Other Religions
The scriptures cannot be clear enough on this fact: Jesus Christ did not come in the flesh to create a new, “more true” religion than all the others. He came to illuminate and embody the purpose of all true religion: mankind’s reunification with God. This message, this Word, used the nation of Israel’s history and religious system as a platform, but God’s end goal was always salvation (reconciliation, restoration, renewal) for the entire world. The lamb of God was slain before time ever began (Revelation 13:8).
God had prepared Israel to be His vessel for this glorious truth that would radiate into all of the nations. In Christ, God has forgiven the sins of humanity and drawn us into union with Himself forever (2 Corinthians 5:16-19). This rescue and renewal extends to all of humanity, even to those who do not yet “believe” and consciously walk according to the Spirit of God (1 Timothy 4:10). Belief and salvation save us from wrath - the consequences of sin that bear fruit for spiritual death (Romans 7:5), so that we can live and grow into the full glory of the divine image (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:1-14).
The severe problem is that we still think about our religion like it is our salvation. We are taught that if we think according to XYZ, God will love us and we will go to heaven instead of hell when we die. If someone else doesn’t think according to XYZ, they are doomed. Instead of learning about the true kingdom of God, spiritual awakening, and how to walk in love, we are taught how to make our belief in XYZ stronger and stronger. In this warped worldview, knowledge is salvation. Knowing proper intellectual facts means salvation. Anyone who doesn’t believe certain facts gets thrown into the fire, into a terrifying “outer darkness, where there is weeping and the gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13).
The way of thinking I described above is most common amongst those of any Protestant persuasion (the tradition I grew up in) If your rabid insistence on “faith alone” makes you hate your Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters, you don’t know God (1 John 4:20). Extending it a little further, anyone who hates another human, a being made in the image of God, for their religious belief does not know God. God is love and all of humanity is His temple.
Belief unites our minds and hearts with the Spirit of Sonship, so that we may partner with God in the rescue and renewal of all of humanity. The Spirit of Sonship has been given to humanity through the sacrifice and ascension of Jesus Christ. When Paul writes that Christ is the one “mediator between God and man” (1 Timothy 2:5), he means what he says. Christ has drawn all men to Himself through the cross (John 12:32). This means that all men have been united with Christ in His death and resurrection, all men have access to the Spirit of God and the powers of heaven that come with this Spirit. Salvation, therefore, is living in this reality in order to escape the fire that is coming upon the old age that is already passing away (Galatians 1:4; 1 John 2:17).
In light of these realities, how are we to think about the world’s other religions? As I stated previously, Jesus did not come to create a “true” religion that would replace all others. Christ did not die on the cross to usher the entire world into a singular religion (Galatians 5:1). The Spirit means freedom and freedom means worshipping God according to one’s personal convictions and relationship with the Father. This is why Jesus said that a time would come when worshippers would worship in the Spirit and truth (John 4:24). Will those who serve God (Christ) faithfully in other religions find themselves in the fires of hell when they die?
Lessons from Cornelius
For some insight into this controversial question, we can look to the book of Acts. In general, Acts is phenomenal for understanding gospel evangelism in the context of the first century. No, Christianity wasn’t about following a new religion that would replace all others, but a new reality that would eclipse every religious system present in the world. God is present with mankind, His new temple!
Let’s go to Acts 10. The whole chapter is worth reading in its entirety but I will only summarize and give highlights. This chapter tells the story of a man named Cornelius, a Roman centurion. Cornelius is not a Jew or a “Christian,” yet we learn this about him:
“[Cornelius] and all his family were devout and God-fearing: he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, ‘Cornelius!’” Acts 10:2-3 (NIV)
So just to solidify our understanding, before moving on:
Cornelius is not a “believer” but the Scriptures call him “devout and God-fearing.” Later, it is stated that he is a “righteous” man who is respected by all the Jewish people (Acts 10:22).
Cornelius’ faith results in a life of prayer and giving to the poor.
Cornelius’ can experience spiritual manifestations like visions.
“Cornelius stared at the [angel] in fear. ‘What is it, Lord?’ he asked. The angel answered, ‘Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.’” Acts 10:4-5 (NIV)
We can see here that God wants to initiate something with Cornelius. This will involve Peter the apostle, who soon after Cornelius’ encounter with the angel, also experiences a vision:
“About noon the following day...Peter went up on a roof to pray...he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ ‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’ The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’” Acts 10:9-15 (NIV)
Visions reveal spiritual realities through natural symbolism. It will soon become clear that Peter’s vision is not really about Peter’s dietary regulations (remember Peter is a Jewish believer, not necessarily a “Christian”), but about Gentile inclusion in the new creation. Then, Cornelius meets Peter:
“As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. ‘Stand up,’ he said, ‘I am only a man myself’... Peter said to the people: ‘You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean… I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all...God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.’” Acts 10:25-38 (NIV)
Summarizing the points of Peter’s speech so far:
Peter realizes his vision is about God’s acceptance of the non-Jews, those “outside” of the “true” religion.
