Peace and Truth
At the meeting in Assisi in October 2011, the delegates representing the various Christain denominations and non-Christian religions were invited to pray according to their religious traditions.
Can it be argued that the organization of an inter-faith prayer meeting is in itself a tacit approval of the non-Christian religions, or at least, a recognition that they have come some way along the ‘pilgrimage of truth’?
Yet many of them are ignorant or outrightly reject Christ's claims to be the Son of God, the only way to the Father, the only Saviour of the world.
Perhaps some of the Catholic and Christian delegates are not themselves so sure about the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ. They are shy to proclaim Christ as the only way. They hope that world peace can be achieved through goodwill, dialogue and everyone praying to their own gods!
Such efforts are bound to fail miserably.
Jesus Christ did not come to bring that sort of peace. ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword’ (Matthew 10:34). He preached God’s message faithfully without sacrificing truth for the sake of hollow unity and illusory peace.
Jesus demands and deserves our supreme loyalty and love. He would rather have a man turn against his father, or a daughter set against her own mother, if that is necessary to follow him. Many of us Christians have paid that painful price for our Saviour; we know what it means to suffer for Christ’s sake. We are not ashamed of his gospel, and we care very little about political correctness and the world’s approval.
The message that brought us peace with God is the only message that we desire to give to the world. Some people will receive it, others will reject it – whatever the response, the gospel remains the only hope to a troubled world and to every lost soul.
Perhaps some of the Catholic and Christian delegates are not themselves so sure about the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ. They are shy to proclaim Christ as the only way. They hope that world peace can be achieved through goodwill, dialogue and everyone praying to their own gods!
Such efforts are bound to fail miserably.
Jesus Christ did not come to bring that sort of peace. ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword’ (Matthew 10:34). He preached God’s message faithfully without sacrificing truth for the sake of hollow unity and illusory peace.
Jesus demands and deserves our supreme loyalty and love. He would rather have a man turn against his father, or a daughter set against her own mother, if that is necessary to follow him. Many of us Christians have paid that painful price for our Saviour; we know what it means to suffer for Christ’s sake. We are not ashamed of his gospel, and we care very little about political correctness and the world’s approval.
The message that brought us peace with God is the only message that we desire to give to the world. Some people will receive it, others will reject it – whatever the response, the gospel remains the only hope to a troubled world and to every lost soul.