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At the beginning of this program we learned: “People have many reasons for rejecting the Christian faith. Some may admire Christ but dislike His followers. Others find it difficult to accept any faith that claims to be the only way to God. Why would anyone limit themselves to only one of the world’s great religions?” How valid are each of these objections? What is your response to each?
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110 Replies
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Some may admire Christ but dislike HIs followers: I think a lot of us put on rose colored glasses when we view our own actions but put on the judgement glasses when we view others actions. We tend to like judging others but hate to be judged. Some sins are easily viewed while others are well hidden. We all need to just love one another, accept that we will fail from time to time, and that we can’t fix others; only Christ can judge us and fix us.
Others find it difficult to accept any faith that claims to be the only way to God: This requires obedience and discipline; two words that have been looked upon as negative in the last few decades. Both are actually good word if used in the proper context. We must have the discipline to study God’s word daily and we must have to obedience to do our best to produce the fruit of the Spirit.
Why would anyone limit themselves to only one of the world’s great religions? I have a hard time with this question as I try to interpret what God meant when he said “I am the I am”. Does that mean he could be different for the needs of people in different situations or could he be God in other forms to other religions? I don’t know the answer but will continue to read the Bible and get more context to this statement. Any guidance and wisdom would be much appreciated.
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Disliking the followers of Christ can be very easy to understand as we are just people, and people say and do wrong. Sometimes even meaning good, it comes out wrong. But this is the only faith where the God takes the punishment and dies so the disciples may live. Jesus was the firstborn of the resurrection which makes him unique in world religions, and his claim to being God in the flesh was shown through many signs that proved him.
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I can understand why people may admire Christ but dislike his followers. The works, the fulfilled prophecies, the heart of Christ…there is so much to admire. Unfortunately, however, we live in a world where many don’t do as they say, but expect others to. They lack proper respect for Christ and fail to see the witness they portray to others. They don’t make others want to be called “Christian” as their behavior is not christlike. And some really push back and resent biblical truth that Jesus is the only door to God. They find it restrictive and almost self righteous. However, again, if they can’t believe Jesus believe the works…the proven firm foundation that He is. He was able to back up EVERYTHING He said. No word He spoke ever fell to the ground but it had life and it accomplished much.
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The fact that many admire Christ while they dislike his followers is quite understandable, since they consider Jesus to be just a great moral teacher. They like his teachings and dislike his followers because they find those followers to be either disobedient to their Lord or too pretentious in claiming that only Jesus is the way to salvation.
People find it hard to believe in the Christian faith as the only way to God because it seems unreasonable for them that the God who has created all humans would have defined just one way to go to him. They prefer to see God as an inclusive Being and not an exclusive one.
I respect these objections, yet I believe that Christ is a trustworthy Lord and Saviour because of what the Bible tells about him; his words and works testify his deity, and since he is true and reliable, there is no doubt that he is the only way to God.
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The disdain towards claiming to be the only true way to God is due to the postmodern climate today that says that all truth is relative. However, postmodernism is a self-contradictory philosophy, because the “all” in its belief is already a belief in an absolute truth.
That people like Christ but dislike his followers is more understandable, because some people can be hurt by hypocrites in the church. However, theirs is a very illogical reaction to truth, because the despicability of a person doesn’t necessarily make his religion despicable. Jesus himself told his disciples to listen to what the Pharisees taught, but not to follow what they did.
