Compromising Our Christian Faith
By Felicia (Fee) Benamon (12/19/06)
"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."--Luke 9:26 (NIV)
Those are the straightforward words of Jesus Christ as He spoke to His faithful followers while on earth. His words extend to the faithful today as well.
Christians today are in fact denying Jesus Christ when they fail to be active in sharing the Gospel (or "Good News") with the world. Or if they are sharing it in compromised form to please everybody. It's also not enough for a Christian to attend church in "ritual mode." Being a Christian is more than that. It is a lifestyle, a way of life. Christians should be active in living out their faith as well as sharing it, openly with no reservations.
So when I ran upon a story of theologian Lee Camp of Lipscomb University, who is reported to have said at a religious conference at the university that Christians should "let go" some of their beliefs for the sake of peace obtaining peace with other religions, ( http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061129/NEWS06/611290429 ), I was shocked.
Now, there has been much controversy over Lee Camp's remarks. Controversy over whether he was misinterpreted (as he says he was) or not.
A first article on the conference Mr. Camp spoke at ran in Tennesseean.com. In the article, Mr. Camp doesn't believe in shunning certain Christian beliefs, but that Christians should examine the history of Christianity.
He advocates that Christians should face their sins over history and be open to learning about other religions.
"We have such short historical (memory) spans as white Christians," he said. "There is a history of anti-Semitism, the violence and bloodshed of the crusades and cultural imperialism. We have to deal with the reality of what Christians have done, which in some cases has been to kill people."
The Tennesseean article continues as Mr. Camp says:
Christians must shed the idea that they need to promulgate a worldwide Christianity, he said.
Whether or not that was a true quote spoken by Mr. Camp, (it would appear to me that this guy is wayward in what he's trying to say, he seems to placate the other religions by pointing the finger at Christians' mistakes over the years and making it seem like we are on some sort of Crusade) it sure seems like to me that at the conference, there was a tone, a push for compromise among the faiths. I say this because other comments from various religious leaders Tennesseean cites at the conference at Lipscomb were as follows:
"Allah, the God Muslims worship, is the same God Christians and Jews worship, and the Quran recounts the same biblical stories of Mary and Jesus," said spokesman for the Islamic Center of Nashville, Kahled Sakalla.
Sakalla went on to say,"Yes, we have differences, but it's important to focus on commonalities."
A rabbi of the Temple in Belle Meade, Mark Schifan pushed common ground among the religions.
He said, "If all of us believe we were created in God's image, then we have to believe that everyone else is also created in God's image."
( Note: I see some distortions in those comments. I want to quickly point out that first of all, Christians and Jews worship the same God. We both call him Jehovah. I do not worship the Muslim god Allah. Allah is not God to Christians and Jews. Therefore, as a Christian, I do not worship the same god as Muslims do. The Quran may mention Jesus and Mary, but it SURE does not mention that Jesus was the Son of God. Jews and Christians have more in common in that we recognize and worship Jehovah God the Father.
The rabbi's comments about everyone being created in God's image, well, that's true. And we are. But not everyone knows about that awesome God they are made in the image of. )
Mr. Camp says he was misquoted in the article and issued this statement to Tennesseean:( http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061130/NEWS06/611300406 )
"...In my lecture, I too insisted that we must not discard what is most important to us. I am a Christian who holds, without apology, to the Lordship of Jesus. I cannot accept any strategy of "conflict resolution" that asks me to set aside that particular claim. I believe and teach that Jesus is Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
This exclusive claim of the authority of Christ thus presents a problem for "conflict management." I went on to ask these questions: How can the Jew or Muslim trust us Christians if we hold onto the exclusive Lordship of Jesus? Given that I refuse to deny the Lordship of Jesus, what can I or other Christians possibly contribute to peace-making, whether global or local?
