Arrows in the Making (AIM)
We may not be perfect, but our prayer and aspiration is to empower and inspire Christian families to sharpen, target, and launch themselves, their children, and future generations—along with a sprinkle of fun for good measure!
Christ serves as the ultimate role model for living boldly and courageously in faith. You are not alone in your desire to nurture your family in the faith and to raise your children in a countercultural way!
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2, ESV
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate." Psalms 127:3-6, ESV
Arrows in the Making (AIM)
21. Bumper Sticker Theology: Coexist
The "Coexist" bumper sticker has become an iconic symbol in our culture – a clever arrangement of religious symbols spelling out a message of tolerance. But does this well-intentioned call for harmony align with biblical truth?
In this thought-provoking episode, Cody and Caitlin dissect each symbol within this popular bumper sticker and examine why religious pluralism fundamentally contradicts Christianity's core claims. From the crescent moon of Islam to the yin-yang of Eastern philosophies, they explore how each represented belief system makes mutually exclusive truth claims that cannot logically coexist with Jesus's declaration: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
What makes this conversation particularly compelling is how they balance unwavering biblical conviction with genuine compassion. The hosts tackle challenging objections head-on: Is claiming Christianity as the exclusive path to salvation arrogant? What about people who've never heard of Jesus? Their responses draw from Scripture while acknowledging the cultural discomfort these exclusive claims often create.
Listeners will gain clarity about why Christians cannot compromise on Christ's exclusivity while still treating neighbors of different faiths with dignity and respect. The discussion challenges believers to examine whether they've been influenced by cultural pressure to water down biblical truth in the name of tolerance.
Whether you've puzzled over this bumper sticker yourself or struggled to articulate why Christianity makes exclusive claims in our pluralistic world, this episode offers biblical grounding and practical wisdom. The conversation culminates in a powerful call to share the gospel boldly yet lovingly – recognizing that true compassion means offering the life-changing truth of salvation through Christ alone.
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Be blessed!
Welcome to Arrows in the Making where faith, family and God's truth guide our journey.
Speaker 2:I'm Kaitlin and this is my husband, cody. Together, we're raising our kids to be arrows in God's quiver sharp, purposeful and aimed at His glory.
Speaker 1:Each episode we dive into real-life topics, from parenting with biblical wisdom to standing firm in a world that challenges our values. Hello, this is our second bumper sticker theology episode, and this is one of the most I would say most prevalent. I think it was more like in the 2000s and 90s.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I still see them, I still see it and it is like a legit bumper sticker.
Speaker 1:This is legitimately a bumper sticker.
Speaker 2:This is a legit. It's not just a phrase, it is one.
Speaker 1:I honestly still see it quite a bit. Yeah, and it's funny, you always seem like the type of person. Yeah, like oh that's I think.
Speaker 2:I think it's kind of been replaced some by, like the rainbow flag or the equal sign now they're being pacifists and everything's equal, everything's good, just be nice yes, yeah, I think it's been replaced by that, but but I still see it.
Speaker 1:So we've all seen it. It's the classic coexist, spelled out using symbols of different religions. I will give this to them. It was clever.
Speaker 2:It is clever, it's clever. Yeah, it's clever. I would have never thought of putting those together.
Speaker 1:It seems like a call for peace, but is it compatible with a biblical worldview? Quick answer no, you can just turn off the episode now. No, it's not. And for many different reasons. Yeah, so we're going to look through this and kind of dissect this from different points of view From a Christian perspective and a biblical, foundational, looking at it through that lens. And I'm really excited when Caitlin brought this this is her brainchild, the bumper sticker series, and this is the one I was like, oh, I can't wait for that one.
Speaker 2:That's going to be a good one. Yeah, this is kind of more your wheelhouse of what the different religions mean and celebrate, but basically what we're going to do is we're going to talk about the different religions that are represented in the sticker, why it's flawed from a biblical perspective and the evidence that kind of points to why, Christ is it.
Speaker 1:So just real quick, what's in the sticker? It's coexist. The C is a crescent moon from islam, o is the peace symbol, or pagan other symbols of secular humanism. And we're going to go through some of these because if just the average person probably doesn't know secular humanism, there's nothing wrong with that, unless you're a big nerd like me who likes to study these things for fun. Yeah, uh, new age spirituality for the female symbol for gender equality, um, star of david for judaism, christianity and yin and yang and taoism and eastern philosophies.
