Remaining rivals or adversaries...

I recently noticed this bumper sticker on a vehicle in front of me at a traffic light. It, obviously, is an attempt at unifying the many different belief systems around the world. From an artistic point of view it is a very creative piece. Coexist, by definition, means "to exist separately or independently but peaceably, often while remaining rivals or adversaries." I wonder if the individuals behind this bumper sticker, and those similar to it, realize this definition.This definition creates an image of separation more so than one of unity that I believe is the true meaning of the bumper sticker. However, it naively assumes that this is possible on a major basis apart from large amounts of compromise. The three major religions of the world represented in the bumper sticker are Islam (C), Judaism (X) and Christianity (T). For the most part, these religions have coexisted in the world while still being adversaries. But, we don't have to look too far to see that in many parts of the world coexistence appears to be nothing more than a dream.

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God... Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18,22-24

The "C" in Coexist represents Islam. According to Islam For Today, the beliefs and laws of Islam include the following:

• In Muslim eyes, Mohammed completes a succession of prophets, including Abraham, Moses and Jesus, each of whom refined and restated the message of God.
• The Koran therefore corroborates, updates and expands the Old and New Testaments.
• Main tenets Central to Islam is the absolute sense that there can only be one God - Allah - and that he is the source of all creation and disposer of all lives and events. Hence, there is no God but God and Mohammed is his messenger.

Now, when I read these beliefs of Islam there is no way in the world a Christian and Muslim can have common ground apart from serious compromise on the part of one, or both, individuals. Jesus is not one of a succession of prophets who "restated" the message of God. He is God! The Koran doesn't update and expand the Bible. The final book of the Bible, Revelation, was written almost 500 years before Mohammed was even born! God had already used 44 authors over a period of 1,500 years to write the Bible. I don't think He then needed to wait five more centuries to have someone expand on His finished work with a belief system totally contrary to His original intent. According to the Bible, God's name is not Allah and Mohammed is not His messenger. Muslims deny the deity of Jesus Christ. They deny His death on the cross. They deny His resurrection from the dead. If we are to believe these contradictory beliefs are somehow supposed to mesh then God is the author of confusion and a liar. Thus, He would not be God. It is clear to see why the truths of the Bible are foolishness to those who are perishing.

The "X" in Coexist represents Judaism. While Christianity and Judaism share many things in common, chief amongst them is the belief in the same God and the Bible, there is one main difference. According to About.com:

• Jews believe the Messiah (Mashiach) will be a person (not a god), from the family of King David, who will lead the world to unity and peace. Jews do not believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

There you have it. The Jews don't believe the Messiah will be a god. Well, Jesus is not "a god," He is God. And let us not forget that the Messiah has already come. When Jesus appears in the future it will be His second appearance, not His first. And, as scripture promises, He will be coming to gather those who have accepted Him as Savior. This why Jesus is a stumbling block to the Jews. They simply don't believe Jesus is the One they have been waiting for all these centuries. Unfortunately, like their Muslim counterparts, they will have a rude awakening if they don't come to faith in Christ.

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:26-29

The one thing to remember in all of this is that all these faiths desire converts to their belief systems, in one form or another. The way in which they go about it may differ, but the fact remains. When you add in the social and economic structures associated with these belief systems, coexisting can be next to impossible. That is why the definition talks about being rivals and adversaries. The angst that can develop between different belief systems, along with the desire to make others like ourselves leads to inevitable conflict. Violence often arises as does isolation. There may be a perception of peace, but these are usually the times when one group or the other is contemplating how to get those who don't believe like them to become on of them. Jews have adopted a more passive way of proselytizing. Christians actively evangelize through involvement in the world around them. Muslims use similar techniques, but have shown to be violently aggressive in many instances. Regardless, there is very little agreement amongst the different groups. However, instead of coexisting, the best thing to do is to have unity. And the only way to have unity is by recognizing the world's need for a savior. That Savior, the only Savior, is found in the Person of Jesus Christ. By coming to faith in Him, all the barriers that separate us, including religious, are dissolved as He makes one Body out of both Jews and Gentiles. Instead of coexisting as rivals and adversaries we should all be one in Christ.