BIBLICAL EXCLUSIVISM OR PLURALISM?

by Amresh Semurath

Biblical Christianity is the essence of uncompromising exclusivism. Biblical Christianity does not force anyone into conversion. Biblical Christianity does not establish itself as a state religion. It stands for and supports the individual's freedom of conscience, belief and practice within the context of the laws of the secular state. Beginning today, and in the articles that will follow, it is my intent to prove the above statements. In the process I will show that pluralism is the "new" intolerance we are facing, a very vicious wolf in sheep's clothing. The pluralist is not as broadminded and tolerant as he would have people to believe. It will become obvious that he is only broadminded and tolerant when you agree with him and allow him to determine what the game and the rules of the game must be. Disagree with this so-called broadminded tolerant wolf and immediately you become the narrow-minded, intolerant bigot and the prey against which he must now bare his fangs. I will also seek to prove that the pluralist is confused about the concepts of "tolerance" and "freedom".

When I use the words "Biblical Christianity", I am referring to Christianity that is found and rooted in the Bible, taught in the Bible and that can and must be proven from the Bible. I am not speaking about brands of Christianity that are rooted in the rulings of councils, in traditions and in the dictates of men. I am not speaking about brands of Christianity that are founded upon extra-biblical revelations. Extra-biblical revelations are false teachings that men call "new" revelations from God. There are no "new" revelations from God today. Heb.1:1-2 tells us that God has spoken. Peter made it plain that God has graciously given to us everything that pertains to life and godliness. (2Pet.1:3). The Bible is God's only message to mankind. And it is a closed canon. Those who fail to heed the warning in Rev.22:18-19 will pay the price.

The pluralist says he can accept and embrace Christianity. That is a false declaration. Christianity by its very definition and exclusivistic nature rejects pluralism. So how can the pluralist accept something that automatically rejects his belief system? The pluralist accepts and embraces a form of Christianity that is the concoction of his own spiritually darkened mind. Eph.4:17-18 describes the spiritually darkened mind as a mind of futility. That which such a mind produces does not achieve the hoped for spiritual goal.

Recently, one pluralist wrote, "A pluralistic society works in harmony only when all members accepts the norms of pluralism. However, when one tries to dominate another, then the problem starts. Conversion is a method of trying to dominate." While the statement is designed to attack Christianity, at the same time it contradicts the so-called tolerance the pluralist proclaims. The goal of pluralism is the domination of those who disagree with the norms of pluralism. The intent is to force the "dissidents", by majority public opinion and/or getting the state to pass laws (the sword), to abandon their stated beliefs and to "convert" to the pluralist's beliefs. As I shall demonstrate, the real problem is not religious conversion but the pluralistic agenda of domination and the pluralist's war against religious freedom and practice.

This is a call to Biblical Christians to awake to the spiritual war confronting them. And in doing so, do not press the panic button because you serve the sovereign God of Heaven and earth. Keep in mind also what Paul said, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses." (2Cor.10:3-4). Our struggle is against the forces of spiritual darkness and wickedness. Arm yourselves especially with "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" and with the weapon of "all prayer". (Eph.6:10-18).

God - the Exclusive One.

"In the beginning God." (Gen.1:1). This God declared, "I am the LORD, and there is no other; beside Me there is no God." (Isaiah 45:5,6,14,21,22;46:9). The pluralist says, "That which exists is One, sages call It by various names." What is God's response? He said, "I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images." (Isa.42:8; Exod.3:14-15; 6:2-3; Psa.68:4;83:18) 1Cor.1:21 says, "in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God." For the world to come to know God, God had to progressively reveal Himself. One of man's problem has been and continues to be his refusal to acknowledge his total failure to come to know God apart from God's revelation of Himself. God, by revelation, declared, "I am the LORD, that is My name." Sagacious men say, "different people know and call Him by different names." "The wisdom of this world is foolishness before God." (1Cor.3:19). Is the issue here linguistic? NO!

The issue is the rebellion of man's sinful heart which is manifested in the rejection of God's revelation of Himself and the evil desire to remake God according to the futile concoction of his depraved mind. Regardless of what God says, man arrogantly insists on going his own way. (Isa.53:6). "There is away which seems right to a man, but is end is the way of death." (Prov.14:12; 16:25). Dear reader, your only hope is to humbly submit to God, the exclusive One, as He has revealed Himself in His written word, and obey Him in keeping with the commands He has given.