Speaker 2:So there's a lot of things packed into this one little sticker I just wish I was this creative that I could put so much meaning or lack thereof.
Speaker 1:Yes, but yeah, something that makes you think you're really smart.
Speaker 2:Into one word symbol picture.
Speaker 1:I will say very clever it is, it's good marketing, it is.
Speaker 2:But from a Christian perspective this implies that Jesus Christ is only one of many paths.
Speaker 1:Yes, so there's this old phrase. Or, if you just, it's a thought experiment. Somebody a long time ago said hey, I figured out the whole religious thing. Imagine five people blindfolded and they're touching an elephant and they say, ooh, my census says this is soft touching his ear or something. Oh, my census says this is hairy and hard touching his feet. And oh, my, says this is long and I can tell. And the thought experiment is look, they're all describing the same thing, they just don't know it. It's one elephant. Well, that sounds really good, except christianity is exclusive. And says I am the only way. Yeah, so like it. It cannot contradict each other like that, like you can't be all the same god, all the same religion and for one part, to say it's only me only through me.
Speaker 2:Christ, not to like, not me, but speaking not to totally change the subject, but in that case they are different parts of the same thing. But an elephant all shares one story yes, that's right, like yeah it also where they all have different stories.
Speaker 1:It's not the same story characteristics and calling them something different they all have different stories.
Speaker 2:It's not the same story.
Speaker 1:Characteristics and calling them something different.
Speaker 2:They all have different stories of who Jesus was. Some say, I mean, we're just briefly talking about it and we'll get a little more into it, but, like you were talking about, some say Jesus was just a prophet. Some people say he never died, some people say he never rose. Like, the stories are all different so they're not pointing to the same person. No, they can't be, because Jesus is exclusive. Yeah, which people don't like to talk about. That's a whole other thing in and of itself as well. I'm going to forget it.
Speaker 1:When a buddy of ours, shane Himes, preached for the first time in his dad's church, he said I remember this because I thought he got me hook line and sinker. He says got me hook line, sinker. He says is christ exclusive? I was like, well, no, christ wants everybody, he's like. He's like yes, he is.
Speaker 1:I'm like, wow, I was wrong yeah, and I was really young, I was like 23, you know, yeah, but um, there's a couple words I wanted you to be familiar with because we're going to use them and I want you to get lost. No field, but uh, pluralism, specifically religious pluralism. Pluralism is just a word that has uh, um, I can't think of the d word, um I don't know what you're trying to say diversity.
Speaker 1:It's a diversity of different religions, and maybe things aren't even a religion like secular humanism, but um diversity of religions, but at the same time acknowledging that I'm not saying this, but they are all the same yeah all these different ideas are the same.
Speaker 1:That's a rough estimate of what religious pluralism is. So, um, the first thing we're going to talk about is islam, and the crescent moon is used in here, and the core belief of islam teaches that allah is the one true god and muhammad is his final prophet. You know real quick. Do you know when that book, the quran, was written? No do you know when the books.
Speaker 2:I don't know anything about islam other than they kill a bunch of people.
Speaker 1:So like it was literally written hundreds or even a thousand years before christ right, his, his, uh, prophecies of christ and all that stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, this was written 600 years ago oh wow, I didn't realize it was that very recent right um, I don't know that's wrong. I don't know my brain's fried it's very much more recent than that. Yeah, yeah um salvation comes through submission to all those will following the five pillars. This directly conflicts with Christianity. Islam denies the deity of Christ and his crucifixion and specifically I want to talk about was this. I hope I'm pronouncing this right.
Speaker 2:I don't really care if it's pronounced right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 4-157.
Speaker 2:Was that rude I'm sorry, that's fine.
Speaker 1:So in this verse Sarai or Sarai, whatever, 157, it says that Jesus was just made to look to be dead and look to be crucified but he was not Interesting. That he was not actually crucified. He never actually died. Well, he eventually died, but he didn't die in that way in that time. So it's taking away his divinity and his miracle.
