Is Everybody Wrong?

Spirituality Column #69
March 4, 2008
Current! In Carmel (IN) newspaper

Is Everybody Wrong?
By Bob Walters

Nobody's right if everybody's wrong …
(Stephen Stills, “For What It’s Worth,” Buffalo Springfield, 1967)

There is a philosophical sucker’s trap into which Christians occasionally stumble. It goes something like this:

“If you think Jesus is the one, true and only way to salvation, then you are saying everybody else is wrong. That’s selfish to think that way, and Jesus wasn’t selfish.”

Therefore … what? Jesus is wrong? Truth doesn’t exist?

Let’s look at that.

We Christians strive diligently and joyfully to mature in our personal and individually unique relationships with Christ. We are to witness to it (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8), yet it is clear in the Bible that not everybody will “get it.”

Humans tend to forget that we are the variable in the equation of God’s grace and truth. God doesn’t change, but we do. In comparison with God’s perfect simplicity, ours is a fairly complicated existence. We deal with a fallen world, accidents, surprises, etc. God doesn’t have to deal with the unknown.

Out of necessity we are very busy with ourselves, trying to make sense of both the human and the divine. But the gift of grace we receive as part and parcel of our faith in Christ is supposed to, it must, unlock our love for others. It can’t be selfish. When I know the truth, that truth doesn’t change because someone disagrees with it, ridicules it, attacks it, or is annoyed by it.

To review, briefly, the truth is God, God is the truth, and God doesn’t change. Ergo, the truth doesn’t change.

A reminder: We change.

We are too often in these modern times trying to make sure everyone is comfortable with their own private truth. So here is a radical, non-PC idea: what if, in fact, the Christian truth is right?

I have a pretty persuasive argument: a real relationship with Christ, a Bible, a church, 2,000 years of Christian theological development, 6,000 years of Biblical history, a deep, abiding, daily, palpable faith in God’s truth and love as revealed in Jesus through the Holy Spirit … and plenty of people around me every day who think I am wrong.

I can’t always adequately explain to others why they need Jesus, but give me the time and I’ll do my best to explain – with love and grace – why I can’t live without Him.

It’s the right thing to do.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) is stunned when he realizes 1967 was 41 years ago … and he remembers this song so well.