Articles
Does It Make Any Difference?
I don’t know who first said “It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere.” The saying has been around at least 50 years and remains a popular sentiment today.
In no way am I suggesting that civil government should tell us what to believe. Nor am I saying that we, as individuals, ought to coerce others as to what they believe. However, God has already spoken on the matter. Our duty is not to force or coerce, but to teach and persuade.
For example, does it make any difference what one believes about Christ? Jesus Himself indicated it does! “If you do not believe that I am He (i.e. the Christ, the Son of God), you will die in your sins” (John 8:24)
Countless sincere people, many of them religious, believe Jesus either never existed, or He was something less than the Son of God. Should it matter to us if they believe He was just a good Rabbi? Maybe even a prophet? If we believe what Jesus said, then it matters because we love our neighbors; we don’t want them to die in their sins.
Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). Multitudes don’t believe that. Some, like Oprah, come right out and say Jesus is not the only way! Should we have Oprah arrested? Of course not! But we should firmly and kindly seek to inform and persuade her and those who agree with her. Jesus died for them; God wants them to be saved, and so should we.
Some say it’s arrogant to teach one must believe Jesus is the Son of God and the only way to Heaven! But true arrogance is contradicting Jesus.
