Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
No doubt you have seen this bumper sticker before. Different religious symbols including the cross are put together to spell the word “coexist”. This was created as an attempt to bring unity to religions and help us to have a sense of tolerance for other faiths.
One of the GGM partners wrote in and asked me to explain how we should respond to faiths that are different from ours, and the idea that “all roads can lead to God”.
I have had the privilege of traveling the world and experiencing different cultures and the religions that shaped them. I’ve seen Hinduism in Bali, Buddhism in Hong Kong, Catholicism in the Philippines, and Islam in Banda Ache Indonesia. I have a great respect for people, especially people who are committed to what they believe. Therefore, I consider myself to be a very open minded person. One who can appreciate people’s beliefs, customs, and expressions that are different than mine. In fact, I have found that there are many things I have in common with them. Therefore, I seek to celebrate the commonality we share and use that as a bridge to build a relationship and share my faith and culture.
Having said that, I also recognize that my faith is not their faith, and at some point we disagree. Unity is not uniformity. We can be different from one another and still respect each other. But as far as my faith in Christ is concerned, I must not waiver from the fact that Jesus is the incarnation of God and man’s hope for salvation. There is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved but the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). If there are many roads that lead to God, then Jesus died in vain. His substitutionary death on the cross was not necessary if I can be saved from sin and death on my own. That is why we must understand that Jesus is the only way. Christians are not narrow-minded. It is truth itself that is narrow. By definition truth is narrow. Two plus two is four and it is not anything else. So while we can be tolerant of other faiths, we must also insist that Jesus is the way the truth and the life (John 14:6).
I encourage you to not argue with others about doctrinal matters, but seek to exchange ideas. This will build a relationship. It is only through a caring relationship that you will be able to help someone see the uniqueness of Jesus. So let us respect the faith of others. Let us find a common bond. And let us stand on the truth that Jesus alone is the Savior of the world! May God use you share and show the faith of Jesus to the world. For the gospel is a gospel of grace based upon what God does for us, not what we do for God. It is this grace that separates Christianity from all other religions. May you be gracious as you share the grace of Jesus!