell - even though they believe in SOME sort of God or divine deity. I mean, they’ve come so close to believe in SOMETHING - to recognise that there is SOMETHING greater out there and they BELIEVE in this greater thing…surely that must count for SOMETHING????? No? Surely God will give some credit to that, no?

Pause

This is a really tough question, cos what I tend to do is to judge other religions based on what the bible says, and why wouldn’t I do that?

But the bible talks about is sin, and it talks about the world going down the tubes unless God does something to redeem the world - which he did through sending his Son, Jesus Christ to die as our substitution.

That’s what the bible says. But can I judge OTHER RELIGIONS based on the Cristian scriptures?

For example, I could go to a Hindu and say, ‘How does YOUR religion deal with the issue of sin? How are YOUR sins forgiven?’

But what if that Hindu religion doesn’t believe in sin? Then their answer is, ‘I don’t need my sins forgiven cos I don’t sin - what even IS sin anyway?’

You see, our scriptures give us a framework by which we judge everything, but other religions have a different framework.

So different religions have different beliefs and different ways to get to heaven....and we have our own belief and way to get to heaven - through Jesus Christ alone.

And we might be accused of being intolerant of other religions, because what WE believe is very clear cut - Jesus is the only way to the Father. No one comes to the Father EXCEPT through him.

And that very verse means that any other religion that DOES NOT believe in Jesus Christ is wrong. We’re not necessarily being intolerant by saying that - it’s just the way it is - it’s what we believe. The problem is that it comes across as intolerant...

“Don’t be so dogmatic! How can you be so arrogant that YOU’VE got it right.”

But this is what we believe -that Jesus is the ONLY way the truth and the life.

Is that being intolerant? No.

Tolerance is accepting that other people HAVE a view that might be different and incompatible with MY view, but they’re entitled to HAVE that view. And I’m ok with that - everyone is entitled to have an opinion, but I don’t have to agree with that opinion or view.

But as Christians we’ve got to at least put our argument across. ‘Here’s what WE believe as Christians.’

Cos the purpose of mission is to preach repentance - to tell people that they are wrong and they need to change their ways and accept Christ as their saviour…and THAT’S why we’re accused of being intolerant - cos we are TELLING people that we think they ARE wrong in what they believe and they need to change.

The problem often is in the WAY we do it. More often than not it’s condemnatory and there’s little grace or love.

But are we actually doing that? Are we challenging ANYONE on what they believe?

See, if we loved people - truly loved people like we’re commanded to, then I think we’d be more vocal in putting our argument across. Cos I have friends from Almac - but if I TRULLY loved them I’d challenge them on their belief, or unbelief, cos I’d want them to see the light and join the family of believers. But by challenging them I may get accused of being intolerant.

Is it worth the rejection and abuse and persecution?

Pause

Ok then, What about those religions who SAY they are Christian but aren’t…I’m talking Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses - religions like that. Cos they are walking around the streets looking like they’re promoting Jesus, but are they?

Let’s take Mormons - I don’t know much about them…I don’t know much about either of them, to be fair, but Mormons believe that Joseph Smith received a special revelation that ONLY HE got - and it was written on golden plates and only translated using special stones. And then an angel took these special plates so that only Smith knew what they said.

A few issues I have here - firstly, the bible is a closed book - no new revelation is to be added. We see that in Revelation 22:18 ...

Revelation 22:18 ESV

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,

Smith has done just that…but also - let’s be cynical for a second - so a man get’s a special extra revelation from God and there’s physical evidence of this from golden plates…

’ok, where are they?’

‘Well, they’ve been taken back by the angel, but it’s OK - I’ve taken notes.’

‘So…I have to just take your word for it? There’s NOTHING else to corroborate this? Is there ANY chance you could be making this all up?’

hmmm.

That’s not the only thing, but it’s enough to put me off.

Pause

What about Jehovah’s Witnesses…their big deal-breaker is that they deny the deity of Christ. They don’t believe that Jesus is God.