Here's my answer: Because I profess that Jesus is Lord of Lords, I have committed myself to loving both neighbor and enemy. Because I profess that Jesus is King of Kings, I have committed myself to serving and honoring all people. Because I profess that Jesus is the ultimate authority to which all other authorities must submit, that authority requires of me to extend gracious, generous hospitality to the stranger, the pilgrim, and those who do not see the world as I see it.This, of course, is not how the authority of Christ has always been practiced. In serious dialog with Jews and Muslims, we American Christians, who tend to have very short historical attention spans, must acknowledge the sins of Christian history.
The claim of the Lordship of Jesus has often been divorced from Jesus' call to be merciful to those with whom we differ. In fact, the claim has often served as a battle-cry, an imperialistic profession used to destroy Jews and Muslims. In view of this history, Jews and Muslims have good reasons for not trusting those who wear the name Christian.
Because I profess Jesus as Lord, I must let go of any strategy that seeks to violently impose "Jesus is Lord" upon another.
I believe and profess "Jesus is Lord," and am compelled by Jesus' Lordship to share this Good News world-wide. But if such sharing treats others in a way contrary to the teachings of Jesus, I have thereby denied my profession. I choose not only to proclaim that "Jesus is Lord," but to live Jesus as Lord, among all — believer or unbeliever, Catholic or Protestant, Muslim or Jew."
***
Christians aren't doing anything wrong by sharing their faith. They sure aren't trying to start another Crusade.
The dissent over Christians sharing their faith with others stems from liberal and secular forces trying to work its way into Christian life. If secular forces can't silence Christians from sharing their faith, they are trying another way to get them to compromise their faith to "get along."
Christians are to believe that the Bible is absolute truth; it will stand the test of time. And it has. But again, there are those who believe we are in the wrong for not being more willing to join in with other religions and learn about them to create global harmony. What's wrong with standing on God's word?
Why can Hindus, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims (even those who advocate violence against the "infidel" or anyone not of the Muslim faith), and people of other religions in the world, practice their faith with intensity and Christians must compromise, and in some instances, stand down?
Nobody is perfect. Sure throughout history, Christians have made mistakes. But those mistakes should remain in the past as we are living in a different society and age currently. I am only concerned with the present, and "present day" Christians should not have to apologize for the mistakes of those in the past that they had no connection with.
Christians are guilty of only spreading a positive message and warning others about "Satan's traps" and the wide road of sin that leads to hell. The message, "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 (NIV) is not harmful to humanity.
Christianphobia?
I wanted to mention the conference and the above related articles because this is a trying time for Christians. Christians are being told they can't openly express their faith for fear of offending someone. But last I checked, we still live in a free society (supposedly). People are scared a Christian will give them some good news. Nobody is going to fall over and die because Christians are sharing their faith.
What I really would like to hear, however, is condemnation over the threats and violence from Islamic militants who target Christians and people of other faiths who tell them, "You must convert to our faith or DIE!" That rhetoric and the subsequent horrible action taken upon the "unwilling" is happening in the PRESENT DAY, in the 21st century! The horrific tactics of death that are imposed upon those who refuse to convert to Islam, turn the stomach. Yet there are those who see Christians as the group of believers who need to "tone down" or change how we approach others! It makes no sense!
No matter what secular influences try to weave their way into the church, I urge and hope that Christians will notice that negative influence right off and not allow it to permeate the sanctity of the Gospel of Christ, into the church body, and in the individual Christians' walk with Christ. We are supposed to be dependent on Jesus, and taking direction from Him.
If someone is suggesting that Christians should take action to please other religions, to tone down their faith that obviously is not of God. Jesus said it won't be easy for Christians. He said we will have opposition. And Jesus never gave in for the sake of pleasing the people who were against Him. He stood firm.
No matter what anyone else thinks, Christians, please stay steadfast in your faith and faithful to God, with our eyes and hearts directed toward Him. Don't be ashamed to share the Word of God and Good News with others. Don't be ashamed to be a Christian.
Merry Christmas!
Jesus Is The Reason For The Season!
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