One Way
A friend of mine asked me these questions after a Nicky Gumbel talk, and I thought it was interesting enough to share.
Q: Do religious values change to fit the times e.g. church used to condone slavery but later rejected it as being socially unacceptable, so if for example divorce becomes socially acceptable does that mean it’s OK?
A: I think there is ONE answer to every question, ethical or otherwise, and that there ALWAYS has been.
The problem is, we don't know what the answer is. So from time to time, what WE or SOCIETY think of as "right" may change. But in fact what WAS right hasn't changed and never will change. God and his values are immutable. The earth was always round - it was men (and mind you, often earnest, honest men) who were wrong. So, the answer is religious values may change, but the RIGHT values don’t.
Q: Is it the personal relationship that counts above the church?
A: It's true that religion is not the same as faith. Religion typically refers to the outer trappings, whereas faith refers to the inner works and relationships. Having said that, faith in action (which is really the only authentic faith) only operates in community - love God, love others (Matt 22:37-39). Which is why belonging to a church, which is a community of believers, rather than an institution, is absolutely essential.
Q: Are there many paths to God? Is theology important?
Point 1: the centre of Christian theology is that Jesus is God.
Point 2: If Jesus says no one comes to the Father but through him (i.e. God himself – see John 14:6 and John 17:11), then (a) since He is God, it must be true; or (b) He is not God and he is lying; or (c) He is God and he is lying. You will realise that (d) He is not God and he is telling the truth about him being God is an impossible paradox so we will dispense with that.
(c) He is God and he is lying. He would then be an imperfect God and not worth following. So why bother with Jesus at all?
(b) He is not God and he is lying. Even more reason not to bother with Jesus.
(a) He is God and it is true. If so, He is the only way.
So either one accepts it all, or discards it all. Accepting that Jesus is one way but not the only way is, to put it plainly, a philosophical copout. Quite typical of the entire faith, which consistently tells us it's all or nothing. No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom and all that (Luke 9:62).
While this appears harsh, it is really the best approach. If God isn't everything, why waste your very limited time on earth with Him at all? But if God is everything, then we should be 100% sold out, as far as our fallible human condition allows us. In fact God himself quite clearly says in Revelation 3:15-16 that he would rather we be hot or cold, and that he will spit the lukewarm out of his mouth. Lukewarmness is a great enabler of self-deception, that all is well with our soul when in fact we want to believe just enough to be comfortable. Conversely, self-awareness is the first step to an authentic and worthwhile application of faith.
I would hasten to add that though Jesus is the one way, there is no reason whatsoever to denigrate other beliefs, practically all of which are based on admirable moral frameworks. The morality of a religion is seldom in issue; the differences lie in the spiritual validity, which, frankly, are difficult to prove conclusively. We happen to believe that Jesus is the one way. We have, in our opinion, cogent reasons to come to this conclusion. But no one was ever argued or harangued into the Kingdom of God. Hence the importance of a clear understanding of our own theology, while preserving respect, though not necessarily acceptance, for the beliefs of others.
We may well disagree with the opinions of our friends or colleagues, but this is no reason to behave badly about the disagreement. Suppose a friend happens to think that a Honda is a better car than a Toyota. It may well be that all the evidence shows that in fact, the Toyota is a better car. If so, one should, as a matter of personal and intellectual integrity, hold that the Toyota is indeed better. We may even sing praises of our reliable Toyota to friends and family, so that they may benefit from buying one as well. But there would be no reason to pour scorn on our friend’s Honda, and certainly no possibility of such an insensitive approach convincing our friend that good people drive Toyotas!
Q: Do religious values change to fit the times e.g. church used to condone slavery but later rejected it as being socially unacceptable, so if for example divorce becomes socially acceptable does that mean it’s OK?
A: I think there is ONE answer to every question, ethical or otherwise, and that there ALWAYS has been.
The problem is, we don't know what the answer is. So from time to time, what WE or SOCIETY think of as "right" may change. But in fact what WAS right hasn't changed and never will change. God and his values are immutable. The earth was always round - it was men (and mind you, often earnest, honest men) who were wrong. So, the answer is religious values may change, but the RIGHT values don’t.
Q: Is it the personal relationship that counts above the church?
A: It's true that religion is not the same as faith. Religion typically refers to the outer trappings, whereas faith refers to the inner works and relationships. Having said that, faith in action (which is really the only authentic faith) only operates in community - love God, love others (Matt 22:37-39). Which is why belonging to a church, which is a community of believers, rather than an institution, is absolutely essential.
Q: Are there many paths to God? Is theology important?
Point 1: the centre of Christian theology is that Jesus is God.
Point 2: If Jesus says no one comes to the Father but through him (i.e. God himself – see John 14:6 and John 17:11), then (a) since He is God, it must be true; or (b) He is not God and he is lying; or (c) He is God and he is lying. You will realise that (d) He is not God and he is telling the truth about him being God is an impossible paradox so we will dispense with that.
(c) He is God and he is lying. He would then be an imperfect God and not worth following. So why bother with Jesus at all?
(b) He is not God and he is lying. Even more reason not to bother with Jesus.
(a) He is God and it is true. If so, He is the only way.
So either one accepts it all, or discards it all. Accepting that Jesus is one way but not the only way is, to put it plainly, a philosophical copout. Quite typical of the entire faith, which consistently tells us it's all or nothing. No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom and all that (Luke 9:62).
While this appears harsh, it is really the best approach. If God isn't everything, why waste your very limited time on earth with Him at all? But if God is everything, then we should be 100% sold out, as far as our fallible human condition allows us. In fact God himself quite clearly says in Revelation 3:15-16 that he would rather we be hot or cold, and that he will spit the lukewarm out of his mouth. Lukewarmness is a great enabler of self-deception, that all is well with our soul when in fact we want to believe just enough to be comfortable. Conversely, self-awareness is the first step to an authentic and worthwhile application of faith.
I would hasten to add that though Jesus is the one way, there is no reason whatsoever to denigrate other beliefs, practically all of which are based on admirable moral frameworks. The morality of a religion is seldom in issue; the differences lie in the spiritual validity, which, frankly, are difficult to prove conclusively. We happen to believe that Jesus is the one way. We have, in our opinion, cogent reasons to come to this conclusion. But no one was ever argued or harangued into the Kingdom of God. Hence the importance of a clear understanding of our own theology, while preserving respect, though not necessarily acceptance, for the beliefs of others.
We may well disagree with the opinions of our friends or colleagues, but this is no reason to behave badly about the disagreement. Suppose a friend happens to think that a Honda is a better car than a Toyota. It may well be that all the evidence shows that in fact, the Toyota is a better car. If so, one should, as a matter of personal and intellectual integrity, hold that the Toyota is indeed better. We may even sing praises of our reliable Toyota to friends and family, so that they may benefit from buying one as well. But there would be no reason to pour scorn on our friend’s Honda, and certainly no possibility of such an insensitive approach convincing our friend that good people drive Toyotas!
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