Red Letter Christians (part 2)

Go to part 1.....Go to part 3

This is a follow-up to a previous post from April 12, 2008. In it I noted some of the views of so-called "Red Letter Christians." I'd like to give some more examples in their own words, and I hope to show where I believe they are in error according to the Bible.

In an interview on Beliefnet, in response to the question, "What do you wish evangelicals might accept in terms of salvation for non-Christians?", Tony Campolo said the following:

"We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus and that's what I do. I try to do it every day of my life."

"I don't know of any other way of salvation, except through Jesus Christ. Now, if you were going to ask me, "Are only Christians going to get to heaven?" I can't answer that question, because I can only speak from the Christian perspective, from my own convictions and from my own experience. I do not claim to be able to read the mind of God and when evangelicals make these statements, I have some very serious concerns."

There are several problems with these statements. First of all, this idea that Christians shouldn't judge anything at any time is completely wrong. There are certain things we cannot judge, but there are others which we must judge. Jesus told us to "judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). I go into more detail on this subject in a previous post.

Next I must say I take great issue with his statement, "I don't know of any other way of salvation, except through Jesus Christ." I think the implication taken in context is that he doesn't know of any other way of salvation, but he isn't denying that another way may exist of which he is not aware. This is clearly contrary to the teaching of Scripture.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

We don't have to "read the mind of God" when it comes to such matters because God has given us special revelation in His Word concerning "all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). All we have to do is read His Word with the help and understanding given by the Holy Spirit and take it seriously.

There is one other thing Campolo said in this interview that I want to point out. He said,

"There are a group of evangelicals who would say, 'Wait a minute. We're evangelicals but we want to respect Islam. We don't want to call its prophet evil. We don't want to call the religion evil. We believe that we have got to learn to live in the same world with our Islamic brothers and sisters and we want to be friends. We do not want to be in some kind of a holy war.'"

Now we can certainly respect Muslims as we should respect any human being. However we should have enough love and respect for them to tell them what's wrong with what they believe. The fact is that Islam is evil as any false religion is evil. Islam teaches that Allah is no father and has no son; it presents Jesus as a prophet only and not the Son of God. And while it is true that Christians do not desire "to be in some kind of a holy war," ["My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight..." (John 18:36)] the fact is that Islam has been at war since the 7th century. Muhammad claimed to receive the words of the Koran from the angel Gabriel (words which are contrary to the Bible). Centuries earlier the apostle Paul wrote,

Galatians 1:6-8 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Again I think the problem is a failure to consider the whole counsel of God.

More to come later.

Go to part 1.....Go to part 3