Peace At What Cost?

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   I recently heard the hostess of a Christian radio program lamenting the lack of understanding and acceptance between people of different spiritual and religious beliefs, or as is commonly referred to today as “different faiths.”  She suggested that Christians should be more involved in “negotiations” with those of other faiths in order to promote harmony between all people so that we might all live together without strife and discord.  Her guest on the program that day then interjected by telling about different organizations that were actively involved in doing that very thing, particularly in the Middle East where there is almost constant turmoil.  The idea behind this kind of thinking is that if we could just get everybody together and focus on the positive aspects and similarities instead of the differences, we would all be able to get along without contention.  But, is it even possible for Christians to negotiate a spiritual peace treaty with those who are not Christian?
   To negotiate means: “to arrange for or bring about through conference, discussion, and compromise.”  In other words, to reach an agreement through the exchange and consideration of the ideas and proposals of the different parties who are involved, with each party giving and taking until an agreement acceptable to all is reached; an agreement that doesn’t offend anybody.
   This may sound like a good idea, but there is a major, actually an insurmountable, problem with it when it is applied to true Biblical Christianity.  Biblical truth is revealed, not negotiated.  Nothing can be added to and nothing can be taken away from God’s revealed truth.  The revealed Gospel Message that individual sinners must believe to become a Christian stands squarely on divinely revealed Bible truth.  The Bible records the historical fact of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.  It also explains the significance of what He accomplished through the sacrifice of Himself for the sins of mankind.  It is through faith in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ alone, that any man or woman can be saved from suffering the righteous wrath of God that every one of us deserves.  The exclusiveness of the Message of Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation is offensive to the world and no amount of human conferences, discussion, and compromise can change that regardless of any agreements mankind might come up with.  God’s revealed truth does not change and cannot be changed regardless of what men and women might think.
   “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God… For that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (see I Cor. 1:13-21ff).  The Bible says, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

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