In today's postmodern society, a few popular phrases regarding religion are "you have your religion, I have mine", or "you just need to do what works for you". Everything is relative and everyone gets to decide what they need or don't need when it comes to God. As long as you're basically "good" and follow some sort of religion or spirituality, you're probably going to heaven if there is such a place. Unfortunately, these popular ideas will lead everyone who follows them to a very unpopular place called Hell. But you don't have to take my word for it.
The Bible is filled with the idea of the sinfulness of man. It teaches that sin eternally separates us from God and causes death. But, the Bible is also filled with another idea that gives hope. The hope giving idea is the truth about Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches Christ was the son of God, who died on a cross for our sins, giving us a chance at redemption and eternal life. The Bible also teaches, that grace through faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved from our sins.
In reading Jesus' words, we have two possibilities; either Jesus was crazy because he claimed to be God's son, or he was in fact God's son. He gave many convincing proofs to the latter, with the greatest proof being his resurrection from the dead. So, if in fact Christ is God's son, His words on salvation are final. Listen to what God's son says about salvation. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." That statement stands directly against postmodernism. It's not whatever works for you, it's what works for God. We don't get to decide. That idea continues through the New Testament:
Acts 4:12 - "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
1 Timothy 2: 5-7 - "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men..."
1 John 5:11-12 - "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
John 3:36 - "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
In today's society, claiming Jesus is the only way is probably considered intolerant or hateful. But it would be much more hateful for me to believe that Christ is the only way to God, and then tell you that whatever works for you is okay. I believe if we all do whatever works for us, we'll all end up in eternal punishment. I'm writing this truth in love today, because I wouldn't want to see anyone under God's wrath.