Speaker 1:I got you, and the biblical response to this is John 1 through 14. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. That song popped in your head every time. You did that, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is God incarnate, not merely a prophet, and in 1 Timothy, 2, 5, so even in the Quran, it says that Jesus was a prophet and that he believed what he says.
Speaker 1:But they also say but the holy word of the Bible has been corrupted over time Because they say look at all. And the first thing they'll say is look at all these translations there's. If you have the Bible app, there's literally like 80 translations and they think it's like the telephone game.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Where it's. Well, every new translation is built off an old translation. That's not how it works. Every new translation is built off an old translation. That's not how it works. Every new translation is built off the original translation. Yeah, or I should say, built off. It's worked off of the original translations.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And we have found the Dead Sea Scrolls. That hits like 99% accuracy of what we have today, and the only reason why it's 99% is because we haven't found the missing or the, the scrolls that fell apart. And and what?
Speaker 2:no, I'm just thinking like do I want to open up a certain can of worms as far as bible translations go?
Speaker 1:oh, there's good ones and there's not strong ones, or there's strong and weak ones yeah, so like for there's word for word translations. And idea for idea.
Speaker 2:Idea for idea, paraphrase yeah.
Speaker 1:My new favorite is that Hawaiian whatever one, it's amazing.
Speaker 2:Was it like Pygmy or something? Yeah, it's pretty bad.
Speaker 1:It's hilarious.
Speaker 2:Don't even Okay. Continue.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I would stick with the word for word. That's what I like to use, yeah like EBS New. King James, king James version. That's what I like to use like ebs. New king james king james version.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I think christian.
Speaker 1:Christian standard bible I don't know anything about that one.
Speaker 2:I think that I'm pretty sure that one's word for word translation, but anyway, yeah.
Speaker 1:So the next one is the oh. Here I won't do all the talking, you can that's fine, okay.
Speaker 2:So the star of david represents judaism and their core belief focuses on following the torah and awaits a future Messiah. This one's kind of interesting because I just finished studying the book of Matthew, for I don't know a year with community Bible study and it really I don't know. It was interesting to see the Judaism at work, because these are the people, the religious elites of Judaism, are literally the ones that convicted Jesus. So I find it interesting. But anyway, so they rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Why this is wrong? They do not accept Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies or the divine son of God. And what I find interesting Is today, specifically, we went over the last chapter of Matthew, like the tail end of the last chapter of matthew, like the tail end of the last chapter, and I don't remember what verse it is, but it talks about the guards came back to the religious elites, the jews, and told them like hey, we were passed out because an angel showed up and jesus is gone Because an angel showed up and Jesus is gone.
Speaker 2:Like he did, rise and the religious elites said you know, we will spare you, here's some money.
Speaker 1:Go.
Speaker 2:Go away, don't tell anybody and we will save you from Pilate, and you go and tell everybody that his body was stolen or something I can't remember. Yeah, but what got me and what stood out to me was it said, and this lie has lasted basically forever, and so it just I don't know. When you look at Jews today, they still believe that lie, that he was not the Messiah, he did not rise.
Speaker 1:So do they still? I'm very ignorant with Judaism. Do they still like make sacrifices, I wonder?
Speaker 1:know, crystal asked me that yesterday um and I wanted to look it up because if they reject jesus as the messiah and they're still waiting on their messiah to come, they have to do something to atone for sin, then they would have logically well, that's I mean again they still live in the Old Testament way of doing things but I don't know if they do or not, and Judaism is one of those weird things because it's a race and it's a religion, so like it's weird because it's a minority, because of the race aspect, but you can also claim the minority status if you're a Jew convert, so it's, it's very odd sometimes I'm not glad.
Speaker 2:It's very confusing race. I was thinking like race to the death or something.
Speaker 1:No, it's very confusing to me. To be honest with you. Yeah, they're both an ethnicity and and a religion.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's very odd yeah, it is, but anyway, so the biblical response to that, I mean, I feel like there's a whole lot you could say there's a lot, but I don't have time for basically um.
