"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
The scribe was repeating the same statement, “God is one” which Jesus earlier mentioned. Who is the one God? The God is the very God that the Bible talks about. Then who is the object whom other religions follow as the absolute one? In fact, there is no such object. Worshipping something that does not exist is idol worship.
Christians know the answer of the above question. However, we have to think a little more seriously about this world, history and the destiny of human beings. As believers of God, the creator of the universe, it is not a proper attitude if we insist to monopolize God by considering that people outside of the Bible community are hopeless. The God whom the people outside of the Bible community follow may also be a part of God the one. If we premise that having experience with their God is life-oriented, it is also hard to say that there is no life in them.
I do not mean that Christian belief can be compromised with pluralism or relativism. I would rather mean that we should not keep a limitation on the unlimited power of God we trust and follow. Keeping the same analogy in mind, the power of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ works as a great source of power for salvation not only for those who believe in him but for the entire universe as well.
We should not lose Jesus’ cross and his resurrection, the center of Christian belief, both in positive and passive level. In positive level, the incident of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the power of God to save especially those who believe in him. In the passive level, it is the power of God to work even with the unbelievers beyond our imagination.
The scribe was repeating the same statement, “God is one” which Jesus earlier mentioned. Who is the one God? The God is the very God that the Bible talks about. Then who is the object whom other religions follow as the absolute one? In fact, there is no such object. Worshipping something that does not exist is idol worship.
Christians know the answer of the above question. However, we have to think a little more seriously about this world, history and the destiny of human beings. As believers of God, the creator of the universe, it is not a proper attitude if we insist to monopolize God by considering that people outside of the Bible community are hopeless. The God whom the people outside of the Bible community follow may also be a part of God the one. If we premise that having experience with their God is life-oriented, it is also hard to say that there is no life in them.
I do not mean that Christian belief can be compromised with pluralism or relativism. I would rather mean that we should not keep a limitation on the unlimited power of God we trust and follow. Keeping the same analogy in mind, the power of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ works as a great source of power for salvation not only for those who believe in him but for the entire universe as well.
We should not lose Jesus’ cross and his resurrection, the center of Christian belief, both in positive and passive level. In positive level, the incident of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the power of God to save especially those who believe in him. In the passive level, it is the power of God to work even with the unbelievers beyond our imagination.
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