Peter reveals that God does not show favoritism or exclusivity in regards to the faithful in other religious traditions.
God accepts all who love Him and walk in godliness.
Christ embodied a message of reconciliation and healing, destroying the work of the devil.
So, what is the gospel really about? Peter continues:
“[Christ] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Acts 10:42-43 (NIV)
Christ will be the “judge” of the world - meaning He will bring fire and purification to what does not belong in God’s divine design. To those who receive Him, He will bring glory, life and immorality - the life of God (Romans 2:6-8)! Belief in Christ empowers us to eradicate all sin, darkness, decay, and death.
As Peter speaks, something extraordinary happens:
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, ‘Surely no one can stand in their way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.’” Acts 10:44-46 (NIV)
What stands out in this passage is that there was no “sinner’s prayer,” “repentance moment,” or confession of Jesus as Lord by the Gentiles. Peter speaks and the Holy Spirit manifests through the Gentiles. The point is that the love and respect for God were already present with the non-Jews. Faith was already present for divine manifestation. This was a paradigm-shifting moment for the early believers. The Holy Spirit isn’t exclusive. It is a gift that is given freely to those with open minds and hearts who love God.
What does it mean?
This entire episode in Acts serves to highlight a new reality - a reality I described at the beginning of this teaching. Salvation means restoration and renewal back into the divine image, through the forgiveness of sins. The giving of the Holy Spirit isn’t about heaven or hell, but about bringing the life of God to the people who love God, so that God can use us to heal the world from the devil’s works. The presence of the Holy Spirit means judgment on our old humanity - the humanity that went with Christ into the grave (Romans 6:4) - and the manifestation of the divine life in and through us (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:22-24).
Christians aren’t those who follow the rules and regulations of a formal religious structure in order to make a temperamental God happy and avoid hell. Christians are God’s anointed ones - men and women full of the life of God through the Holy Spirit. Belief in Christ gives us access to the empowering energy of God, so that we may live according to the divine design, bringing healing to the entire earth.
Formal Christianity is not the only faith present in the earth. God honors all who love Him and do what is right (Acts 10:35). In this story from Acts, Cornelius is a symbol. He represents the faith of the non-Christian world. He is not a “Christian” - he has no Christian framework of belief - but he loves God and strives to live in His ways. God sends Cornelius to Peter to receive the Holy Spirit. What this means is that there is more for Cornelius, and Peter is the man who introduces the fullness of God to Cornelius. Cornelius receives the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The point I am trying to make is that the enemy isn’t other religions. The enemy is the devil and his works - atheism, greed, lust, violence, wars, division, hatred, etc. True religion points to Jesus Christ and His kingdom. Instead of fearing those with other beliefs, we should seek to understand, grow, and learn with them. There are those who love God in the context of a different religious system. What makes Christianity significant isn’t its unique doctrines, but the presence and power of divine love. Christianity is the religion of love and healing, not spiritual arrogance. We must learn to see what God is doing in and through others who don’t think like us or who worship the Father through a different tradition.
Do Christians have some sort of “advantage” with God? Many of us are trained to think that we do but hopefully I have made clear that the answer is no. God does not show favoritism or discrimination based on our religion, as Peter learned. Believing in Christian doctrine doesn’t make you more “holy” than the Muslim down the street. God calls all men pure. Belief in Christ is what brings us into contact with Divine Presence, so that we may know God and walk in His ways. This dance with Divine Love also means judgment, however, because evil and sin cannot exist in the fires of God’s affection for us. Belief purifies us and radiates the life of God into the world. Judgment on the entire world begins with God’s people (1 Peter 4:17).
The Destiny of Other Religions
All of this serves to reveal that the role of believers isn’t to “Christianize” the world or baptize everyone into a particular way of thinking so people don’t go to hell. Believers embody and radiate the power of divine love. This love brings healing to the nations, including our religious traditions and belief systems (Revelation 22:2). What does not belong in the new creation (God’s kingdom) will ultimately be burned away in the fire of Christ’s judgment. This includes doctrines, philosophies, and theologies from all of the world’s religions - including Christianity itself!