Speaker 2:So john 14, 6, says jesus said to him I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. Um acts 4, 12, and there is salvation and no one else. For there is no other name under heaven given among by which men must be saved. So Jesus is exclusive. He is the only way to reach God, the Father, and to be saved and have salvation and to get to heaven. There is no other way.
Speaker 1:So the next one, which I hate to say, I really don't know. I've not studied Taoism a lot because we really don't run into a lot of people who follow tao and in america. To be honest, yeah, it's eastern philosophies, it's taoism, daoism, buddha why would they pick? Oh okay that's gonna say buddha yeah, it's what's the what's hindu.
Speaker 2:Does that kind of fall into that as well, if you?
Speaker 1:hadn't asked me, I could have told you is that I am drawing a huge blank.
Speaker 2:yeah, hindu, is that the elephant? I am drawing a huge blank. I feel like Hindu's the elephant.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is. I'm drawing a huge blank. I know what you're talking about.
Speaker 2:But does that fall under this?
Speaker 1:It's Eastern philosophy, so maybe Okay, I don't know.
Speaker 2:This emphasizes which I can see it being interesting because it's a lot with living with nature.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and if you ever seen like the modern people that do like the feng shui, yeah, okay, and if you can feel those people who like those major cities, like your uncle who's living in china and he shows us these major cities, yeah, they look beautiful, they're made with harmony with nature and they are gorgeous, and I could see how that would be appealing, especially especially over there, in that culture. But Taoism emphasizes living with harmony with Tao or the way, often through balance and detachment. It lacks personal or clear doctrine of salvation. This is an impersonal view of ultimate reality and the lack of a savior figure contradicts the personal redemption quality of god of christianity. So this is heavily focused on nature and are you living in balance with nature? Are you respecting nature? Once again, that quality in itself is not bad it's worshiping the created instead of the creator.
Speaker 1:Yes, you're worshiping the creation and not the creator. And Isaiah 45.5 says I am the Lord. There is no other way. Excuse me, there is no other. Besides me there is no God. And Colossians 1.16, it says For by Christ, by him, all things are created. He is before all things and all things come, or all things hold. He is, ah, in him all things hold together. So we are missing the forest for the trees we are worshiping like you said the creation and missing the creator.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I'm going to do the next one, because that's a fun word. Okay, so the peace symbol, which you know, when I was a kid. Well, let me just say this Okay, Peace symbol, paganism, wicca, so witches, or new age. So when I was a kid, the peace symbol was like a cool thing that you wore on your shirt, you know, and it's anti-culture because it was especially in arkansas yes, you were, and I remember everybody wearing it and I wanted a peace shirt, and how'd that go over with your dad?
Speaker 2:my dad was like no, ma'am, you will not.
Speaker 1:And I was like I don't understand you don't love me yeah and not really.
Speaker 2:I'm not that but um, and so I remember wanting to wear one of them and being like absolutely not.
Speaker 1:No daughter of mine.
Speaker 2:But I didn't understand why until I kind of got a little older and researched it myself, Anyway. So it's kind of interesting that the peace symbol is used For like Wicca and New Age. What Nothing I thought I heard a chicken wincing.
Speaker 1:You hear that little. Maybe it's the voice.
Speaker 2:No, now I got to edit it.
Speaker 1:No, you're fine. Something's been killing our chicken, so I'm freaked out. Right here I'll squeak.
Speaker 2:Oh, I got to close the door.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the chicken door.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, so these symptoms off systems. Sorry, my nurse brain saw symptoms. Yeah, involve patheism, polyism or self-divination, which is interesting because self-divination is what we were talking about in the last one. Hey, about you are enough.
Speaker 1:Matt Walsh and Michael Knowles have done some really cool stuff with some former witches and stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Wiccans, it's been really interesting. You know, the thing is this is making a comeback.
Speaker 1:You would think it's not. You're like that's the old things are dead it's making a comeback.
Speaker 2:That's why crystals and mushrooms and all this stuff.
Speaker 1:Culture is so self-empowering and you can change everything.
Speaker 2:You just have to do this thing yes, and all about like speaking it into existing manifesting.
