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Tuesday, August 16, 2016

"RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE" BY STEVE FINNELL


The message of Jesus was one of love, but He never taught religious tolerance, that is a fabrication of man. Jesus, speaking to the scribes and Pharisees said "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you......'But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' " (Mathew 15:7-9) Does that ring of placability? Jesus, conversing, again with the Pharisees said,"...If God were  your Father, you would love Me.....You are of your father the the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father...(John 8:42-47) Does the reveal an indulgent Jesus?

If Jesus did not teach religious tolerance, then where do Christians  get their directive for mingling with teachers of false doctrine in assorted union fellowships? Can you imagine the apostle  Paul participating in a Good Friday communion service with the Judaizers, Sadducees, scribes and Pharisees? No, he said the exact opposite. "Now I urge you brethren, keep your eye on those  who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves not of the Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting." (Romans 16:17-18) Does that sound like a resolution to endure erroneous religious instructors?

The absence of a Biblical directive authorizing interreligious activities in which Christians may participate seems of little consequence to the contemporary church. For example men join in interdenominational and interreligious worship. It may take the form of a Good Friday communion, a musical concert, a teaching seminar, or other ways in which we show our tolerance, if not our obvious acceptance of the those who pervert the doctrines of God! Why would you want to give credence to those who deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus, teach polytheism, pray to the Virgin Mary and other dead saints, deny the essentially of immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins, claim that sprinkling is a valid form of baptism, advocate once saved always saved, teach that men are saved by faith only or deny that Jesus Christ is the only Son of the living God?

How important is doctrinal purity? Can we deny the central principles of the Gospel and still be saved? Many of the religious groups who have joint activities deny the following Scriptures.

SOME DENY THE BODILY RESURRECTION: Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved;

A FEW TEACH POLYTHEISM: Mark 12:29-32 Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD......32 The scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher; You have truly stated HE IS ONE , AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM;

THERE ARE THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE VIRGIN MARY AND OTHER DEAD SAINTS BY OFFERING UP PRAYERS TO THEM: Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.' "

MANY DENY THAT WATER BAPTISM IS FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS: Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

SOME DENY THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY MEDIATOR BETWEEN MAN AND GOD: 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator  also between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.

SOME SAY THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO THE FATHER: John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way , and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO PREACH, ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED: Luke 8:13 Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.

The Scriptures teach that there will be false apostles who will  masquerade as apostles of Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:4-15)

Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven , should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!

The apostle Paul had a, LOW TOLERANCE, for RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE.

Considering what the Bible clearly teaches about religious tolerance, we can only conclude that Jesus taught us to love those in error, to pray for them,  study God's word with them, but He never suggested we accept them in their present state as joint heirs, heaven bound.

There are those who would excuse the honestly ignorant; but will self imposed ignorance be excused come judgement day? Ignorance is not the problem with most, after having read the Scriptures, they simply reject what does not suit their particular tradition or their personal concept of TRUTH!

Religious Tolerance may help us cultivate friendships, but will
 it save anyone?

(All Scripture quotes from: NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE)    
             

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