What is the difference??

Last night I went into the Young Offender center…it was Bible study night…and it was my turn to teach…

…we are going through the Gospel of John and this week we were at chapter 14...

In chapter 14 Jesus tells His disciples something that is really, really politically Incorrect…a real narrow, intolerant teaching…or so our culture tells us…

Jesus tells His disciples not to be troubled…because He was going away to prepare a place for them…

…Jesus was knowingly about to be executed in the most cruel and torturous way…and not only suffer the wrath of the cruel Roman cross…but also drink the cup of His Father’s fierce wrath [so that His people wouldn’t have to]…

…and He is encouraging His disciples not to be troubled? He is truly the Great Shepherd…concerned only for His sheep.

His disciples are confused…if Jesus was going to prepare a place for them…then they needed to know the way to that place…but they don’t know the way…

Jesus answers them…I am the way, the truth and the life…NO One comes to the Father except through Me.

WHAT!! HOW INTOLERANT AND NARROW is that?

Jesus says that He is the only way, the only truth, the only life…that there is only ONE way to the Father [eternal blessings]…and that was through Him…and our culture of open-minded and tolerant folk go absolutely ballistic…

They say that its beliefs like that which make the world a hateful…ugly place…

They say that people should accept all views…and that no one has the right to try and say that their way is the only way…and then try and convert people to their way…

Doesn’t that sound more tolerant? It is actually a fancy work of magic…where the words are quicker then the brain…

Watch closely and I will try and uncover the trickery.

Let’s ask a few questions.

Do these people accept all views of truth? Are you kidding…just think deeply for a minute.

What is one view of truth that this type of thinking cannot accept? They say that all beliefs are equal…all beliefs are valid…all beliefs are the same…but they cannot accept certain beliefs…

…those beliefs that say that they are the only way. They cannot accept these beliefs into their circle…because they spoil the rest of the batch…the only people they receive into their inner circle is those who agree with their definition of truth…the rest are excluded.

Then they become very intolerant towards those who they view as intolerant…and they proclaim into the public square that no one has the right to tell someone else that their view of truth is wrong…and everyone must accept everyone else’s view of truth…

What they are doing is telling those groups who say that our way is the only way… “that your understanding of truth is wrong”…and now you need to shut up about your way…and be converted to our way of thinking…

…you can keep your beliefs about Jesus to yourself…

In the end our culture has just as narrow, just as intolerant views about truth as the Christian. Our culture is very aggressive in converting all people to its way of thinking…

Don’t get me wrong…the Christian is just as narrow…and also is trying to convert people to the only way…to Jesus…

The real difference? The Christian admits it.