International Bible Teaching Ministries
Other Religions
Question 1: In the early centuries before Christianity came to Africa our ancestors prayed to idols. Will they be lost?
ANSWER: There was a time many, many years ago when all people knew about Jehovah God. Many of our ancestors rejected God and turned to idols (Romans 1:21), teaching their children to do the same thing. In so doing they changed the truth of God into a lie (Romans 1:25). "For this cause God gave them up unto their vile affections" (Romans 1:26). "And because "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient" (Romans 1:28). Romans 1:32 says that these "are worthy of death!" It is clear then, that all who reject God and worship idols will be lost!
Question 2: What caused the division between the Catholic and Orthodox churches in 1057AD?
ANSWER: The two churches (Eastern and Western) had been drifting apart even before this date, but there were two major reasons for the division. (1) This issue concerned a phrase in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed called the "filioque." This is a Latin word meaning "and from the Son" and asserts the doctrine that the Holy Spirit proceeds not only from the Father, as the Eastern church believes, but rather both the Father and the Son, as the Western church believes. (2) Another issue was the Pope's claim to authority over the Eastern church. Both issues caused a significant dispute and rift in the 800's between Photius (Patriarch of Constantinople) and Pope Nicholas I of Rome. The matters worsened until finally in 1054, delegates of Pope Leo IX excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople. The Patriarch then assembled a council that excommunicated the papal delegates, completing the division that still exists, even though the excommunications were removed in 1965. The positions that caused the rift remain today!
Question 3: Why do those in Muslim countries not suffer from "aids" as much as those in Christian countries? Is it because Christians have refused to follow the laws of God that He has decided to bring this killer disease upon them?
ANSWER: The reason there is less "aids" in Muslim countries is that they do not, usually under the threat of death, engage in unlawful sexual activity as frequently as do those in other countries! Certainly however, it is true that "aids" is running rampant in many countries as a result of the refusal to follow Scriptural prohibitions against unlawful, homosexual, and adulterous sexual activity. If these illicit activities were non-existent, certainly there would be no epidemic of such. Nonetheless, we should not suggest that God initiated and brought the killer disease upon people, especially the innocent. He set certain laws (both spiritual and physical) in motion from the beginning. When man violates these laws, he brings consequences of his violation upon himself. So it is with the epidemic of "aids."
Question 4: Have you ever heard of “Kairos?”
ANSWER: Yes! It is a well-intentioned organization that has been established to aid and encourage those who have been incarcerated to adopt varying forms and teachings of denominational Christianity. Even though some good is accomplished by this organization, one should realize that the “Christianity” it teaches takes many different paths, depending upon the background of the individual (or individuals) with whom one becomes involved. Denominationalism cannot be a part of true Christianity because of the varying doctrines held by each. It is the case that the denominations are simply groups that have agreed to disagree. In their disagreement it is evident that they must also, for the most part, disagree with God’s Word, which is the only complete “truth” (John 17:17). Logically, if there is but one standard of truth (in this case the Bible), then it clearly follows that denominationalism in their disagreement with one another must also disagree with the standard of truth. At best, one must logically conclude that only “one” could possibly agree with the “truth,” and perhaps none! The “truth” that saves cannot be found in divisive groups that have agreed to disagree! It can be found only in God’s Word!
Question 5: Do you believe people who have never heard of Jesus Christ will be saved?
Consider the commission of Christ to His followers in Mark 16:15-16: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned.” Note that this is said of “every creature” in “all the world"!
The question must be asked, “What is the condition of every creature in the world, before they hear the gospel, believe it, and are baptized? Are they saved or are they lost? Obviously they are in a lost condition! You cannot save somebody who is already saved! If they were already saved, there would be no reason to do what Christ said to do! The reason He gives us for going is so that the lost can be saved!
What about the person in this country whose parents never taught him or her about Christ? They never believe and are not baptized! Are they lost or saved? If they are lost, do they have to do something to be saved? What do they have to do? They have to do the same thing everyone has to do! The point is that there is no difference in an unbeliever in this country and one in another country. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). This means that however one is saved, all must be saved.
By answering as you have, it is being implied that any person who has not heard the Gospel of Christ is saved. By this suggestion, it follows then that none can be lost unless they first hear the Gospel! If this is the case, we, in obedience to Christ, would be doing others (around the world and the USA) a great disservice by preaching the Gospel to them, because whereas it is suggested that they are, and will be, saved without obedience to the Gospel, we then would place their souls in jeopardy by preaching it to them! However, this is not the case, since clearly the purpose of going into all the world is to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10) through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16)!
Will every soul be rewarded and punished equally? No! Luke 12:47-48: “And that servant, which knew his Lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him will they ask the more.” Jesus also said of the hypocritical scribes: “the same shall receive greater damnation” (Luke 20:47) (See also Matthew 11:24). Clearly, there will be varying degrees of punishment! The same is true of rewards (Matthew 10:41-42).
We do not see and understand such matters as does God and, certainly, we should not try to force His spiritual concepts into our own physical concepts. We simply need to be obedient believers, relying upon His Word, leaving that which we do not fully comprehend up to Him! “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9)!