"But the LORD is the true God;
he is the living God, the eternal King.
When he is angry, the earth trembles;
the nations cannot endure his wrath.
Tell them this:
'These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth,
will perish from earth and from under the heavens.'"
Jeremiah 10:10-11
How do we go about living in a world that honors tolerance of all religions except the Gospel of Jesus Christ? I feel intimidated in the face of angry accusations of intolerance, hate, and judgementalism. Yet I know the truth; all mankind will be judged by the One True God and there is only one name under heaven by which we can be saved from the condemnation our sins earn us (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 9:27, Acts 4:12). Am I not here to revere Him in speech,action and attitude? Before all of mankind? To honor Him by openly extolling His virtues, sharing of His love, and for those who are deceived into following any other god or belief system, to warn them that they are following a dead-end religion that has no power to save them?
Yes, I am, for there is only One True God!
Living. He is alive. He is able to be known and to intimately know His own created beings. He constantly thinks about those He made in His image, perceiving even the thoughts and understanding each quirky way. Even when I don't grasp my own intricate inner-workings, He is very familiar with every nook and cranny of my being (Psalm 139:1-3). And this real God desires to be found (Jeremiah 29:13). He doesn't make it difficult to connect with Him. In fact, He wants so much to be in touch with each of His children that He didn't even let sin stand in the way, but went so far as to send His Son as a sacrifice to atone for man's sin and to restore the relationship He so desires to share with each human (Romans 8:32). Through rejection of my innate, fallen nature and faith in Jesus Christ, I can find what it means to know and be known by the One who made me for Himself (Romans 4:25-5:2).
In contrast, all other gods are made by man and are dead, inanimate object who cannot be known any more than I can know my coffee mug or share intimately with my computer or car. I may feel affection for such objects, but they have nothing to give in return besides the function for which they were created. Similarly, religious belief systems may have a long history and complicated standards to follow yet none address the problem of sin nor have the power to save me from my own destructive destiny. While many claim to find peace, meaning or a measure of help within their chosen faith, there is only One who truly delivers such benefits. This is because the Maker of heaven and earth is the living God.
To operate in a world filled with false gods and belief systems, I must strive to honor the living God above all else, pointing others to Him.
Everlasting. He always has been and always will be. There is no limit when it comes to Him, no end to His power, no boundary when it comes to His abilities, no beginning or end to His very existence (Isaiah 40:28). There is nothing He cannot accomplish, no capability He does not possess. He can do anything He wants, is never frustrated by His lack or obstructed by incompetence (Ephesians 3:20, Genesis 18:14). If He is for me, then there is literally no one who can be against me, because no one or no thing can stand in His way, stopping Him from accomplishing His will (Romans 8:31).
In contrast, all other gods are temporary figments of man's imagination who are impotent and finite as a result. Just as Tinkerbell cannot truly give me the ability to fly nor is there a genie in a bottle somewhere who can grant me three wishes to enhance my life, any god other than the One who made all things is unable to deliver on its promises, give what it claims or do as it says. Wouldn't it be the loving thing for me to do, then, to help those caught up in the deception of false religions to examine their beliefs, to discover the Truth and thus be free of the bondage of traveling down a path that will never lead them to life (Matthew 7:14, John 10:9)? There is only One God who can be trusted, and He is the everlasting God who will never perish.
To live in a world filled with false gods and belief systems, I must strive to point others to the everlasting God.
Authority. He is to be feared. Why? Because He has the authority to judge, to condemn, to punish. While it is my sin that truly condemns me, it is God's perfect standard that shows me how much I offend Him, that illustrates my need for a Savior, that highlights just how corrupt I am (John 3:18, Romans 7:7). He fills all creation with awe because of His majestic might, and no one can stand before Him without the benefit of an Advocate (Psalm 76:7-8, 1 John 2:1). We all are completely at His mercy, and it is by His word that we exist (Titus 3:4-5).
In contrast, there is nothing to respect when it comes to other gods or the words that are attributed to them. They have no authority to judge, nor the power to carry out their threats. Neither do they have the right to forgive anyone of their sins. Only One is the Judge, and only One offers forgiveness through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (James 4:12, Ephesians 1:7). Since the life of every man is in His hands, I can help those caught up in false religions to come to the understanding that only the Lord our God is to be feared.
To live in a world filled with false gods and belief systems, I must fear the One True God alone and help others see they are also at His mercy.
I'm constantly being bombarded with the message that all religious belief systems are equally as valid and to be honored. If I truly care about those who are caught up in deceptive religious practices, however, I would take the time to help them examine their beliefs with the hope that they would come to their senses and see that there is only one living, everlasting God who reigns with supreme authority (2 Timothy 2:24-26). This is how to live in the world of tolerance. It may be risky, but is there any other way to honor God as the One True God?
As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to speak the truth of His sovereignty into the dark world around me.
When am I afraid to speak out?
How do I deny God's power by failing to share the Gospel with the lost?