And to ANYONE who denies the deity of Christ, my question is this…If Jesus ISN’T God then he ISN’T perfect and he therefore isn’t the perfect, unblemished lamb of God and so therefore he can’t take away the sin of the world - cos only God can do that.

If Jesus isn’t God how can your sins be forgiven?

And yet JWs believe that salvation is through Jesus’ ransom sacrifice - HOW??? If he’s not God how is that even possible?

Pause

I haven’t touched on these enough and I don’t know enough about them to be honest…but what I DO know and believe with all my heart is that Jesus IS the Son of God and it is his death and resurrection that saves ANYONE who puts their faith and trust in Jesus.

The problem is, once again, that by saying even that, we are deemed intolerant. And maybe we are, but we aren’t commanded in the bible to BE tolerant…we’re commanded to LOVE, and...

If we love then we will let those closet to us know that they are lost without Jesus Christ

- that only HE has the power to save and give new life.

I refer to those closest to us because I suppose that’s where it has to start…If we can’t tell those closest to us about Jesus and their need for repentance then how can we tell those who aren’t close to us.

And the problem is we’re not telling anyone. I think we’re too afraid of the consequences of being deemed intolerant. Look at the Asher’s Bakery case. They were branded intolerant and that wasn’t even to DO with other religions - but it WAS to do with another person’s beliefs.

And I think that’s the challenge we all face today - do we challenge other religious beliefs because we actually love others and want to see them have life and a relationship with Jesus or are we too afraid to rock the boat? How much do we LOVE our friends and family?

Pause

If you’ve been at the midweek over the last few weeks, you’ll know we’ve been going through the beatitudes. The last beatitudes are this...

Matthew 5:10–12 ESV

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Being tolerant of other religions will NOT get you persecuted. What gets you persecuted is standing up for what you believe and calling others to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

But if tolerance means you wimp out for the gospel then what good does it do? You make friends with everyone and you have a great ecumenical friendship - but if you accept everyone without challenging their beliefs then you’ve a load of friends going to hell and you’ve done nothing about it.

Pause

This sounds harsh, but let me tell you what’s going through my mind right now… I’ve got friends in Almac, like I said…and I’m friends with them. I love them as friends, but I haven’t really challenged them on their unbelief. They aren’t of other religions but I’m not doing much to evangelise them. And if one of them dies unexpectedly, then they’re going to a lost eternity and I haven’t done all I can to stop that…and that is eating me up.

And I have an image of them crying out as they’re on their way to hell, “WHY DIDN’T YOU DO MORE TO TELL ME ABOUT JESUS?”

But I’m scared - cos I want to keep the friendship going. But how much do I really love them?

But what makes it harder is they have no faith at all.

What’s interesting is this... there WAS a guy in Almac who was Muslim and we had some conversations together and he was open to debate. We challenged each other and actually there was no persecution - there was mutual respect…maybe even proper tolerance.

So the chances are that there are people of other faiths and religions who are actually happy to talk to you about faith - possibly cos they want to see YOU converted to THEIR faith. Don’t let that happen, but don’t be afraid to open up and talk to people about your faith and their faith, and bring the gospel of Jesus to them, cos the Spirit can work through you to bring them to salvation - and we’re called to be witnesses.

Pause

Now, I need to figure out what to do about my Almac friends, and maybe you have friends whom you love too. But how much do we love them?

To the point where we are tolerant of their beliefs and we accept that they have their beliefs and we don’t challenge them?

Or do we love them even more than that - to the point that we are intolerant of their beliefs and so we challenge them on it and bring a message of repentance and the grace of Jesus Christ?

How much do we love our un-Christian friends? They’re going to a lost eternity and we can be the ones to point them to Jesus. We don’t have to be all gung-ho about it. It can be done in an attitude of love and grace - but are we doing ANYTHING?

I’m not, and that needs to change. If anyone feels the same, then join with me in praying for the courage to put our ‘love’ into action.

Let’s pray.