04.02. Christian View of Other Religions

CHRISTIAN VIEW OF OTHER RELIGIONS What Should Be Our Attitude to People of Other Faiths The Bible demands us to respect every human as one created in the image of God. Each life is precious. Each person is significant. And Christ died for all humanity. This, however, does not mean accepting their ways of worship. It is acceptance of the person, not of his beliefs. But people who are dangerous to society must be handovered to law. And Christians should contribute towards the Judicial, Executive, and Legislative administration of their nations. This, in order that all humans might live peacefully.

There are chiefly three theological perspectives regarding world religions: exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism. Exclusivism maintains that the truth is only found in the Biblical revelation of faith; inclusivism holds that people of different faiths can also be saved because of Jesus Christ, though they do not know Jesus Christ; pluralism regards all religions as equally valid ways to God.

Many Evangelical Christians look at the people of other faiths as those who are lost and are in need of the Savior. This calls for a heart of compassion, love, and sympathy. This also calls for action. Extremities of traditionalism, not endorsed by the Bible, which might be very offensive to non-christians must be avoided. All that is a stumbling block and hindrance to people from coming to Christ must be abandoned. This is an obvious exclusivist position. But, this must not be equated with fundamentalism. The pluralists and the inclusivists, by stating their positions as right, also posit an another exclusivist position. In fact, on matters pertaining to truth, exclusivism is inescapable. Truth is unique, divisive, and paramount. The truthfulness of the Christian Gospel is not only evident but also consequentially very beneficial to all humans in the present. Therefore, it must be preached. Thus the exclusivist attitude is totally contrary to the fundamentalist extremism that is often characterized by intolerance, hatred, and gives rise to terroristic activities. The Christian exlusivist attitude is open to the truth. Therefore, no man must preach the Gospel unless he is sure of the power of the Holy Spirit working in his own life and making him God’s witness. Jesus Himself commanded His disciples to wait till they received power from above after the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). The actual working of the Spirit in a believer’s life and evangelistic pursuits provides reasonable ground for him to proclaim Christ as the exclusive source of salvation. The fruit of the Spirit is anti-terroristic (Galatians 4:22-23). Divine wisdom is open to reason (James 3:17). This means that to have a really Christian attitude towards people of other religions is to appreciate the goodness in them, be ready to work along with them for beneficiary purposes and at the same time have a heart of compassion to win them to Christ by love. No man an be a Christian by fear or by greed. Self-desiring is anti-christian. Therefore, the attitude of a Christian towards people of other religions must be an attitude which Christ had for them: of love, compassion, respect, and passion to rescue them from the bondage of Satan, sickness, and sin. A Christian is different from a non-christian as far as beliefs are concerned. But this doesn’t argue for discriminations on the basis of religion. Even Christians are divided among themselves on matters of doctrine. The Christian who is confident that he has the truth must strive to preach that truth in love. Superiority complexes and colonial spirit must be avoided since they are anti-christian. Pride leads to tensions and intolerance. A Christian should understand that if he knows the truth it is only by grace, and this should make him more humble. If it were not for the grace of God then the Christian himself would have been in the position of the one he judges. Man is man whether he is a Christian or a Hindu. The same temptations that a non-christian faces are the temptations that a Christian faces. And there is possibility of the Christian himself falling from faith. So, let us look at men as those created in God’s image and those for whom Christ died.

How God Blesses People of Other Religions Biblically speaking, God’s blessings on the people of the earth can be divided into two general categories:

