I had a wonderful question posed to me following my prior blog posting. The question was essentially, do I really believe someone can have an eternal relationship, "be saved", and not be a follower or believer in Jesus Christ? This is my attempt to answer that question.

As I've explored the world religions more in depth these last several weeks (more than ever before) I've come to learn there are some areas where Christianity and the other religions are in agreement. All of them (except perhaps Buddhism) worship the same God we do. I've found the other religions seem to be living out their faith more readily than we as Christians oftentimes do. Judaism and Christianity have much the same history - the sacred text of the Jewish people is our sacred text. The stories of the Jewish people are our stories. The heritage of the Jewish people is our
heritage – at least up to the time of Jesus Christ. It's at the point of Jesus Christ where we, as Christians, diverge paths from the Jews. In fact, this is the point of divergence for Christians and most of the other world religions.

As I mentioned in my sermon on Islam last weekend, our disagreement with Islamists centers around Jesus Christ and that we believe Jesus is divine; they do not. We believe Jesus died for our sins - the sins of the world; they do not. I've come to respect the lives of the Hindus, Buddhists and Islams (I'm sure I will the Jews as well as I learn more about them). Nevertheless, there are areas I disagree with them as a Christian - again that centers around Jesus as our savior who took the sins of the world upon his shoulders - for all people.

I recently read something by Rev. Adam Hamilton which made me question and reflect a bit differently of how Jesus provides salvation for the world. What if by taking the sins of the world upon his shoulders for all people - Jesus opened the way even for those who don't believe in him? What about those who never heard of him? If someone has never heard of Jesus would they be doomed to an eternity of hell? What of someone who never learns the gospel? What of the person who is raised by fanatic parents or atheistic parents and they never have the opportunity to come to know Jesus? Would they be condemned to hell? Should a mentally challenged person who does not understand the meaning of Jesus and what Jesus did for all, be condemned to hell?

There are many questions - and I'm still working out some of the answers. I do believe in God's grace, mercy and judgement and trust he wil judge believers and non-believers with grace and with infinite wisdom. In some ways I am choosing to stand in the gray on this one - it's not black and white for me. There are numerous issues where I stand in the gray: homosexuality (our new testament and old, call it a sin against God); Christians who don't tithe - scripture says we are to give 10% of our income back to God; Christians who don't pray; Christians who don't worship; Christians who profess to be Christians, but don't live the lifestyle Christ calls us to live... What I do know is that God will judge accordingly and he does not call me to judge.

Is there a chance that those who do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God can still have an eternal relationship with God - perhaps. I'm just glad I'm not making the judgement call on that.

What do you think? Do you think someone can have an eternal relationship with God - reach heaven - but not know Jesus?

Blessings to you all,

Patrick

Christianity and our world religions

Throughout the month of January and much of February we are on a journey of exploring our world religions. Together, on Sunday mornings, we are looking at the world’s five major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. In the introduction of this series I ask the congregation four vital questions.

1) Why are there so many different religions?
2) How should Christians view other religions?

3) How is God at work in other religions?

4) What is the fate of those who earnestly pursue God through other religions?

I want to answer those questions briefly here and then encourage you to do some reading on your own about the other religions of our world.

If we have one true God, then why are there so many different religions in our world? Wouldn’t it be easier if there were one religion, one path, one understanding…? Certainly this would help remove some of the confusion as well as conflict that stems from the ardor of religious beliefs. The different religions arise from the many different cultures and ways of looking at and understanding God. Think of a movie you and a friend recently went to. Each of you leaves the movie with different perspectives and understandings, points of emphasis… yet it was the same movie you watched. Religion is something like that. We each come away with a different understanding and perspective.

How should we view other religions? It is important for us to remember the beliefs held by most persons of other religions are as sacred and important to them as our Christian beliefs are to us. We must respect all persons as we seek to learn about the beliefs of other faiths. Too, we can learn something from the other religions that will help us in our own Christian faith.

How is God at work in other religions? Two biblical stories come to mind when I think of this question. The first is the story of the Magi who followed the star signifying the birth of Jesus. The Magi were neither descendants of Abraham nor followers of Moses. But God spoke to them in a way they would understand. They followed God’s sign in the heavens which led them to Jesus. The other story that comes to mind is that of Hagar and Ishmael. God promised to make Ishmael into a great nation. This is a promise our Arab and Muslim friends believe was fulfilled in them. God speaks to us in many ways. The question is, are we listening?

Lastly, what is the fate of those of other religions earnestly pursuing God? I think of the Hindus, Buddhists and Islam experts, I have met with in study for this series and have come to understand, they worship and follow the One True God, the same as we do. While they may go about it a bit differently and have a different perspective– the essential worship is the same. While Jesus did say, “No one comes to the Father except through me” perhaps believe one way to interpret this is, while the merits of Christ’s death are important for all persons to enter heaven, it is up to God to apply those merits as he chooses. If a faithful Hindu never has an opportunity to know Christ, should he be barred from an eternal relationship with God? If a mentally handicapped child dies without ever knowing the truth Christ has to offer, should that child not receive the grace and blessings of Christ?

