Key Questions: Dad, are Christians narrow-minded?
1. Isn’t engagement with the culture dangerous for our faith? Doesn’t God command his people to be holy, which means they should be separate from the world?
This argument is often used by those who tend toward the separation option.
There is some truth to it, like the next question, but it’s not the whole truth.
Yes, the Bible is full of commands to “be holy” (throughout the Old Testament, especially in Leviticus, but in the New Testament, as well: e.g., Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:15–16).
In the Old Testament, this holiness does involve the people of God creating a distinct culture from the nations around them.
God does not want them to be tempted to worship the gods of those nations (e.g., Deuteronomy 7).
However, throughout, there is a hope that the other nations will join God’s people in worshiping the Lord.
For example: “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isa 49:6).
In the New Testament, Peter’s call for Christians to “be holy” is joined later in the book with the admonition to “always [be] prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).
As often is the case, the truth is in the tension.
Engagement with the culture can be dangerous for your faith if your faith is not strong enough to resist the temptation to worship the “gods” or our culture (wealth, prestige, comfort, etc.).
But the Lord calls us to be “lights” to a dark world (Matthew 5:14).
1 Peter 3:16 resolves this tension well. As Christians engage the world, they should maintain a “good conscience” through honoring Christ in their hearts and behavior.
This will protect them from temptation and make their witness more effective.
2. Shouldn’t we be “winsome” in our evangelism and not offend people?
This argument is often used by those who tend toward the assimilation option.
There is some truth to it, like the previous question, but it’s not the whole truth.
The passage from 1 Peter 3 discussed in the previous question says Christians should defend their faith “with gentleness and respect” (v. 15).
Similarly, Colossians 4:5–6 instructs believers to “walk in wisdom toward outsiders” and “let your speech always be gracious.”
However, just as in 1 Peter 3, Paul’s instructions in Colossians come in the immediate context of his desire to “declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:3–4).
You rarely end up in prison without offending someone!
In fact, throughout the Bible, those who proclaim God’s word—from the prophets to the early church in Acts to Jesus himself—often offend people.
You rarely get crucified without offending someone either!
Once again, the truth is in the tension.
We should not cause unnecessary offense. Christians should be known for their love—for their neighbors (Luke 10:25–37) and even their enemies (Luke 6:35).
But we must recognize that the gospel, by its very nature, is likely to offend people: “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 1:23).
Jesus provides the example for us, as his life was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
We wouldn’t be loving our neighbors if we didn’t tell them the truth.
But they’re unlikely to hear that truth if they don’t experience our love.
3 . Can’t we just leave the work of being ambassadors to “professional Christians” like pastors and apologists?
Amazingly, when Paul describes the high calling Christians have been given to be God’s ambassadors in the world in 2 Corinthians 5:11–21, he is addressing all Christians.
In fact, the Corinthian Christians to whom Paul is writing are far from exemplary in their faith and behavior. Paul has some harsh words for them in both of his letters.
But, Paul declares, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Anyone who believes in Jesus is given the privilege and responsibility of representing him in this world.
In the gospels, we see some very unlikely people meet Jesus, be transformed by him, and then go tell others about him, such as an adulterous Samaritan woman (John 4) and a man formerly possessed by a legion of demons (Mark 5).
“Professional Christians” don’t have the same opportunities that others have to represent Jesus in all kinds of places and ways in society.
4. Is it intolerant to claim that Christianity is the only religion that is true?
Jesus himself claims “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Those that declare, “No religion has the whole truth,” or “All religions lead to the same place” are, in effect, claiming that they have the whole truth to justify such claims.
The common illustration of the blind men and the elephant used to support such claims actually undercuts them
People use it to claim that every individual only has access to part of the truth, just like the blind men only can see part of the elephant and, therefore, think it’s a tree or a snake or a rope.
However, to make the claim that the blind men are wrong, you have to have seen the whole elephant—the person using the analogy is assuming they themselves are not blind! (see Kruger article in Resources).
Christians believe that only God knows the whole truth (or can see the whole elephant).
But God has revealed himself in Christ, and Christ has declared that he is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