In this fire that is coming upon the whole world (Luke 12:49), everything with the character and nature of Christ will remain. It is important to understand that there are beautiful kingdom principles from the world’s major religions that will find a place in the new creation. These truths, once baptized in the divine love of Christ, will be of great use to the church of the future. Israel’s prophets foresaw this reality:
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn...then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.” Isaiah 60:1-3,5 (NIV)
“By the light of the [church] the nations will walk and into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory.” Revelation 21:24 (NIV)
The “wealth of the seas” and the “riches of the nations” in the prophecy from Isaiah and the “glory” in the prophecy from Revelation are the spiritual bounty from the world’s “Gentile” religions. Does not Cornelius, a devout and God-fearing Gentile, bowing the knee to Peter, the unofficial earthly“head” of early Christianity, not support this idea? Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess not to the Christian religion, but to the presence of Jesus Christ, the judge of all men and all religious systems (Isaiah 45:23). In Christ, we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). Christ will save what is valuable from the world’s ancient religions (Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Jainism, Islam, etc.) and baptize them with His Spirit, so that may contribute to the building of the kingdom of heaven on earth. The goal is universal brotherhood and a new humanity that is led by the indwelling presence of the Spirit of Sonship.
To accomplish this, God will raise prophets in these traditions who live to love and serve Him. They will bring revelation from heaven that contributes to the global cause of Christ. They may operate under the name of a different faith tradition, but this does not mean they are not serving Christ. God calls people to obedience in other faith traditions to accomplish His eternal purposes, which may not be immediately evident to us at this point in human history. An example of this from Israel’s history is Cyrus, king of Babylon, whom the scriptures call an “anointed one” and who freed the Jews from captivity (2 Chronicles 36:23; Isaiah 45:1).
In the end, the role of other religions in the establishment of the kingdom of heaven will be clear. Christ Himself said, “whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:38-40). The goal of history isn’t that everyone comes under the authority of an imperfect Christian religion, but that the Word of God may become manifest in and through all men. Salvation is reconciliation and restoration. God desires that all be saved from death and corruption, in this life and the beyond.
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and godly lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 1-4 (NIV)
“My servant David (Christ) will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd…My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel (the Body of Christ- the new humanity) holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.” Ezekiel 37:24,26-28 (NIV)
Conclusion
I cringe when I hear other Christians today mocking other people of different faiths. It is painful to see because it is not the heart of Jesus Christ. God loves those who walk in His design and love Him. He will not reject any who call on His name. Christ is over all, in all, and through all (Ephesians 4:6). Whether you love Him, are ignorant of Him, or reject Him outright, He is working through your life. Christ is in all things and through Him the universe is upheld (Colossians 1:17). God brings blessings on both believers and non-believers (Matthew 5:44-45).
We learned this in Acts from Cornelius, a righteous and God-fearing Gentile, who had never heard the message about Jesus Christ. God was already at work in Cornelius’ life before he ever heard about the new reality of God’s kingdom. Using a vision, God sends Cornelius to Peter, from whom Cornelius learns the gospel message. In this way, the faith of Cornelius is made complete - he is brought into the fullness of God so that he may live in the reality of God’s love and power. Cornelius is not told to abandon his existing faith or “convert” to Christianity.
I know many non-Christians who are more “Christian” than Christians. This is because they love others and walk according to the divine design in gentleness, respect, and humility. Their love and respect for God is enabled by their faith and its tenets. In the Christian world, we too quickly take the Lord’s name in vain, which means we assume Him as Master but do not think or act like Him. This is why evangelism is so difficult today - in our arrogant talk and behavior, we have spoiled the world’s perception of Christians. The solution is to re-learn love and open our minds to see Christ in all and through all.
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 (NIV)
At the end of all things, God judges us on what we have done, not the religious ideas we can spout out in ignorance and arrogance (Romans 2:13 - or just read the whole chapter). We believe in Christ to inherit His life in this world and beyond, not become spiritually superior to the Jewish family down the street. Belief fills us with the love and power of God, so that we may radiate the healing power of Christ into the world. Knowledge makes us arrogant, but love builds up us and others (1 Corinthians 8:1).
These arguments are not for universalism, but they certainly advocate for a more pluralistic mindset. I am not a universalist (i.e. all will receive eternal life, regardless of their belief system), but a pluralist (Christ is powerfully present in other belief systems besides Christianity). Christ is the God of all - not just the Christians. He is working in and through other faiths to accomplish His eternal purposes. Christianity is meant to be a spirituality of God’s love, not an oppressive religious system. The Truth is very simple: reject God and inherit death (in this life and the next) or love God and receive glory, honor, and immortality (in this life and the next). All men are accountable to Christ alone for what they believe and how they live. This is the nature of the anointing that Christ has given us.
Operate in your personal convictions about these matters, but make sure everything is saturated in the love of God. There is much to learn from the people and teachings of other faith traditions if we open our minds and hearts to see what Christ wants to reveal about His kingdom.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
More on this topic: Father Abraham Had Many Sons