Speaker 1:We've been talking about manifest destiny in my social studies class. Yeah, and people have. All the girls in the class knew what the word manifest meant, because they watch manifest videos on TikTok and none of the guys knew. But literally eight-tenths of the girls in eighth and seventh grade knew what manifesting was. Yeah, that's terrifying.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's making a comeback. So basically it's teaching that humans can achieve enlightenment or spiritual power through various practices. So why is this wrong in a Christian or biblical perspective? They reject the biblical God and the need for a Savior. They promote self-reliance and same thing worship creation over the Creator. Because these people are worshiping stones and crystals and rocks.
Speaker 2:Again yes, and mushrooms and herbs and all that herbs and their self-empowerment yes, yeah, and that's why this might step on some toes, but you have to be careful with stuff like essential oils and things like that because I do think god gave these things to use God created herbs and vegetation and things for us to use as medicinal things. I truly believe that. However, when you start to rely on those things and have them fumigating your house and those become like your God, that's a problem.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but God also gave us medicine that steps into this new age stuff, I think. No, I agree.
Speaker 2:That's Caitlin's opinion, not.
Speaker 1:Next thing I want to just, oh, hold on.
Speaker 2:So the biblical response to that Romans 1.25. So they exchanged.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's a good one.
Speaker 2:They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator. That's a good one. Now, honestly, you could take that and apply it to anything. But I just say essential oils, because that gets into, like the worshiping the crystals and the herbs and the. You know that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1:They rely on that instead of relying on God.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, like you said, some worship it Not all Some worship it, it's a fine line. It is, it's a fine line.
Speaker 1:So the next one is secular humanism. Slash ideologies. Secular humanism is a big fancy word for this one little concept. It puts your human self first, and this is creep. That's probably not creeping. It's kicked the door into mainstream church oh yeah to where it's the conversation was christ died for you.
Speaker 1:He is worthy of his sacrifice, which is you now. It's you don't go to hell. You don't want to burn in hell. You don't go to it's. You don't want to go to hell. You don't want to burn in hell. You don't want to go to that terrible dark place. You want to go to heaven, where you will be comfortable, you'll be happy and it's all. You, you, you, you, and that is human. So I can sum this up just like this Secular humanists say the end of life is for the glory of man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, christianity foundationally says the end of life is to glorify god yeah so I heard it said like this once with a preacher if, if christ said to follow him and it meant you would still go to hell, would you still follow christ? I know it's nothing in the Bible about that.
Speaker 2:But it's saying like what are your?
Speaker 1:motivations for following Christ. Are you just trying to get all you can out of Christ and go to heaven? Or are you saying like, hey, christ's sacrifice is enough?
Speaker 2:It is glorious Are you living to honor.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Or are you living to praise yes, or are you living to praise, yes, and to worship yeah?
Speaker 1:So secular humanism emphasizes human reason and ethics and that there's no need for a god or religion. This conflicts with Christianity because it denies the existence of God and the need for divine salvation, placing humanity at the center of its will.
Speaker 2:Which goes back to the one we talked about last week.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You are enough.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's all about you and you can do this on your own. Yep. Psalms 14.1 says the fool says in his heart there is no God. Yep John 3, 16, of course, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. So, in summary, there are major contradicting flaws in the coexisting Like Hagen's point earlier, these things, these philosophies, cannot be pointing to each other if they are excluding each other. Yes, yeah, that's a better way of saying it. You cannot have a foot that's a fish and not be pointing to each other if they are excluding each other.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, that's a better way of saying it.
Speaker 1:You cannot have a foot that's a fish and a tail that's an elephant. These things are. That's not even a good comparison. These things are so different from each other and not even different in interpretation, flat out, definitionally, outright different from each other. They exclude each other, they have different characteristics and crisis comes out and says I'm it, I am the only way. It's me or no way.
Speaker 2:Which doesn't that kind of make it easier Versus. Could you imagine if we had all these paths like? Life is hard enough, as it is much less trying to figure out which one's right and in christ you can know that he is the only way and he is the right way. So, like for me, it eliminates some stress that I am following the one true god. I don't have to worry about all these other ones so it there's.
Speaker 1:There's some ways in the bible where jesus I I don't. I'm not in any way criticizing, but just because I'm. I don't understand what jesus is trying to say a lot sometimes and he speaks in parables and I'm like jesus, can you, can you just say, do this? Yeah, you know, but apparently it was Jewish tradition that a teacher and I don't like this because I live in 2024, a teacher would not just say hey, here's the answer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they make you think.
