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WHAT WE BELIEVE
Proclaiming the message with urgency and respect

Reuben Pauls

Why would anyone include an Article called “Christianity and Other Faiths” in a Confession of Faith? If the purpose of the church and of individual Christians is to share the Christian faith, if we are certain Christianity is true and other religions are wrong, why don’t we just declare the truth and not worry about what others believe?”

It may well be that it is precisely because of such questions that it is essential to include some guidelines about how we as Christians should interact with people of other faiths. In doing this, we are not denying the truth of the gospel message, but we are pointing out the need to be gentle and to show grace in the process of proclamation. This Article addresses not only action but also attitude.

Here we affirm the truth of the gospel as Jesus being the only way to a living relationship with God. Contrast this with a conversation I once had with a friend, who told me, “You lead people to faith through Jesus. I do the same through the prince of darkness.” When I replied, “One of these ways leads to life and the other to death,” the conversation became somewhat stilted. After concluding that conversation, a question kept at me: Had I been too harsh in my reply? It is to this and similar conversations that Article 17 speaks. How do we share the one way to God (through Jesus) with those who would like to believe other ways are equally valid?

As this Article moves to the second part, “God’s Universal Witness”, the goal of being both truthful and loving is reinforced. We use words such as “respect” and “lovingly”, yet we also use words such as “urgent proclamation”.

The third section of the Article addresses God’s role. Here we submit to His sovereignty and acknowledge that God is able to communicate, as He sees fit, to reach those who have not heard of Jesus Christ. Never let me take the place of God in determining what the appropriate final destination will be for anyone.

My view in this matter is that we need not put God in a box and have a formulaic view of sharing the Good News. Rather, as did the early church, we must live in the urgency of the moment and live and speak the message of Jesus to those with whom we have contact. Where we encounter difficulty is when we make pronouncements of judgment without first developing a relationship with those who may take offense at the message of Jesus.

Proclaiming Jesus will not always be popular. On one occasion, my seatmate on a plane asked me, “Why can Jews, Muslims and Christians not get along? We all worship the one God.” As we chatted, we came to the question, “Who is Jesus?” It was when I insisted that “Jesus is the Son of God” that the conversation ended. However, as we left the plane, he gave me his business card, including e-mail address, and offered his home for lodging if ever my wife and I came to England.

The question in my mind will be asked as long as I am able to share my faith in Jesus: Will my method of conveying Jesus, whom I understand to be the truth and the life, open doors so others will consider Jesus and His way? If the answer is no, then perhaps I need to reread Article 17 once again.

Reuben Pauls is pastor of River of Life Church in Sorrento, B.C. and former executive minister for the Canadian MB Conference.

CONFESSION OF FAITH OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADIAN CONFERENCES OF MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCHES Article 17

Christianity and Other Faiths Jesus Is the Only Way We believe that the saving grace of God in Jesus is the only means of reconciling humanity with God. Although salvation is available to all, only those who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have the assurance of eternal life. God’s Universal Witness God has not left anyone without a witness to the Creator’s goodness and power. Due to human rebellion, people have chosen to suppress the truth. While elements of truth may be found in other religions, Scripture warns against false teaching. Christians treat people of other faiths and philosophies with respect, but lovingly and urgently proclaim Christ as the only way of salvation for all peoples. Sovereignty of God God loves the world and does not want anyone to perish. In sovereign grace God may communicate with people in ways that are beyond human comprehension. The Bible teaches that those who reject the gospel are under divine judgment; the eternal destiny of those who have never heard the gospel is in God’s hands. Our task is to proclaim Christ as the only way of salvation to all people in all cultures. The Judge of all the earth will do what is just. Genesis 18:25; Psalm 19:2-4; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Isaiah 46:1-10; Isaiah 55:8-9; Ezekiel 33:1-20; Jonah 1-4; Matthew 8:5-13; Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 7:24-30; Luke 9:51-56; Luke 12:47-48; John 1:12; John 3:16, 36; John 4:8-42; John 12:12-26; John 14:6; Acts 1:8; Acts 4:12; Acts 10:1-8; Acts 34-36; Acts 14:16-17; Acts 17:22-31; Romans 1:18-24; Romans 2:1-16; Romans 10:9-21; Romans 11:33-35; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 Timothy 2:4-5; 2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 20:15. View complete Confession of Faith

 
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Last modified August 13, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
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