COEXIST

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Galatians 1:6-7

We have all seen the coexist bumper sticker pictured above. Each letter represents a religion or belief. C is the symbol for Islam, O is the symbol for peace, E is the symbol for males/females, X is the symbol for Judaism, I is dotted with a Wiccan Pentangle, S is the symbol for the yin-yang or Confucianism, and T is the symbol for Christianity. On the surface this would seem a noble thing, to strive that we all live in peace. However, as believers we understand that this does not pertain to salvation and the message of the cross.

Some would have you believe that all religions are the same and that all paths lead to heaven. This is a direct assault on the Word of God. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Peter being filled with the Holy Spirit said, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The Word of God is clear that we are saved by God’s grace, through faith, in Christ alone.

We have been dealing with false teachers for several weeks now through the sermon series in 2 Corinthians. God has always been jealousy for His church and desires that we are not turned from the truth because of false teachers. Let us love the lost, pray for them, and share with them the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us be diligent and on guard from those, who for the sake of inclusion, would sacrifice and turn away from the Gospel.

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark