In a time, when racial tension is flaring up like never before, this question  is an important one to ask. It is Black against White, White against Native American, Hispanic against Black, Asian against Black and Hispanic etc.  The year 1995 has been declared the International Year of Tolerance.

Isn’t it interesting that those who proclaim the value of tolerance most fervently stop short of abiding by it? They announce: Intolerance is unacceptable! To everyone’s dismay, intolerance seems to be more prevalent then ever. Is tolerance the answer? Is there really a simple answer at all to the racial question?In my opinion, the answer is No, we can’t just get along! Yet a positive answer to the question of peaceful co-existence of people of all races and backgrounds is possible if we look beyond ourselves.

We first have to realize that we are all of equal value to God who created and therefore wanted different people groups with their own cultural traits. It seems that each culture has certain strength’s (gifts) and weaknesses. From a biblical perspective, all people, all human beings are not only created in God’s image, (Genesis 1: 26-27; Genesis 9:6) their lives are also all stained by sin. (Psalm 53:2-3; Romans 3:23;) We all fall short of God’s standard.

Any person can be changed by sincerely repenting and receiving forgiveness, granted by God, because His Son Jesus carried our sins and the just penalty for them on the cruel cross. (John 3:16-17; Romans 6:23) The one receiving this new life should also be aware of the tremendous value that God placed on every single human being. It is expressed in the fact how much God paid for us. He did not pay with riches measurable in Dollars and Cents, but by giving His only Son, Jesus. That is how valuable we are to Him. One who has received forgiveness is commanded to forgive others also, realizing that the forgiveness he has received is by far greater than what he might have to forgive his neighbor for.

As we realize this we need to make an effort to extend grace to others, even if their actions are less than desirable.

We need to make an effort in trying to understand why the other person is reacting in this way. We need to feel and share in carrying their pain. This includes looking at historical events, that are all to often brushed off as happened a long time ago. Do we really understand what it means to be held as a piece of property, being bought and sold at will by an arbitrary owner. Do we really understand the pain that a Native American might feel about massacred beloved ancestors, land stolen from them, broken promises, and crude and untrue stereotypes being applied to all of them. Their wounds are real, no amount of tolerance alone can take care of those. “Time heals all wounds” is not only a false but cruel figure of speech. A festering wound left alone will not heal by itself, it will only get worse.

When will we tend to our neighbors wounds and seek healing for them, instead of having only quick answers? When will we look beyond behavior that is often only the outflow of things gone wrong and touch the hurting soul underneath instead of adding to their insult and  isolation by placing blame on them? Jesus himself gave us a perfect example. He showed  us how we should live, by being completely “other’s-centered.” This “Jesus-Brand-Christianity” is lived out by considering others more than ourselves. Jesus told us that the most important things for us to remember and do are to:

• Love God, because He first loved us and showed His love by giving Jesus.
• Love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

If we follow these simple yet profound commands we will get along with each other and much more, we will start to appreciate one another, differences and all, and begin seeing that we all need and complement each other with our giftings and abilities.

© 1995 Volkhard Graf, YWAM Native Ministries
(Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.)

Also of interest ...

• YWAMers welcomed by Hereditary Chief Big Swan in Canada
• Father, Faith & Family
• What is YWAM?
• Stories of two Native American Men

Colin assumed that all religions are equally valid and that contradictions between the different belief systems are fully acceptable, because to him absolute truth does not exist. To him, exclusive truth about Jesus was a result of a rationalistic Western worldview. In contrast, Paul pointed out that the idea of one God and exclusive truth came from Middle Eastern thinking:

• God will not tolerate other gods (Exodus 20:3)
• God will not share his glory with another (not because God is egomaniacal, but because he is Truth, and giving glory to anything or anyone other than the one true God would be a lie (Isaiah 42:8)
• Apart from him there is no savior (Isaiah 43:11)

Colin’s view reflects the pluralism of this age, which holds that any belief system is valid-except a belief system that affirms anything as absolute truth.