It is an understood fact that no man deserves any of the blessings of God. All blessings that man gets from God is only by grace, and arises out of some kind of a covenant act initiated by God Himself. Thus, even the former general blessings also are not apart from some kind of a God initiated covenant. The covenant people are those who have bound themselves to God by a covenant God Himself has initiated. According to the Bible, the Jews and the Christians fall under this category. The Mosaic and the Palestinian Covenants with the Jews had different ramifications than the New Covenant by Jesus Christ with His followers. The Davidic Covenant directly referring to the reign of Jesus Christ has implications for both. We can’t explore each of them right here. But the point to be made is that both the Jews and the Christians are entitled to the privileges that the people of other religions are not entitled to. History testifies to the fact that the Israelites have experienced many miracles as a nation. This is nothing but the blessing of God in their lives, which comes not just as protection but also as fruitfulness, success, development, and victory over enemies. Christians experience the blessings of the New Covenant here on earth and expect to experience greater blessings in the coming Kingdom. Christians have the forgiveness of sins, the rights of sonship, the authority over demons, over sickness, and over adversities. They have the promise of answered prayers and host of other blessings as a result of Christ’s Covenant with them. The General blessings result out of the covenants made with Adam and Noah. These covenants are unconditional and are relevant to all humans. The Edenic Covenant with Adam in Genesis 1:28-30, gives humans authority over all creation and authorizes them to eat of every herb and tree. God reiterates the covenant in the covenant with Noah and his descendants in Genesis 9:1-29. An additional item of this reiteration is that all the creatures will fear humans and every living thing was made available as food for humans, in addition to vegetation. God blesses man to be fruitful, multiply, bring forth abundantly on the earth, and multiply therein (Genesis 9:7). I believe that the recent population explosion is a blessing. Mankind can never be totally wiped out of existence, even by themselves, apart from God’s will. But then God goes on to state that that He would never again destroy mankind as a whole again by flood (Genesis 9:11). The token of this covenant is the rainbow (Genesis 9:13). The covenant also institutionalizes Human Government. "Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed" (Genesis 9:6). This, in a way, was not left to man alone to be carried out, but was originally backed by God Himself. This blessing of Justice is a clearly observable fact. What one sows is what one reaps. When a viper wound around Paul’s wrist at Malta, the people said among themselves "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance (dike – God of Justice) suffereth not to live" (Acts 28:4, parenthesis mine). Thus, God’s Justice as a blessing is seen as an experience of all humans.

God’s blessings include all that work towards and facilitate human well being and prosperity on earth. The blessings of Justice is given for the preservation and well being of human life. Without which man would have destroyed his own species.

Jesus Himself said that God "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45). Thus, we see God as blessing the people of the earth with everything necessary for the continuation of life. It is only the social, economic, and political boundaries that man has built up, in addition to his own sinful and selfish pursuits, that lead to the state of distress and poverty in the world. Other curses of sin like sickness and death also prevail and hinder God’s blessings on the people. However, justice through various means is also dealt on the transgressors as emphasized in the Bible. God punishes the evil doers by withdrawing His blessings of goodness, thus allowing famine; by withdrawing His protection, thus allowing the enemies to prevail; by punishing by pestilence (1 Chronicles 21:12). History is a witness to the fact that all those races that had reached a level of moral degeneration that was intolerable and dangerous were in a way or the other, often by one of the ways listed above, exterminated.

Thus, God’s blessings on the people of other religions are for their well being while on earth. He also protects them in order to give them a chance to accept His Son, Jesus Christ, and thus become partakers of the heavenly blessings of the New Covenant. The Significance of The Study of Major Religions The study of major religions of the world does help me to become both a better human being and a better follower of my own faith.

After studying briefly the various major religions of the world, I could realize the universality of this quest for meaning and the eternal, despite of the many scientific developments. The further development of religions is an indication that even though we have developed materially we still are in need to develop spiritually. The dissatisfaction inside and search for fulfillment is well reflected in the way the various religions are followed. The realization of this human condition spurs me even more on the search for the truth. Even as a Christian I realize that there are still many questions that are left unanswered. This, probably, helps me to be more spiritually oriented and thus be a better human being. It is amazing to find how great a role worship and belief play in a religion. Faith in a God is indispensable to life. Tolstoy said that it was faith that gave him meaning in life. Perhaps, this understanding of the significance of faith could only be realized after studying the pathos of people of other religions.

I believe that if every individual man and woman studied the major religions with an open mind they would grow to learn to respect each other and relate to each other in ways that are more efficient. This would surely help them to be better humans. I think that instead of remaining in my own well and desiring to limit everything to and bringing everything in to it, one must get out of that well, survey the whole expanse of human spiritual experience. This would surely help him to be more sympathetic to his fellow humans. I am not encouraging here compromise. I only am emphasizing the need of a knowledge of other religions for an understanding of the human quest for spirituality, the human quest for salvation, and what that means to me as a human myself. A study of the major religions also helps me to become a better follower of my own faith. By studying the major religions, I sense the need of studying my own religion more deeply. This, in order that I may find myself in a sure ground when proclaiming to other people that my faith is the truth. To say that I know the truth does seem to be ambitious and to say that I do not know the truth seems to be humble enough to many in this post-modern world, which follows the rule that absolute truth cannot be known. But one who has tasted and proved the truth must equip himself must also be ready to prove and confirm the truthfulness of his testimony. That is what makes a witness a witness. This forces me to study my faith more deeply.

After observing the plurality of religions, I am also forced to be committed to the truth that I know follow it more diligently. I understand that if I didn’t do so I would not be able to proclaim to these searchers of truth the truth that I know. Unless I believe and practice my faith how can I preach it? The study of religions does challenge me to be more careful in my conversations with, behavior before, and relations with the people of other religions.

Therefore, study of major religions is very significant, especially to one undergoing ministerial training.