INTRODUCTION. I was Baptist-born, Baptist-bred, And when I die, I ll be Baptist-dead.

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1 INTRODUCTION I was Baptist-born, Baptist-bred, And when I die, I ll be Baptist-dead. WHAT ABOUT OTHER FAITHS? Romans 14:1-19 Baraca Radio Sunday School Class First Baptist Church, Anderson, South Carolina January 20, 2019*** Lawrence Webb That little rhyme describes me. Baptist is all I knew. Baptist was all I could be in my growing-up years. Coming to the little village of Nolan, Texas, from Grandma s farm, you passed the Methodist Church before you came to our church, and the Church of Christ was just around the bend in the road on the way to the school and the three or four businesses that comprised the village of Nolan. I vaguely remember going to the Methodist Church three or four times along the way once for baccalaureate and another time for a program of gospel quartet music. I may have been in the Church of Christ building once, maybe for a funeral. Otherwise, going to church meant going to the Baptist church. As a child, I had no idea what the Methodists or Churches of Christ believed, But I knew other churches were not as good as Baptists. We knew very few Roman Catholics when we were growing up. I remember one family in one place we lived, and we were suspicious of them. I carried that suspicion of Catholics with me when I went to college to study for the ministry. Later, I learned for real that Catholics shared the same kind of suspicion for all Protestants. Neither side considered the other side to be true Christians. In college, we had a speaker who used some humor that may have been a bit too subtle. For example, he said he was a Methodist, and he grew up where everyone was a Methodist or a Baptist. Then he said something he intended as a joke, but very few people laughed. Here was his joke: That was before they invented Episcopalians. I guess he thought an auditorium full of college kids would know the Episcopal Church was formed early in the Protestant Reformation, before there were any Baptists or Methodists. I tell you my own lack of understanding and my prejudice toward other churches as I grew up, and I confess I still have prejudices toward other churches and other faiths beyond our Christian faith. But I tell you this because I know I am not alone. Almost every day in personal encounters and in the news, I hear people saying

2 hateful things about people of other races, from other countries, and about one other religion in particular the religion known as Islam and Islamic followers who are called Muslims. ISLAMIC STUDENTS STORY In retirement, one thing I still do at Anderson University is help plan and teach courses in our Lifelong Learning Institute. A few years back, I was the moderator for a course on Islam. I say, I was moderator, not the teacher. If I had tried to teach a course on what Muslims believe, it would have been Exhibit A in "the blind leading the blind. I enlisted some Muslims to lead the sessions. They were men from the mosque in Greenville and some students from Clemson. In scheduling the student visits, I invited them to dinner at the Golden Corral one night before the class. Then the president of the student group called to say we would have to change our plans. The day we planned to eat together was the first day of Ramadan. So they weren t supposed to eat anything between sunrise and sundown. That date had slipped up on the Muslim students, and I wasn t aware of the Ramadan calendar. But the president of the group said, We could eat after class. I said that would work for me as well. So, the students made Ramadan part of the class experience. Muslims pay strict attention to the official time of sunrise and sunset during Ramadan. So they know when they can break their fast. Each student brought along bottled water to drink just after sunset. They also brought a bag of dried dates, enough to include us non-muslims in the observance. So they invited everyone in the class to join their ceremonial ending of their fast. It was an effective teaching moment. Most people at the Golden Corral aren t bashful about eating to their guts content. If that s true of older people, it s doubly true of many college students. I don t think I ve ever seen young people put away food the way those young Islamic students did that night! Put yourself in their place: You ve gone since sun-up without a bite to eat. You came to Anderson University and led a class after having nothing to eat all day except a couple of dried dates at sunset. These students had pretty moderate mid-sections, but I lost count of the number of times they reloaded their plates. But around the table that night, we shared human understanding along with our heaping plates. There s just something about sharing food can create understanding. TRANSITION I told this story a few weeks later when I spoke at the state Lions Club convention. After the message, I was accosted by a fellow Lion who was also a fellow Christian and a fellow Baptist. He was upset that I said kind things about Muslims.