Speaker 1:They tell you a story or a lesson and they may give you a higher level of thinking.
Speaker 2:The thing is though again because I just studied Matthew the disciples even said can you explain that please?
Speaker 1:Like, even they didn't always get it. But so in some parts of the bible he speaks in parables because he's challenging, because he the. The point of a teacher is not to give you the answers, it's just, it's to develop how to think for yourself, yeah, and how to come to these conclusions and how to discern for yourself. But in some places, like John 14, 6, jesus is unambiguous. He is straight out claiming he is the only way to God. So he does lay it out. There's no sophisticated, you need a doctorate to understand this. It's listen, I'm it.
Speaker 1:Salvation is found in no one else. Jesus is the only mediator between god and humans and humanity. And again in john 3, 36 is whoever believes in the son has eternal life. Whoever does not obey the son shall not see life, but the wrath of god remains on him. So christ is exclusive, the exclusive, I cannot say that word. Exclusivity of christ and one hand through parables can be kind of veiled only because I think he's wanting us to develop our own skills, he wants us to pursue him. If everything was super easy, you would not have that depth of relationship. But in some he could not be more obvious. He could like plainly, I say to you I'm it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I feel like the things that really mattered. He was very black and white on yes, yeah. Like yes, the things where there's some like you can be saved, but there's some gray areas and I need you to do better and be more committed. I feel like that's kind of where the parables come into play. I feel Parables are for the believer.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:The. This is like I am the truth, the way, the life.
Speaker 1:He did speak to his believers and then the Gentiles differently.
Speaker 2:Yes, but saying I am the way, the truth and the life.
Speaker 1:Which we are all Gentiles.
Speaker 2:yes, Is for everybody, but I think that's like.
Speaker 1:I admit that's the black and white, yeah, so like there's a lot of debate over when the Pharisees brought that woman, the prostitute, and said, hey, stone her. And he wrote something in the sand. He didn't just draw a line, he wrote something. Yeah, and oh, what does that mean?
Speaker 2:I don. And oh, what does that mean?
Speaker 1:I don't know we won't know, we don't know, but it was enough to make them turn around, yeah, but so there's things that are up for debate, but there's some things that are just cut and dry and it is what it is. Yep, um, so there's a couple objections we'd like to go over. So the first objective object. Oh my goodness, objection, not objective, I object. Is it not arrogant to claim Christianity is the only way, because Taoism claims it's the only way? Human secularism says there is no way. This is it.
Speaker 1:Islam says they're the only way, is it not? So, out of the 3,000 gods that exist in today's world, you just happen to have the right one. Yeah, is that not arrogant?
Speaker 2:Honey, I can't with your face.
Speaker 1:What's wrong with my face?
Speaker 2:You're like bug-eyed when you say that.
Speaker 1:Well, I was embracing what I think that person looks like. So are not Christians called to be humble? Is that not arrogant? Yes, I would say it's arrogant in the way that it's true, but we are not to be called to be arrogant, no.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, like Jesus claims this himself and we can boast in what we know to be true through Jesus. So, yes, I think we have to be gentle and kind and humble in how we approach people. It needs to be in love. But that doesn't mean you don't share the truth.
Speaker 1:Yeah, again it goes back to how right, but yeah no we are not called to be arrogant and prideful. That's the opposite of what we're supposed to be doing. Yeah, and the next claim is if you get past that, it usually comes around to well, what about people who've never heard of Jesus? And in today's world there are people.
Speaker 2:Which is crazy to me. I'll say this it does happen.
Speaker 1:I grew up in a small town in Arkansas where there's a dozen churches. At that time there was probably 2,500 people. It's very religious. No one ever invited me to church Really no one Because I was not someone you'd want to come to church I know, but still no one ever said the name jesus to me at school at all and I was a pretty isolated kid how sad is that though so there are people on another tangent.
Speaker 2:But how sad is that that? I mean, you look at our culture then when we are in school, to the culture. Now I would think the culture then I would have thought in little bow dunk bologna I'll say this people, the stats that say 98 of christians have never shared their faith. That falls into that yeah, that's crazy to me yes that is crazy, but how sad.
