Some believe we should fight over religion. Israel was told to remove all idolatry from the land. Ezekiel 14:6, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!” Those who followed false religions were to be put to death. Leviticus 20:27, “Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their blood guiltiness is upon them.” However, this rule was only for the nation of Israel at that time.
What do the scriptures say about how Christians should act now?
Galatians 6:10 (NLT), “whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone.” We should even love those who hurt us. Matthew 5:44,45, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Christians are to copy God’s love. God loved the whole world so much that even while we were His enemies, He sent Jesus to redeem us! Romans 5:8 (NIV), “while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.”
Please recognize that God’s plan of salvation is only through Jesus. “There is no other name under heaven…whereby men must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Soon, all mankind will learn how much God loves us. “God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-6.
This will happen in the resurrection. Then all will be taught God’s true religion! Isaiah 11:9, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
We are not told anywhere in the Bible to respect other religions. How can we respect a “god” who is unjust, petty and vengeful? Or a religion which teaches most will be eternally tortured? People everywhere desire to uphold justice, love, and wisdom. We cannot respect a religion which does not honor these principles.
However, we are told over and over and over again to respect people. We are to love all…even if they are persecuting us. Our dear Lord Jesus never repaid evil for evil, but demonstrated God's love in every act.
