Do you see a word that keeps coming up in these questions? It's the word "religion." Many of the questions that people — even Christian people — ask about this topic include that word. They ask things like we just mentioned: "How do we know that our religion is truer than other peoples' religion?" And it's that word that actually is a problem for many of us as we struggle with this issue. Let me explain.
Our picture sometimes is one of many different world religions sitting on a table in a buffet line. The goal is to choose one religion – the one which looks most tasty to you! The problem with this view is that it sets all religions on an equal plane, and it can't help but cause us to question the validity of our choice. How do we know that the chicken tasted better (or is more true) than the beef anyway? Such a view of "buffet line" religions is actually a terrible reduction of the relationship with the Creator God that we see described in the Bible.
The Bible begins with these words: "In the beginning GOD…" The Bible does not take time trying to prove to us that God exists. It assumes that there is one true God of the universe – who created you and me and everything we can and can't see. The Bible does not take time trying to show why "Christianity" is better than other religions; in fact, it doesn't really speak in terms of "Christianity" or "religion" at all. It talks about the one true Creator God of the universe — YHWH — the God in three persons. Christianity is not so much a religion as it is a relationship with the living one true God of the universe. The Bible basically tells the story of that God creating us, our falling away from him because of our sin, and the plan that God executes through Jesus his Son to bring sinners back into a relationship with him. A religion implies a system of rules to follow; the Bible tells the story of the God of the universe bringing his created people back into a right relationship with Him. The Bible presents this as the one true story of reality — not just one of the choices on the buffet line. So, as we begin this discussion, we need to at least recognize the claim that the Bible makes: the story of God's creation of the world and redemption of the world in Jesus is the only right interpretation of reality.
This is an interesting question. It does seem, at first glance, to be a little harsh for us Bible–believers to claim that our way is the only true way to God. But, when you think about it more, wouldn't the opposite be harder to believe? In other words, the harder question I think would be: "How can there be many true religions?" Assume with me that there is a God who made the world. Most of you here tonight believe that, but some of you may not — so just assume it with me for now. If that God provides for people a way to know him and be in a relationship with him, why would it make sense for those people to take other ways to get to God?
Let me use an analogy here. Pretend that God lives in a large building in downtown Chicago. God, in his mercy, has built a wonderful 4-lane highway (with much less traffic than 290) that leads straight into the city and ends at the front door of his building. He has provided this wonderful highway to get there…and anyone who wants to go be with him can hop in their car and drive there on the highway. But, some people start saying: "God is so closed-minded! I can't believe he doesn't live in Indianapolis! Plus, I hate the highway. I'm going to head straight South on some backroads. Any loving God would let me get to him by bushwhacking down South." And lots of other people say similar things; some take trains to the West Coast, and some catch busses up North to Canada. But God is in Chicago! And he has made a way to get to him. The point is this: God has provided a way to get to him, and it doesn't make sense to make up other options. And this is the whole point of what Jesus says in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus is the road, the path, the way. Everyone can take it — by faith in him and trust in his death on the cross for our sins – and it is a rejection of God himself to claim that there is another way.
This is a question that many people ask, and it definitely demonstrates, in some ways, a heart of compassion. It is hard for us to imagine that well–meaning people who do their best at their "religion" could actually be rejected by God. We say to ourselves, "Look at how sincere they are! They are really into what they are doing; their intentions are so good." The hard truth that I believe we have to affirm — according to the Bible — is that sincerity, focused in the wrong direction, does no good at all. Look with me at 1 Kings, chapter 18, for a moment. It's the story of Elijah and the prophets of the false god: Baal. Elijah gives these prophets the opportunity to pray to their god to answer them and bring fire down from heaven as a sign that he is real. Read 1 Kings 18:25-29. Pretty sincere people, right? They are amazingly sincere – and probably much more than some of us here tonight. But you see, their sincerity is focused in the wrong direction! They are praying to a god that doesn't exist! It's not the sincerity of our faith. It's the object of our faith. And the only right object of faith is the God who made us and who sent his Son Jesus to die for us.
Well, the short way to answer both of these questions is: you can't! You can't always tell people that there is one way to God without offending them. And, you won't be able to prove (at least in the way that we usually talk about proving things) that Christianity is true or argue someone into heaven. But, let's take the questions one at a time.
First, let's get something out in the open. The gospel is offensive. The gospel of Jesus tells people that they are dirty sinners who stand condemned before a holy God and deserve to be punished for all eternity. That is offensive to someone who believes that they are a good person who is going to heaven because they are very sincere in their beliefs and very nice to other people. But, the gospel also affirms that God has provided a way — yes, only one way — but a way that is open to everyone. It is a way to be forgiven. It is a way for dirty people to be made clean. It is a way to be accepted by God as a Father accepts his children. It is a way to have eternal life in the new heaves and the new earth. It is the way of Jesus. And ALL who say to Jesus — forgive me because of what you did on the cross for my sins and give me new life in you — will be accepted by God. Christianity is the most exclusive thing ever — if you don't want anything to do with Jesus. But it is also the most inclusive thing you can imagine — because no matter what you have done, what color of skin you have, how much money you make, how dirty you feel you are, you are welcomed to come to God through the cross of Jesus.
Second, let's talk about proof. We have to admit that we will never be able to prove that Jesus is the only way to God in the sense that you make a 4–step proof in Geometry. Coming to Jesus — we have to keep affirming — is a miracle. It is the supernatural work of God's Holy Spirit that helps us believe that what he says in his Word is completely true. But what I think we can do is challenge people to read the Bible! And as we do this, we can ask them to honestly ponder whether or not this book (which we believe to be God's communication with us) gives the most realistic explanation of reality. Challenge them to ask whether or not the Bible truly portrays human sin, fallenness, and brokenness. Ask them to consider the God who made the world, and offers his own life to redeem his fallen world. There is truly nothing like it. And my prayer is that all of us will see our faith in Christ not as a choice on a buffet line but a true relationship with the living God of the universe who made us to live forever with him.
Posted on 12.23.10. Taught by Jon Nielson. © hyacks 2010