I believe for those who are not Christians, but strive to live in honor of God and to follow God, will receive God’s mercy and be lifted up before Jesus Christ to receive his grace.

Here's my question to you! How would you answer the four questions I posed? What do you think of other religions in the world? If you are not a Christian (or follower of Christ) how do you view - what do you think of - Christianity?

Peace out friends,

Patrick

Need a new perspective?

Every now and then I pause, calmly consider my life, count my blessings, and admit to myself I need a new perspective. I sometimes feel in a rut, in the same ole routine and need to look at things differently. Mark Twain once wrote, "What, then, is the true Gospel of consistency? Change. Who is the really consistent man? The man who changes. Since change is the law of his being, he cannot be consistent if he sticks in a rut"

Perhaps one of the greatest joys I receive from my profession, my calling as a pastor in the United Methodist denomination, is that "change is the law of my being". Those mundane circumstances of routine and rut around me can at times become stale. Yet, it is the people surrounding me that change all that.

It is the meeting of a young couple excited about learning about God and finding out what it means to be in a relationship with Him with a desire to become members of the church. It is the absolute pleasure of meeings with a young man I've known for almost four years and his newly intended as we begin to plan their wedding. It is having members of the same family drive from Iowa and Colorado with their respective new borns and toddlers, over the course of several years, asking me to baptise them as the whole family comes together.

It is my own family - my beautiful wife and incredibly smart daughter - who bring the most change and variety into my life. That might mean leaving church to drive to Ft Atkinson to open Brenda's car because she locked her keys in the car :) Or Brenda treating me my favorite meal for supper time. It might mean Brenda and Grace stopping by church during the day to surprise me with a visit. It also means listening to my three year old take center stage at a musical recital as she plays her violin and in the process has all the parents laughing.

I read a different type of book than I might normally. I drive down a road I've never driven before. I dream of speaking in front of thousands, bringing the Word of God in a way that moves the hearts of the listeners. I think of adopting another child. I consider doing mission work in Mexico where I can continue to use and learn spanish.

Being in a rut can leave me feeling less than what God has made me for; I have wandered a bit from the path of God's intention for me. When I feel this way and in those rare, rare moments I question my roll as a pastor - is this the best way for me to help people reach God through Christ? I look to my daughter. And I follow her advice and stand on my head, I look at life differently, I see a different perspective and am given new life.

This is the perhaps the greatest joy in my life (besides my relationship with God and my wife); it is the relationship with my daughter who teaches me more each day. I love her and all she has to offer. I'm proud to be her papa.

peace out - as Gracie says to me every night I put her to bed.

Always faithful,

Patrick

Building Bridges Between our Faiths

Our world today, in some ways, is very different than it was only a generation or two ago. When I was young and growing up there was not a great diversity of faiths or religions surrounding me – I did not grow up with a mosque in town, a Muslim temple or Jewish synagogue; we did not have practicing Buddhists in my school – at least not that I knew of. I did not grow up knowing the difference between a Buddhist and Hindu, or a Buddhist and a Muslim. When I was growing up I did not see that kind of religious diversity and I would bet it was the same for you as well.

But chances are today your neighbor; your coworker or classmate, someone you know… is of another faith, a religious belief other than Christianity. The world is changing. It is becoming more diversified, more pluralistic and the mainline Christian churches: the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the Baptists, the Lutherans, the Catholics … are not the only religious voices in town any more. January 9th I will begin a new sermon series exploring the major religions in our world: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

I am doing so because of a deep seated belief that in order for our community, our nation and our world to get along we must have a deeper understanding of one another’s beliefs – even if we do not agree with them. These major world’s religions earnestly pursue God; yet each does so in a different way. There is no question that so many different religions have historically led to conflicts and continue to be a source of distrust and animosity and even lead to open warfare in our world.

Each of our faiths represents our deepest values and beliefs. Anything that questions or opposes those values or beliefs is considered a threat. Yet the only way to a long lasting peace among our different faiths is mutual understandings based on respect and educated insight into one another’s religion. It is vital to the peace of our community, our nation, and our world that bridges are built – relationships of understanding and willingness to learn and trust between our religions, rather than erecting continual walls separating and further diversifying us.

I invite you to join with me beginning January 9th as I begin to explore the five major religions of our world while asking four main questions:

1) Why are there so many different religions?
2) How should Christians view other religions?
3) How is God at work in other religions?
4) What is the fate of those who earnestly pursue God through other religions?

For more information on this sermon study led by Reverend Patrick Schultz and the location of Milton United Methodist Church please visit our website at www.miltonumc.org or contact us at 608-868-2860.

Note: This series was originally done by Rev. Adam Hamilton in 2003 and is a reprisal of that works.