By TC Lo
I like Jimmy Carter (1924-2024). I like him more as a private citizen than as the President of the United States. He was a nice gentleman. He was also a humble man. President Biden used one word to summarize his character: “DECENCY.” I agree. Jimmy Carter was a Christian man who loved Jesus and was also enthusiastic to serve his church. The term “born-again Christian” was made popular (in the 70’s) because of him. He lived out what Jesus taught on “Loving your Neighbors.” But I must also add, he was also a devout Sunday School Teacher. As a former President of the United States, Carter naturally had great influence to his Sunday School students. If he taught something right, the church and the society would benefit greatly from him. If, however, he taught something wrong, the consequence could be expectedly devastating. Admittedly, Jimmy was a human being, and human being cannot understand God fully. We all have faulty concept with different degree about God from time to time in our interpretation of the Scripture. God understands that. This is why Christians have the responsibility to mutually correct one another with humility and love.
Augustine once said, “If I’m right, and you pejoratively talk behind me, I would be angry; but if I’m wrong and you keep silent and refrain from criticize me, I would grow even more enraged.” I have found that open to criticism is a good way for me to learn and to advance.
In the Book of Galatians (2:11-14) Paul openly refuted Peter (the respected early church leader) for his hypocrisy. Why did Paul publicly accuse Peter? Should Paul pull him aside and gently admonish him privately? Should Paul follow the procedure taught by Mathew 18:15? But Paul’s action was right! It was because the Gospel was at stake! Had Paul never have done so, the whole church could have been misguided and the consequence of the nascent church would be incalculable.
As a I too am a Sunday school teacher, I feel I have a solemn responsibility to humbly point out the faulty teachings whenever encountered. What did Jimmy Carter went wrong? Carter had not explicitly stated that all religions lead to heaven, but he has made remarks that suggest a more inclusive view of salvation. For example, in interviews and writings, he had expressed the belief that God’s love and mercy extend beyond traditional Christian boundaries. This perspective has been interpreted by some as implying that people of other religions could also achieve salvation.
In a 2005 interview with Beliefnet, Carter was asked whether people of other faiths, such as Jews or Muslims or Buddhists, could go to heaven. He responded: “I believe they can. That’s a decision that God will make. I do not believe that Jesus Christ excludes people from heaven because they’re not Christians.”
This statement reflects Carter’s faulty belief in God’s mercy and justice as being more expansive than what the Bible clearly teaches. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He pleaded (out of his humanly agony) to the Father to take away of the Cup of Suffering. The Father indicated to Him a very definitive answer: “No, this is the ONLY WAY; there is no other way.” Jesus obediently and willingly walked on the road toward Golgotha.
In the Book of Acts, Paul writes, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus Himself declares, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).
These verses emphasize that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ, a central tenet of Christian belief which is non-negotiable. Jimmy Carter’s thought as a Sunday School Teacher not only was soteriological faulty, it also greatly blunts the thrust of evangelism for obvious reason.
There are other social issues that former President’s thought was faulty in that he supported “LGBTQ+” lifestyle, an ideology directly contradicting to the clear teaching of the Scripture. It challenges God’s design and the definition of marriage.
In a 2015 interview with The Huffington Post, Carter said: “I believe Jesus would approve of gay marriage, but that’s just my own personal belief. I think Jesus would encourage any love if it was honest and sincere and was not damaging to anyone else.”
But I see this as lesser problematic than the many-ways-to-heaven because it is more a social issue than the orthodoxy of the Gospel.
We have many things to learn from this good man, but we must also be aware with discernment of things where he went wrong. My suggestion: Attend a Bible church with sound doctrine. Be involved in Bible Study Group with brothers and sister to share and discuss, Read the Bible and be guided by the divine interpreter—the Holy Spirit.
