Rev. Richard Smith
In another writing I’ve made my belief that when Jesus spoke of himself as “the way, the truth, the life” (John 14:6), he was not advocating verbal profession of himself as the singular way to salvation. Rather, Jesus was claiming the principle that following his life, his values, his moral and spiritual character, his teaching is the way we show our faithfulness to him and to God’s intent.
This view naturally leads to a conversation about Christianity and other world religions. If Jesus did not intend to state that verbal profession of him as “way, truth, life” is the pathway to salvation, then the door is open for a wider understanding of who proves faithful to what God intends for all humanity.
Let me offer some personal reflections:
One Can Be An Advocate Of A Religion Other Than Christianity And Still Practice The Way Of Life Jesus Lays Out. A prime example would be Mahatma Gandhi. I don’t believe any of us want to go on record saying that Gandhi is excluded because he was a Hindu, from having blessed communion with God beyond this life. Keep in mind what Gandhi himself said of Jesus: I cannot but embrace the gentle figure of Christ, so patient, so kind, so loving, so full of forgiveness…I shall say to the Hindus that your life will be incomplete unless you reverentially study the teachings of Jesus…In Jesus’ own life was the key of his nearness to God; that he expressed as no other could the spirit and will of God. Interestingly, the issue for Gandhi wasn’t understanding Jesus as the unique example of absolute obedience, nearness to God; it was that we Christians so poorly modeled him as Christian believers.
It’s All About The Love Ethic. The love ethic, as Jesus stated, is the heart of true religion; whatever the practicing religious belief system.
- Judaism (13th B.C.) – “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18)
- Hinduism (3000 B.C.) – “The sum of duty is to do naught unto others what you have them do not unto you”
- Buddhism (560 B.C.) – “Hurt no others in ways that you, yourself would find hurtful.
- Confucius (6th C. BC) – “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
- Christianity (A.D.)- “The second great commandment is…’Love you neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:39).
- Islam (6th C. A.D.) – “No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he deems for himself.”
Now here I would want to be clear that I believe that no religious figure has ever compared to Jesus in the way this love ethic was both proclaimed and lived. In Jesus we see the essence of faithfulness to God, of love of God, and desire to live the life which embodies what God wishes. So, even as we affirm the love ethic in other world religions, we still view Jesus as the person, the model for all humanity to review and to embody in daily living.
- A Central Issue Is Monotheism. We must hold true to the belief in one God.
- God Values And Loves All His People Everywhere.
- Acts 10:35 (Words of Peter): God accepts from every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right (NIV).
3. Judgment Is Not Ours To Practice. Jesus always spoke harshest on moral-spiritual elitism, judgmentalism, spiritual arrogance. He said, Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
4. Leave Ultimate Decisions To God.
- James 4:12 – There is only one lawgiver and judge…Who are you to judge your neighbor.
- Romans 14:10,12 – Why do you pass judgment on your brother…Each of us will give an account of ourself before God.
A Worthy Witness: Dr. Leslie Weatherhead (1959): “We should never, by our superior attitude, pretend that they [other religions] are excluded from the all-embracing love and care of God…I cannot accept, for example, that a devout Buddhist or Hindu, who through his lifetime has meditated on truth and reality, and practiced the highest way of life he knows, is by a just, loving and holy God, excluded or in any sense finally shut out from the fellowship of the saints…”
