Author : Keith Sharp
War must never be allowed to divide world religions. I encourage you to take this unsettling moment as an occasion to work together, as brothers committed to peace, with your own people, with those of other religious beliefs and with all men and women of good will to ensure understanding, cooperation and solidarity.(“Watertown Daily Times,” March 30, 2003)
This is a most remarkable change from Catholic attitudes of former years. “The Syllabus” is the “name given to two series of propositions containing modern religious errors condemned respectively by Pius IX (1864) and Pius X (1907).” (Catholic Encyclopedia online, www.newadvent.org) Among other ideas repugnant to modern society, this document condemns as heresy the idea that anyone can be saved outside the Catholic Church, the belief in the separation of church and state, and the belief in freedom of religion.
Perhaps no attitude holds firmer sway in Western society today than the opinion that everyone should accept all beliefs as equally valid. No one should condemn another. The only thing broad-minded folks won,t tolerate is intolerance.
Since I am a Christian, a follower of Christ (Acts 11:26), the will of Christ is my standard (Matthew 28:18; Colossians 3:17). According to the will of Christ, the New Testament, should we be tolerant of other religious beliefs?
And yet other New Testament teaching clearly demands that we in some sense judge others. “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.” (Romans 16:17) Parallel passages could be multiplied.
The truth is, the Lord condemns certain kinds of judging, whereas He demands that we judge in some ways. The context of Matthew 7:1 makes it clear that the Master there prohibits hypocritical and hypercritical judging (verses 2-5). Immediately after this admonition, He demanded, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” (verse 6) How can we obey this command without judging who are “dogs” and “swine”? The Scriptures also prohibit unmerciful and unforgiving judgment (Luke 6:36-37; James 2:13), judging in matters of opinion (Romans 14:1-13), and setting oneself up as the judge of another’s final destiny (James 4:12).
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. (1 Timothy 6:3-5)
We must not tolerate damnable error nor those who promote it. Nor should we tolerate those who promote their own uninspired opinions to the dividing of God’s people. “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” (Titus 3:10-11)
There is only one Savior and one way of salvation (John 14:6). There is only one church that belongs to Him (Ephesians 4:4; 1:22-23), and that church is not to be divided into sects (1 Corinthians 1:10-13). There is but one faith (Ephesians 4:5), and we must “contend earnestly” for it (Jude 3).
2 Corinthians 10:3-6). The Lord invites all to come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30; Revelation 22:17), but He forces none. The compelling power with which He brings the lost to Himself is the story of His love for them as revealed in the Gospel (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
It is wrong to refuse to listen to those with whom we disagree. When false teachers introduced heresy into the first century church, the apostles and elders allowed them to have their say to the whole church and then answered them (Acts 15). Truth has nothing to fear from free speech. Only those who are wrong and know they are wrong refuse to hear the opposite view or try to forcibly silence those with whom they disagree (cf. Acts 4:18-21; 5:27-29; 7:51-60). Persecution is the tool of falsehood not truth.
