A Christian should be tolerant of other people’s religious beliefs and have tolerance and respect for their interpretations of the Holy Bible. It is my belief that God wants His people to be considerate and give equal respect to other people’s views of the Bible. I’ve heard many people make comments about different religions and when I hear this, I feel guilty that I’m among the group that would make such a comment. People who believe their religious belief is the “only” truth should go to their Holy Bible for answers.
In the Holy Bible, King James Version, New Testament and in the Epistles of Paul to Hebrews 9:27, it tells people, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
Different religions make mutually exclusive claims, and the relativist is unable to logically reconcile outright contradictions. In the above paragraph the Bible makes the claim that “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,” while there are some Eastern religions that teach reincarnation. People will ask how is it that both teachings can be true, they cannot be true. Relativist redefines truth in order to create a paradoxical world where multiple, contradictory “truths” can co-exist.
A Christian person has accepted “Truth,” not just as a concept, but from their point of view. When a person makes an acknowledgment of “Truth” this distances them as a Christian from a so-called “open-mindedness of the day.
In the Holy Bible, the New Testament, in the Gospel of John 14:6, it tells people, Jesus said unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.”
When a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they have accepted “Truth,” not just the concept, but as a Christian person. The acknowledgment of “Truth” therefore distances a Christian from the “open-mindedness” of the day. When a person becomes a Christian, they have publicly acknowledged that Jesus Christ rose from the dead; see in the New Testament, Epistle of Paul – Romans 10: 9 10 where it tells people, “That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
When a person accepts Jesus Christ and he truly believes in the resurrection, then how could he be “open-minded” concerning unbeliever’s assertion that Jesus never rose again? If a Christian would deny the clear teachings of God’s Word wouldn’t this indeed be a betrayal of God?
Christian’s know that those who believe otherwise will desire a debate and they should not allow themselves to be caught up in these type disputations over subordinate matters. In the Holy Bible, the New Testament, in the Epistle of Paul, 2 Timothy 2: 23, it tells people, “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife’s.”
And in Epistle of Paul, Titus 3: 9, it also tells people, “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.”
Christians are to refrain from disputes over prominent doctrines they should use their restraints and display respect and be courteous. Christians need to hold firm to the “Truth” and show compassion to those who question doctrines. They need to do as the New Testament, and in John 1:14 tells people, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. It’s wise for Christians to be prepared to reply with an answer to everyone who asks of them the reason for the hope that they have. But do this with gentleness and respect at all these to those they are responding to. (1 Peter 3:15)
It’s my opinion that each religion should be respected in the manner God’s word has instructed Christians to do; and it’s my belief, people should keep their eyes on God’s word and they’ll never be lead astray.
Barbara Kasey Smith is the writer of this article based on the Holy Bible, King James Version and in the Epistles as stated and in the Verses as stated.