Why the Richfield Bible Baptist Church cannot be a member of the Richfield Interfaith Coalition
By Pastor Alfred B. Davis, Richfield Bible Baptist Church
6 April 2016
Richfield has a diverse wealth of religious communities, organizations, and faith traditions. There are various Christian churches, such as the United Church of Christ, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Foursquare Gospel, and Baptist churches in Richfield. In addition, there are also a variety of non-Christian religions such as Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain.
Seeing all these religious groups prompted the formation the Richfield Interfaith Coalition (RIC) in 2015. The Richfield Interfaith Coalition states their principles and goals on their web page (RichfieldInterfaithCoalition.org) as:
"We established some basic principles for RIC. We mutually respect each other's faith and culture. No one is trying to proselytize anyone. We gather with an open mind to grow in understanding and collaboration. We agreed to meet in our different places of worship each month.
"Goals? I think that meeting the different religious leaders, sharing a meal peacefully and getting to know one another is itself a big step forward. As we progress, we will work together on projects that serve the broader community."
The Richfield Interfaith Coalition statement seems, at first glance, quite tolerant of diverse beliefs. However, a closer analysis reveals that it is actually not quite as tolerant as it might first appear. In fact, it is only tolerant so long as you agree with their principle, "We mutually respect each other's faith and culture. No one is trying to proselytize anyone."
But what if you do not agree with the Richfield Interfaith Coalition statement? What if you believe, instead, that other religions and belief systems are false and condemning their followers to hell? What if you believe that true salvation comes only through the Word of God? What if you believe that the Bible means what it says in the following passages?
- "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)"
- "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)"
- "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)"
- "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)"
- "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.( Acts 4:12)"
- "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:11-12)"
Furthermore, what if you truly believe that one of the most important commands that Jesus Christ gave to His followers is to go into all the world and preach the gospel? Before ascending into heaven, following His resurrection, Jesus gave us the command, also known as the Great Commission, to evangelize the entire world with the gospel message:
- "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)"
- "Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:14-15)"
- "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:45-48)"
- "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)"
Therefore, according to the Bible, we are called to preach the gospel and make converts of all those who have not put their faith in Jesus Christ, regardless of what religion they may or may not already have. We are not called to "grow in understanding and collaboration" and to agree not to proselytize. Instead, we are called to confront false doctrine and false religion with the truth of God's Word. In short, the Great Commission is Jesus' express command to us, His followers, to confront false beliefs and to proselytize. Consequently, to agree with the Richfield Interfaith Coalition's principles and goals is to deny the Great Commission. It is to deny our own core beliefs and violate our principles and goals as Bible believing Christians. It is to deny that we believe what Jesus meant when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)" It is to say, or at least act, as if we do not really believe that Jesus meant what He said.
Yes, what we believe is intolerant of other faiths and religions, but that does not mean that we have animosity or antipathy toward those who follow other faiths and religions. Quite the contrary, we are concerned with their eternal destiny and want to deliver them from the consequences of their false religions by encouraging them to put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour instead. We are intolerant of the false belief systems ensnaring them because the Bible is.
However, the Richfield Interfaith Coalition's statement is intolerant as well. It is only tolerant so long as you agree with them, but it is quite intolerant if you do not. For example, Richfield Interfaith Coalition organizer, Rev. John King, recently stated in the April 2016 Richfield Times article, "Interfaith Coalition Sponsors Interfaith Open House April 9", on page four:
"All of us are stronger and wiser when we understand and respect our diversity. I find it unfortunate that some groups are still entrenched in the notion that their way is the only way. Authentic faith builds bridges, not walls."
According to Rev. King, it is "unfortunate that some groups are still entrenched in the notion that their way is the only way." Apparently, he either disagrees with or does not believe Jesus Christ's claim in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me," and finds it unfortunate that some groups, such as Bible believing Christians, do. In fact, he goes further and even questions the validity of those who do believe the Bible by saying, "Authentic faith builds bridges, not walls."
Now, how would you describe someone who says it is "unfortunate" that some hold beliefs that he disagrees with and claims such beliefs are not "authentic"? Hmm, sounds a bit intolerant to me. So much for the Richfield Interfaith Coalition principle, "We mutually respect each other's faith and culture."
In conclusion, it is obvious that the Richfield Bible Baptist Church cannot be a part of the Richfield Interfaith Coalition because the Coalition, according to its own published statements, does not tolerate our beliefs. The only way we could affiliate with the Richfield Interfaith Coalition would be to change our beliefs to something more acceptable to the Coalition. In other words, we would have to ignore, compromise, or throw out our own deeply held fundamental principles and beliefs and replace them with those the Richfield Interfaith Coalition finds tolerable. And, for us, as fundamental Bible believing Christians, that is quite intolerable.
- "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. (Luke 6:22)"
- "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (John 3:17-21)"