“But isn’t believing in Jesus as the only truth a little belligerent-or at least arrogant? Doesn’t it promote a type of cultural imperialism?” Colin asked. Paul agreed that it could and added that Christians have abused this truth, taking it as liberty to mistreat other cultures and ridicule other religions. He explained that our belief in Jesus as the only Savior should never be a license to repeat these mistakes. But Christians are committed to a person who said: “I am the way and the truth an the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s truth! He made this statement coming into the culture of the Greco-Roman world, which was tolerant and accepting of any number of beliefs.

Later the Apostles affirmed that: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”. (Acts 4:12) For there is one God and only one, and one mediator between God and us-Jesus who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free”. (1 Timothy 2:5-6a)

As the saying goes: “There are many ways to get to Rome”-but there is only one way to God! Who do You say Jesus is?

© 1997 Volkhard Graf, YWAM Native Ministries

(Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.)

Also of interest ...

• Father, Faith & Family
• Jesus, The Only Way?
• 50 Years Later-YWAM is still innovating
• Where Were You, God?

I am the Light

Jesus The Only Way?

“How incredibly arrogant of you Christians to say that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ!”

This objection is raised most often against Jesus’ statement: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father (God) except through me” (John 14:6) Critics have called it: “Absurd religious chauvinism”, “spiritual dictatorship”, and “an insufferable presumption of the Bible”. In our current culture of relativism, where no fact is considered universally true at all times, for all people and in all cultures, the exclusivity claim of Jesus is among the biggest obstacles to spiritual seekers.

Ravi Zacharias, one of today’s leading Christian thinkers points out that Christianity is NOT the only religion that claims exclusivity. For instance: Muslim’s radically claim exclusivity. Buddhism was born when Gautama Buddha rejected two fundamental assertions of Hinduism, the ultimate authority of the Vedas (Hindu scriptures) and the caste system. Hinduism is absolutely uncompromising on the Law of Karma (Law of moral cause and effect), the Vedas and reincarnation. Atheism rejects the viewpoint of those who believe in God. Even Baha’ism, which claims to be a cosmic embrace of all religions, ends up excluding the exclusivists.

Since other religions claim exclusivity as well-to say that Christians are arrogant in their claim is not a logical attack!

The nature of truth is by definition exclusive! Any time one makes a truth claim; one effectively says something contrary to it is false. Truth excludes the opposite!

Where critics are sometimes right is when they point out that we Christians don’t proclaim the truth the right way. Truth needs to be under girded by Love. One cannot communicate the Love of Christ in non-loving terms. However, it is possible to lovingly claim exclusive truth, just as a scientist can gently say: “This is the law of gravity” without adding, now, can we vote on how many can support that truth or not.

How can we believe Jesus spoke the truth about himself? Every religion seeks to answer four fundamental questions: Origin, Meaning, Morality and Destiny. Only Christianity can provide consistency to all four of those:

Origin: We are not identical with God; we are distinct, creature vs. Creator. But we are created in His image, which accounts for us having a moral point of reference.

Meaning: Only something greater than pleasure can provide meaning. It comes to be in the experience of worship.

Morality: Is not culturally based but grows out of the very character of God. Morality is found in an eternal, moral, all powerful, infinite God

Destiny: Based on the resurrection of Jesus, the historical event that proved the divinity of Jesus and opened the door for everyone to heaven who will follow him.

Jesus Christ didn’t come into this world to make bad people good-he came to make dead people alive. Our sins rendered us spiritually dead but through Jesus’ death on the cross we can receive forgiveness and through his resurrection we can receive new life. Accept His gift!

© 2001 Volkhard Graf, YWAM Native Ministries

(Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.)

Also of interest ...

• Who Do YOU Say Jesus Is?
• Follow in His Steps
• Can’t We All Just Get Along?
• Father, Faith & Family