3 I m proud to be a Lion, especially because of the work Lions around the world do to help the blind and to prevent blindness. But Lions is not a Christian organization. Lions is not a religious organization. Lions is a humanitarian organization with almost a million and a half men and women in 45-thousand clubs in more than two hundred countries around the world. Religiously speaking, we have Lions who don t claim any religion. We have Lions who are Jews. Lions who are Hindus. Lions who are Buddhists. Lions who are Christians. Lions who are Muslims. As an international organization, Lions seek to build understanding among people of all nationalities, of all political persuasions, of all religions, including Islam. So that was my purpose in telling the Lions convention about my experience with the Islamic students from Clemson. But my brother Christian, brother Baptist, and brother Lion didn t appreciate my speaking positively about Islam. So he lectured me for being too generous toward Islam. You may also be wondering why I a Baptist minister was hobnobbing with these Islamic students from Clemson, unless I was trying to convert them. You could say Islam literally crashed into our national awareness on the date we call Nine/Eleven. Until the word spread that the men who hijacked the planes were radical Muslims, most of us in this country couldn t have told the difference between a Muslim and a Mormon or a Mennonite. Lots of people still can t. So, against the background of our hazy awareness of one of the largest religious groups in the world, I want to address the question, What About Other Faiths? This is one of those Questions We Keep Asking. At least, I hope we keep asking What About Other Faiths? as our nation has become the home of people from all the major religions of the world. Actually, we need to ask two questions: What should be our attitude toward other faiths? and What should be our attitude toward people of other faiths? Those are really two different questions. Closely related, but still separate issues. What should be our attitude toward other faiths? What should be our attitude toward people of other faiths? Short answer to both questions: Respect them. But we need longer answers to both. So here goes: What should be our attitude toward other faiths? 1. First, we need strong convictions as to the main teachings of Christianity. In the years I ve been teaching this Baraca Class, I ve led a couple of studies of The Apostles Creed. I m a Baptist, and Baraca is part of Anderson s First Baptist Church. But we Baptists don t do much with that ancient belief statement. Lots of Baptists have no idea what s in it. The Apostles Creed is an ancient series of

4 statements of what most Christians believe. People in many denominations say it every Sunday. Listen again to what the Creed says about Jesus: I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried. On the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven And is seated at the right hand of the Father, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. The Apostles Creed puts most of its focus on Jesus Christ as God s Son whose death and resurrection brings everlasting life. This belief in Jesus is the center of our Christian religion. We need to understand that as we are exposed to other faiths. The book of First Peter, over near the end of the New Testament, challenges those early Christians to be able to explain what they believe: 1 Peter 3:15-16: but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. This was written to people under pressure because they believed in Jesus as the Christ. You notice the emphasis on what to say if someone calls you to account. And there is the reference to being abused and reviled for one s faith. But it s just as important when Christians live peaceably that you be able to explain what you believe. I ve said, you need to know what you believe and be able to express that to others. Along with that, 2. Second, we should try to understand differences between our own faith and that of others. Again, the central difference between Christianity and other faiths is our belief in Jesus as Christ, the unique Son of God. That belief separates us from all other religions. Both Jews and Muslims accuse us of believing in three gods instead of One True God. Buddhists and Hindus believe in many gods. Another major difference in the founding beliefs of the three monotheistic faiths involved war: We ve gotten the impression that Islam is primarily a religion of war. It is true that from the beginning, Muhammed set out to conquer the lands around Mecca. So Islam had a bloody beginning, similar to what we just noticed with

5 the Jews as they conquered the land they called Israel. But Islam has not always been primarily about war. Christian faith from its beginning differs from Judaism and Islam regarding warfare because our Founder, Jesus Christ, taught against fighting and revenge. He taught non-resistance by example. He died from non-resistance. If someone slaps one side of your face, turn the other cheek. If someone demands your coat, give him your cloak as well. If someone forces you to walk a mile, then you should willingly walk two miles. When the Jewish leaders had Jesus taken prisoner, He told Pontius Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world, so His followers did not fight. By contrast, He said, if His followers were of this world, then they would fight. The Church took Jesus s words and His example seriously, and the Church was pacifist the first three hundred years. That changed only after the Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and made the religion of Jesus the official religion of what had been a pagan empire. Sad to say, in the centuries that followed, Christian church leaders have engaged in what they considered holy wars on numerous occasions: After Muslims conquered the Holy Land, Roman Catholic popes led armies into that land to try several times to reclaim it over a period of two centuries, beginning in In Spain in the same year Ferdinand and Isabella sent Columbus out to find a new trade route to India, the Catholic Church started forcing Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity or face execution or expulsion. So, despite the pacifism of our Founder, Jesus, later church leaders have made Christianity every bit as bloody as anything in Islam or Judaism. Another mistaken impression about Islam: We equate Muslims with Arabs. Many Arabs are Muslims. But there are also Arab Christians. Also, millions of Muslims are not Arabs. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population. Indonesia is Asian and not Arabic. So we make a major mistake to equate Muslims with Arabs and Arabs with Muslims. Let me briefly mention the main beliefs of Muslims. First, they believe in one God and that Muhammed is God s greatest and true prophet. They look at Jesus as a prophet along with Adam, Abraham, Moses and others, but, to them, Muhammed is the greatest prophet through whom God revealed His final word, their holy book, the Quran. The faithful Muslim must pray five times daily, fast from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan, give a portion of his income to the cause, and make a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca if physically and financially able to make the journey. In summary, then, as to what should be the Christian s attitude toward other faiths:

6 We should respect all faiths, recognizing the positives of those faiths and being aware of major differences between those faiths and ours. Now, the second and closely related question: What should be our attitude toward people of other faiths? If we respect all religions, it should follow that we respect the people who hold beliefs that differ from our own. That has not always been respected within Christianity. John Calvin and Martin Luther, the greatest names in the Protestant Reformation, consented to the death of Christians whom they considered heretics. I said a while ago that we should have strong convictions concerning what we believe. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that in Romans, chapter 14, verse 5, as he says, Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. Paul says we need to have carefully thought out our beliefs. But Paul also says we should not judge people who see things differently. We must leave judgment to the Lord. Listen again to some of the verses from Romans 14 which were read earlier in the broadcast: Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God." So each of us shall give account of himself to God. Then let us no more pass judgment on one another, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. Paul has two matters in mind when he tells us not to judge one another: one concerning dietary issues and the other concerning observance of the Sabbath. We looked at those matters last week as we raised the question, Whose Convictions Do I Follow? In this Romans passage, Paul says these questions of what to eat or what not to eat are matters of individual conscience and that neither side should judge the other: One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Master is able to make him stand. Disagreement in Romans 14 is between two groups of Christians, but can we apply the same principle between Christians and Muslims or between Christians and Jews? Are we able to leave judgment of all religions to God, rather than setting ourselves up to judge people with whom we disagree? Paul also discusses observance of certain days dedicated to God. He applies the same principle both to food and to days of rest or sabbath in verses 5-6:

7 One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. Again, it s fine to have strong convictions in these matters. We ve already noted the key: Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. How far are we willing to apply this same principle in other moral questions? What about abortion? What about stem-cell research? What about other religious convictions? Are we willing to say, Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind and then truly let each person follow the conviction of his own mind rather than impose our own religious convictions on others? To review: Paul says everyone should have his [or her] own convictions. Paul says we should not judge people who do not share our strong convictions. Then he says a third thing we have not yet noted: Not only should we refrain from judging, we should apply principles of love and peace in our relationships with those who see things differently. Listen again to verses 14-19: I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for any one who thinks it unclean.... For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; he who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. It s a matter of loving and making peace among each other, including those who see things differently. We Christians would like to see everyone accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, but can we recognize we aren t likely to win people to Christ if we sit in judgment upon them? You aren t likely to win anyone to Christ unless or until you first win that person to yourself. J. P. McBeth stated the principle: We should be conscientious but not be contentious (242). I worked with a man who had very strong convictions. Someone said, He would walk off a six-story building on a principle. I ve also known people who would push you off a six-story building if you disagreed with them on a principle. There s one final principle in verse 22 we need to notice: The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. That doesn t mean you shouldn t share your faith with others. Have strong convictions. Share your convictions. Seek to win others to believe in Jesus. But

8 respect the convictions of others whether other Christians or of faiths beyond Christianity. Your faith is your own. Don t try to force your faith on someone else. In this matter of attitudes toward others: I keep coming back to Muslims because I hear so much suspicion of Muslims. I keep coming back to Muslims because I hear so much outright hatred of Muslims. I keep coming back to Muslims because I hear so much talk about killing all the Muslims. I m a Christian. I believe Jesus is the unique revelation of God s sacrificial love and forgiveness. That revelation leaves no room for suspicion and hatred. God created every human being in His image. God loves every one of us. Wherever that person was born. Whatever the color of that person s skin. Whatever that person s native language. Whatever that person s political persuasion. Whatever religion that person has grown up in. I cannot stand in judgment of those who do not believe as I do. I must commend every person to the love and mercy of Almighty God. RABBI S STORY There s a parable the rabbis tell of the deliverance of the Israelites from captivity in Egypt. As the story goes, God told His angels to work out a plan for bringing Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt safely. The heavenly host led the Israelites to the sea and parted the water. Moses and the people walked through on dry land with the Egyptians in hot pursuit. When Pharaoh s army was in the midst of the sea, the angels closed the waters, and Israel s enemies died. The angels were jubilant, and they filled heaven with the sounds of their dancing and loud shouts of joy. When God heard the noise, He asked what this was all about. The angels told of what they had done, and the Lord began to weep. The angels were surprised, and they asked the Lord what the problem was. He said, I am distressed that you have killed my children (Craddock). BENEDICTION To that end, I challenge you to claim these promises: God s love that will never let you go. God s grace that is greater than all your sin. God s peace that passes all understanding.

9 These are yours through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. WHAT ABOUT OTHER FAITHS?---SOURCES ***Presented earlier on June 3, 2007 J. P. McBeth, Exegetical and Practical Commentary on Romans. Shawnee, Okla.: Oklahoma Baptist University Press, Dale Moody, Romans, Broadman Bible Commentary, Volume 10. Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman Press, 1