Speaker 1:So there are people abroad and not abroad your neighbors who have never. Uh also, I heard a thing while the preacher passed preaching about easter, that like 70 percent of people, if they're invited to go to church, will go to church. Yeah, so invite people yeah and um. The people I invited didn't come but, that's me either.
Speaker 1:I was in the 30%. So the next objection is what about people who've never heard of Christ? Never heard of it. God is just and will judge righteously. So in Romans 2, 14 through 16, it says Indeed, when Gentiles who do not have the law do, by nature, things required by the law, they are law for themselves. We're getting to the part. That's not like a word salad. Even though they do not have a law, they showed that the requirements of the law were written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them yep, so so deep down in every culture we are created.
Speaker 2:Yes, with an innate moral standard we might not know where that moral standard comes from.
Speaker 1:Every single culture in all of history knows murder is wrong yeah, they know stealing is wrong. Like we know these things to be a fact.
Speaker 2:I think it's taking that and choosing to search, think it's taking that and choosing to search where it's coming from.
Speaker 1:That's where people start to believe so, and I think in my very basic understanding of that verse it's saying god will judge righteously on those people. Did they listen to the laws written on their hearts or not? Did they choose to go against it? They might not have heard the word sin, but they know they are going against something in their being that says murder is wrong. Or am I doing it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's also a verse that says like creation screams his name, yeah that verse?
Speaker 1:Isn't that what the pastor said a few weeks ago? Yeah, that was so. Isn't that what the pastor said?
Speaker 2:a few weeks ago, yeah. So even looking at the, I mean that's something that I mean I was raised in a Christian home but it was learning about the human body in high school and how it worked in a nursing school, how it all worked. That I was like this is amazing.
Speaker 2:This had to be created. This had a designer Like that sealed the deal for me and that's we be created. This had a designer Like that, sealed the deal for me and that's we are created Like we. When you look at even how nature works, if you choose to chase it, it will point you to Christ.
Speaker 1:If you look for truth, you'll end up at Christ. Yes, if you earnestly look for truth, yeah. So what does this mean for christians? It means to be equipped lovingly, which is really hard for me sometimes. Yeah, um, I'll say this I am much more patient with non-believers than I am with fellow believers because I'm like what do you not understand? You have the same bible, I do yeah what are you not getting?
Speaker 1:yeah, um, but to lovingly explain why christianity is the truth. You, of course, using scripture, to engage with people of their faith respectively do not make any compromises of the truth of christ and to share the gospel boldly. And uh, I used to think I do a pretty good job at this, but then I see, like our kids, and they are so unafraid.
Speaker 2:Yeah, to go like hey, you know Jesus? Yeah, I'm like no, what are you doing weirdo? Like I'm like listen, we're in.
Speaker 1:We're in line at the hearts, but I'm like no, yeah, let let's do it. But I get uncomfortable because I'm like, oh, I would never do that. I'm like, well, why not? You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:And so, in closing, Go ahead. Well, it just goes to. What our job is is the Great Commission, which is in Matthew 28, 19 through 20. Our last Sunday school teacher would be so proud.
Speaker 1:He would be. And so it talks about our job is to go make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them in the ways of the Lord.
Speaker 2:So it's Anyway. We should share the gospel with others, specifically these people with the Coexist sticker Of why Jesus is the only way.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So the coexist sticker may be well-intentioned and promotes a view that contradicts the Bible's teaching about Jesus. Not that we can't live in the same town and literally coexist with these people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we should be kind and we should be loving and we should respect them as an image bearer of Christ. They were made in God's image.
Speaker 1:But also, like we said earlier, do not compromise on the truth of. Christ whatsoever, don't give an inch, because it's incorrect.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it doesn't mean we have to be tolerant or accept that their truth is their truth no, there's only that truth there's only one truth the truth, god, christ, um, so yeah that we, we can't be relenting that jesus is the only way to salvation, forgiveness of sin, and that, um, these different, these differences with religions cannot be reconciled with christianity. There cannot be any compromises made. That is true to christianity and jesus teaching and the christians of the bible, it, it, it is. If you do that, you're not a christian anymore.
