The Pope issued a video message back in Jan of this year that has just caught my attention. In it he “highlights the importance of inter-religious dialogue and the beliefs different faith traditions hold in common, such as the figure of God and love.”
Pope Francis goes on to say that “Many think differently, feel differently, seeking God or meeting God in different ways. In this crowd, in this range of religions, there is only one certainty that we have for all: we are all children of God.” The video of this is linked below for you to watch.
While I do wholeheartedly agree that inter-religious dialogue is important, I draw the distinction that dialogue and equating them as equal is not Biblical. We are certainly not all children of God, what is my authority on that- John 8:44. I want you to get the whole flavor of the argument the Pharisees were trying to make with Jesus. Do not let the English grammar fool you, they were in essence calling Jesus an illegitimate child.
You Are of Your Father the Devil
39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
Before Abraham Was, I Am
48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’[c] 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”[d] 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
So here we see Christ telling the Pharisees who their father really was. We also note that the “brotherhood of man” is a divided house. Children of God and the children of Satan. Their unbelief confirms this. Secondly, earlier in the chapter they bring an adulteress to him and ask him in essence shouldn’t we stone her, that is what Moses in the law commanded. You know the rest of the story, but remember He said “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” He condemned sin; accepted the sinner. Let’s not reverse this and condemn sinners & accept their sin. Put yourself in those men’s shoes, where would we stand? She was guilty. How would we have handled it? WE ARE SHE! For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God, Romans 3:23. We can have inter faith dialogue to those that still need to be saved in a loving manner. We can have conversations with any unsaved person, in a way that honors the Father. What we can’t do is say that those outside of Christ are also another way to God or Salvation. Christ is the only way, the gospel the only hope. Remember Noah and the Ark, there were no other ways to avoid death, one Ark, one door and all discussions/disagreements/speculations ended when God closed the door of the Ark.
John 14:6 -Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.