Wheaton Administrators Come To Their Senses

HT: Justin Taylor

See CT's blog.

Commentary:

Todd Littleton over at SBC Outpost has defended Mike Edens' statement on this and taken Dr. Mohler to task for his statement.

I remain in agreement with Dr. Mohler and Dr. Piper. That said, I agree with this statement by President Littfin @ Wheaton:

As to the related question this incident raises of evangelism and inter-faith dialogue, surely the best answer is a balanced one. If we truly believe the Gospel and love our neighbor, evangelism will lie near the core of our relationships without occupying the whole of it. Our friendships with non-Christians transcend evangelism in the sense that those friendships continue even when Christ is not received. In other words, our friendship is not contingent upon that reception. But nor can any genuine friendship with non-Christians exclude an evangelistic concern. Our relationship may be in pre-evangelistic phase, or evangelistic phase, or a post-evangelistic phase, but a desire to see our friend find Christ must never disappear from the frame. If our love is genuine, we will always retain sight of our friend’s deepest need and stand ready to serve it if the opportunity arises.

I would add:

1. We can do this without acting as if Muslims have done nothing for which they should repent as well. That was one of my major problems with the original statement. It acts as if forgiveness is unconditional. No, it isn't. Forgiveness in Scripture is conditioned on repentance, and that includes, in human relationships at least a profession of repentance by the offending party when confronted.

2. We can do this without pretending that Allah and Yahweh are the same God. This is, by the way, equally true with the way we deal with Mormons. The gods of Islam and Mormonism are not the God of Judaism and Christianity - period. Dr. Edens said,

"Secondly, Muslims misunderstand the Bible, Christ and Christianity. We who are redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ are to bear witness to Him and the Bible. The best hope for clarification of the confusing theology in Islam is through witness shared by Bible-believing Christians. For me, such witness is best delivered in close conversation. I do that best with Muslims I know and see here in New Orleans but I do that in community with followers of Christ all around the world. From my experience where Islam is dominant, our witness with individuals is hurt when Christian leaders refuse such offered conversations."

Well, doesn't going along with the notion that Allah and Yahweh are identical further such misunderstanding? I find Dr. Edens' position intellectually confused. To do that panders to the self-interest of the sinner. We wouldn't tell an adulterer that his adultery was fine and dandy as if God had nothing to say about it would we? That too panders to the sinner's self-interest, just as surely as saying "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for you life" without qualifying that statement's meaning does. Sure, He loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life...conditioned on your repentance from sin and faith in Christ. I hardly think that your certain damnation otherwise constitutes a "wonderful plan" in the sense that statement from "The 4 Spiritual Laws" is intended to convey.

3. We can do this without prostrating ourselves before Allah and his followers the way Israel did before Egypt and Ra through Pharaoh leading up to the Exile. We should not beg for Allah's forgiveness, for Allah is a false god of the Muslims vain imaginings.