Speaker 2:You are not following christ's teaching well, when it makes me think of remember. We watched it in sunday school.
Speaker 1:He was muslim, oh seeking all the finding jesus yes that was a really cool video he was like hardcore muslim. I'd never heard of him uh until then it was really good, but it was one thing that always stuck out to me.
Speaker 2:Talking about you know, sharing the truth. It is loving to tell them where they are wrong, because if someone doesn't plant that seed, they are headed for eternal death what's that verse?
Speaker 1:how do they know? They have not been told. How can I hear if they?
Speaker 2:if no one tells them, yes, yeah that is what the great commission is is when you meet these people is to plant the seed Now. What God does with it then, or what they choose to do with it, is on them, but we are called to go and share the gospel in hopes of making people saved. But I just remember him saying everyone's like God. Everyone's like God is love, god is love. Well, it was loving to tell me the truth. These people don't love me. If they're okay with me, just lying and going to hell.
Speaker 1:They hate me if they say, well, he's too hard of a guy to talk to. Bye and again, going back to last week, where the you are enough, they're not doing you a favor. We are not doing, we are avoiding and, by the way, we're avoiding what we think is hard conversations when at most it'll be weird and awkward.
Speaker 2:At at the worst it'll be awkward and they'll say okay, thanks bye at best you'll share christ with this person and god gives you the words to say if he opens the door for you to witness to somebody, especially like these people, I wouldn't know it. I mean, honestly, half of these I wouldn't fully feel comfortable talking to if. But if I felt that door open and that opportunity was there, I fully, and he's done it for me. Before that, christ will give me the words to say why are you looking at me like?
Speaker 1:that I'm just listening to you. Yeah, I think if you do it lovingly, that would go a long ways, because I've always said very rarely is someone converted with a finger in their chest. You're just like poking them like you're going to hell, sinner, like that's not going to happen. I think of like the West Baptist, whatever church, hoping like you're going to hell, or sitter like that's not going to happen. I think of like the west baptist, whatever church. They're crazy people. But anyways, in closing, we want to encourage christians that you can love your neighbors while standing firm on biblical truths. That christ is the only way and you are on you better be unrelenting on that. Yeah, you do not change, you do not compromise, you do not back away. You don't shift your argument just because it's an easier conversation. You do not. You can say, hey, I love you, respect you, you're wrong.
Speaker 1:You're wrong. Can we still go out to dinner? Can we still have your family over at our house? Don't let that break a connection, but also don't compromise All. Don't let that break a connection, but also don't compromise All. Right, I'm going to say a quick prayer and we're going to be dismissed. Do you have anything you want to add?
Speaker 2:We will be dismissed To bed. To bed, do you have anything you want to add?
Speaker 1:Okay, jesus, thank you for this day. I thank you that you gave us reason and logic in your words and your scriptures, that we can use those gifts you've given us to discern that you are the only way to forgiveness of sin and to salvation, and I thank you for your sacrifice on the cross for us. And I pray that when we have that temptation of that, well, what if they don't like me? What if this is awkward? What if this is hard? What if I don't know enough? Well, first of all, like going back to last week, you'll never know enough. It will be hard, it will be awkward, but through Christ you can do anything. I mean you can do anything. Christ will empower you, like Caitlin said in those conversations, and he will give you words and just be brave. Brave and be bold and be unrelenting of scriptures and be unrelenting of Christ, and that he is the only way. Lord, I pray you give us those opportunities.
Speaker 1:And it's scary to pray for that, because then we have to follow through with those opportunities. And I'm so scared that when I get to heaven, this is totally unbiblical, nothing rooted in biblical of this at all. But I'm going to see a. I get to heaven. This is totally unbiblical, nothing rooted in biblical of this at all. But I'm going to see a list of names that I just chose not to share with Jesus with. Now again, that's not up to me to get someone saved, but I'm so scared that I'm not living fully in your will, lord, that I'm not doing the things you want me to do, and what the impact is I don't see on this side of heaven. So I do pray that if those things do come to us, that we don't shriek away from it, we don't shy away from it, that we take them head on and we'd be bold in our faith in you, lord, and I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2:Amen.