The Simplicity of Salvation (4 of 18)
Series: Simple Faith
Eddie Snipes
It is often said that all roads lead to God and that we worship the same God by different methods. Is this true? The answer to this question is of vital importance, for each of us will stand before Him. Can we be confident in any one way to God? Can we be confident in the idea that all worship God in different ways?
It was Jesus who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me." He also said He was the door to salvation and any who try to enter another way is a thief and a robber.13 Jesus is very exclusionary. He went as far as to say that the world only loves those who are part of its system, but will hate the ones who follow Him.14 The reason is that Jesus calls us out of the world, its religions, and its ways of thinking. He then calls us to live as pilgrims journeying through a country that is not our own.
From the beginning of our discussion, we see that Jesus pitted Christianity against the world. It's not possible to accept the words of Jesus and the world religions at the same time. Nor is it possible to accept other religions without rebuffing Jesus. This truth is being challenged every day and in many creative ways. An example is this Hindu proverb. There are variations, but the proverb goes something like this:
A student approached a guru and asked, "Why do men argue about religion and how do we know what God is like?"
The guru explained how philosophers and theologians are like blind men around an elephant. Each one was asked to feel of the elephant and describe it. The blind men began arguing among themselves. The one who felt the leg said, "An elephant is like a mighty tree."
One who felt the ear said, "You're wrong. An elephant is like a large fan in your hand."
"You're both wrong," said the one who felt its side. "An elephant is like a great wall."
Each man described different parts of the elephant, arguing that what ...
Series: Simple Faith
Eddie Snipes
It is often said that all roads lead to God and that we worship the same God by different methods. Is this true? The answer to this question is of vital importance, for each of us will stand before Him. Can we be confident in any one way to God? Can we be confident in the idea that all worship God in different ways?
It was Jesus who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me." He also said He was the door to salvation and any who try to enter another way is a thief and a robber.13 Jesus is very exclusionary. He went as far as to say that the world only loves those who are part of its system, but will hate the ones who follow Him.14 The reason is that Jesus calls us out of the world, its religions, and its ways of thinking. He then calls us to live as pilgrims journeying through a country that is not our own.
From the beginning of our discussion, we see that Jesus pitted Christianity against the world. It's not possible to accept the words of Jesus and the world religions at the same time. Nor is it possible to accept other religions without rebuffing Jesus. This truth is being challenged every day and in many creative ways. An example is this Hindu proverb. There are variations, but the proverb goes something like this:
A student approached a guru and asked, "Why do men argue about religion and how do we know what God is like?"
The guru explained how philosophers and theologians are like blind men around an elephant. Each one was asked to feel of the elephant and describe it. The blind men began arguing among themselves. The one who felt the leg said, "An elephant is like a mighty tree."
One who felt the ear said, "You're wrong. An elephant is like a large fan in your hand."
"You're both wrong," said the one who felt its side. "An elephant is like a great wall."
Each man described different parts of the elephant, arguing that what ...
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