Sad Survey

I read a recent article titled, "Americans: My Faith Isn't The Only

Way To Heaven." It highlighted a recent survey by the Pew Forum on

Religion and Public Life last year. Many things are disturbing

about the survey results, but I want to look at just a few.

57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many

religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional

evangelical teaching.

In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared

that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to

interpret the teachings of their own religion.

Is it too far out of line to ask how in the world someone who

believes in Jesus as the Christ and accepts the New Testament as

God's Word could ever believe many religions, including Islam,

Judaism, and others, can lead to eternal life?

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to

the Father except through Me" (Jn. 14:6). "The" way, truth, and

life cannot be interpreted to mean "many" ways, truths, lives.

Since Jesus is "the" way, there is no other way. Belief in and the

following of Mohammed and the Koran do not lead to life, but death.

Rejection of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God leads

to hell as well, no matter how much else you may have going for

your religiously--like those in Judaism. Jesus said, "...for if you do

not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (Jn. 8:24). In

your Bible you will notice that the "He" of that sentence is

italicized. That means the translators added it. What the text

actually says is, "if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in

your sins." Jesus' claim is that He is God in the flesh, just like

in John 8:58. So, any who do not believe this will die in their

sins; they will go to everlasting punishment in hell.

Here is the real problem. People who say they believe in Jesus, yet

also say those who do not believe in Jesus can have eternal life,

simply do not believe in Jesus or the Gospel. They truly are

unbelievers. You cannot believe in the Man and not believe His

words.

Here is the second point for your consideration: Within the masses

that claim some level of belief in Jesus as the Christ, are all

their beliefs and practices acceptable? In other words, if other

world religions are excluded, does everything that might be

categorized under the wide umbrella of "Christianity" lead to

heaven?

For instance, can a Mormon or Jehovah's Witness go to heaven?

Mormons believe in another testament, the Book of Mormon. Yet, Paul

said in Galatians 1:8, 9 to reject any other "gospel" that does not

agree with the original Gospel, even if from angels of heaven.

Jehovah's Witnesses reject the divinity of Jesus, contrary to John

1:1. They say He was created, contrary to John 1:3. Can such people

go to heaven? The biblical answer is no.

The fact is, the Bible does not teach many ways to heaven, even

among "believers." There is one body of truth that has been

revealed to men; the New Testament. It is the one Faith, as

described by Paul (Eph. 4:5). It can be understood (Jn. 8:32). If

the one truth can be understood, it can and will be understood

alike.

The Bible does not teach multiple truths on one subject. It does

not teach Jesus is divine and that He is not divine. It does not

teach there are many faiths and one faith. It does not teach there

are many churches and one church (Eph. 4:4-6; 1:22, 23). God is not

the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33).

Modern American religion and its leaders are thoroughly corrupting

the minds of the people. They are teaching, as they learned from

liberal theological seminaries who advocate a pluralistic society,

that they are many faiths, many paths, many ways to God and eternal

life. The people have been too lazy or apathetic to find out from

the Word of God itself if this is true or not. Most just blindly

follow whatever their leaders say; and for this they will lose

their souls, as Jesus said, "And if the blind leads the blind, both

will fall into a ditch" (Matt. 15:14).

Are you blindly following your leaders? Be noble, like the Bereans

and search the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so (Acts

17:11). As I have told many people on many occasions, do not follow

me, follow the Lord; examine my teaching in light of the New

Testament of Jesus Christ. Even if I am right and you follow me

because of me, you will be lost. Your faith must be in Christ and

His doctrine, not men and their teachings.

                                                            Steven Deaton

       Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.

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Last modified: October 23, 2007