There may be sometimes when you are pulled into a religious discussion with your non-Christian coworkers, friends, or relatives. They may ask you what you think about certain matters, such as heaven and hell, marital conflicts, the nature of God, etc. Because they know you are religious, they want to know what you think. You need to understand that this is a great opportunity, not to tell them what you think, but what God has said about such matters. Such a discussion may have eternal consequences, good or bad. Will your answers be based upon your knowledge of Scripture, or on personal intuition?
The Jews who were in Rome wanted to know what Paul thought about a new religion that had come on the scene. But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere (Acts 28:22 NKJV). We can read what Paul told them: So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening (v. 23). Notice that Paul taught them out of the Old Testament Scriptures (the law of Moses and the prophets) "concerning this sect" which he referred to as "the kingdom of God." So what he thought about the matter was what he had learned from God's word. With his ability, he explained and testified what the church of Christ is, and persuaded some of them to become obedient to Jesus, the head and Savior of the church.
Jesus is even more emphatic when the Pharisees asked him if it was lawful to get a divorce for any reason. And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6). Jesus's answer to their inquiry was taken from Scripture (Genesis 2:24). He then drew the right conclusion to their question that man should not divorce. Jesus would later state that the one and only reason one should divorce his or her spouse is if that spouse commits fornication (Matthew 19:9).
Sometimes Christians are asked what they think about a certain biblical topic, and instead of reasoning from the Scriptures, their thinking is guided by "a gut feeling." It is common to hear: "I don't think God will punish folks in hell forever;" or, "I think you can go to heaven without being baptized;" or, "I think one religious group is just as good as another;" or, "I don't think it matters how you worship just as long as you do." If we follow such reasoning, the results will be eternally devastating. For Jesus said, Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven (Matthew 7:21). Therefore those who follow the dictates of their own heart will not go to heaven. Over the years I have heard folks say something like, "I feel in my heart that I am going to heaven." Yet they have not obeyed the gospel. The Bible says that those who do not obey the gospel... shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
May we study our Bibles daily so that we will be able to tell others what we think of religious matters based on our knowledge of Scripture. Then our thoughts will be helpful indeed.
Brotherly, Jamie
