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I’ve been reading the comments from so many people concerning the loss of Steve Jobs. He certainly was one of the most creative and technical minds we have seen in modern times. His contribution to culture is significant and I am thankful for all the Apple products I own and have owned through the years. My first computer was a black and white MAC cube! I love Apple and am a regular at the store.
But here’s what I noticed in all the blogging. Jobs was married in a Buddhist ceremony and talked about converting to Buddhism. Christians who commented regarding concern for his soul have been lambasted as being judgmental.
Christianity is a religion based on the premise that there is one way to God–through Jesus Christ. Christianity does NOT support many ways to God. So when a Christian questions the eternal place of someone who hasn’t made a profession of Christ, this is really the heart of Christian belief. The person is being consistent with the principles of his or her faith. If you believe what Jesus said–that He is the only way to heaven and eternal life, then it doesn’t matter how successful someone is on earth. The bigger issue is if they made peace with God through Jesus Christ.
This exclusive path to God is blasted for being intolerant, narrow minded. Christians are labelled judgmental when they do not accept multiple paths to salvation. But it is not Christians who get to decide the terms of eternity. God does that. In the Bible, He clearly says, there is no other way to God but through repentance of sin and acceptance of Christ as our Savior. Christianity is based on this belief–one way to heaven.
You can hate that, think it intolerant, judgmental or whatever. But it is the basis of the Christian faith. So for Christians, the acceptance of Christ as a personal savior, is the most important determinant of eternity. And when you believe this to be the cornerstone of your faith, you want your friends, family and the lost to know that Good News.
Christianity is not exclusive in the sense that anyone who believes on Christ is offered the free gift of salvation.
But the giver of that gift says, here are the terms:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).
Jesus declared that the one whom he called Father is “the only true God” (John 17:3).
I am God and there is no other” (Isaiah 46:9)
“I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
The concern expressed for Steve Jobs is not some horrible intolerance by Christians. It is Christians being true to their faith. Praying that Jobs made a confession of Christ.
Christians know that God will be the judge of all people one day. In the meantime, like it or not, it is our job to spread the Good News. Hopefully we do that through love, not judgment.
posted October 24, 2011 at 7:39 am
This is my view of Christianity which is based on believing the Bible to be the Word f God. I speak for myself. You don’t have to feel it represents you. That is the point of a blog. So I appreciate your view.
My read of the Bible is that God does not decide who gets saved. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” is the path provided. One decides to follow or not. A basic principle of Christianity is the concept of free will. God doesn’t pick and choose. We do. So the exclusivity is based on our decision because God offers eternal salvation to all.
posted October 20, 2011 at 2:36 pm
I liked this article better than any others I have read on this site. Most have a liberal slant and tilted view of what and who we stand for. It is black and white to us, not wishy-washy and sanitized to the degree liberals want us to be. When Christians adhere to their beliefs they are called BIGOTS by the liberals, who are ‘ever so tolerant’. That is a big lie, you can’t push your agenda and beliefs down our throats and when we don’t accept us call us names. That is INTOLERANCE at it’s finest.
posted October 20, 2011 at 12:48 pm
This is always an interesting debate. I always wonder what happens to the millions of people who have lived and died throughout history who never had an opportunity to even know who Jesus Christ was?
posted October 20, 2011 at 11:02 am
Your article responds to a narrow conservative view of Christianity. Please, do not speak for all Christians. To begin with, many of us, Christians, do not take the Bible literally. Secondly, what Christ says in the Gospels is reported speech. Then it offers a guideline, but it is not a Constitution. Thirdly, it is God who determines who will be saved, so we can hope for Steve Jobs and for every person, including non-Christians to be saved by the ultimate love of God. I call this way of thinking Christian charity.
posted October 20, 2011 at 6:23 am
Can a person be a believer in Christ–and not believe I AM the WAY the Truth and the Life?It seems to me one is either a Christian and desires to live and learn to be ever more like Christ–or he is a rebellious and disobedient child.we are a stiff necked and rebellious nation-are we not?