Even in the Bible Belt, we live among a smorgasbord of religious options. Everybody has their take on the road from here to eternity, and the only opinion that seems unwelcome in the public square comes from the person who claims to have found the truth. Any such exclusive claims gets labeled hateful and intolerant. And the unwritten rule seems to be: All beliefs are created equal. (Except the one that rests upon a universal standard of objective truth. That one should be silenced, if not canceled entirely.)
But here’s the strange reality: If I buy into the religious smorgasbord, I must resign myself to a state of spiritual schizophrenia. That’s because, for example …
Buddhists believe that Jesus was a uniquely enlightened teacher, but nothing more.
Hindus believe that Jesus was one god among a plethora of viable gods.
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus was the first creation among Jehovah’s multiple creations.
Jews believe that Jesus was a rabbi gone rogue who deserved his death sentence.
Mormons believe that Jesus, in the spirit world, became a god. And that we too can become gods and populate planets.
Muslims believe that Jesus was an honored prophet, and that he never died.
Unitaritans and other theological liberals believe that Jesus was a role model, though limited in scope, for ethical behavior.
I’ve barely scratched the surface here, but you get the point. All these belief systems can’t possibly be right, as they directly contradict each other. Their core truth claims compete with each other. Even when they use parts of the Bible to “prove” their diverse and heretical doctrines, they reach wildly different conclusions. And they reach no agreement about the Lord Jesus.
When it’s all said and done, there really are only two options for us when it comes to our understanding of spiritual truth (who we are by nature, and how we can be in right relationship with God) …
Option A is this: You and I are sinners through and through, but Christ has come to rescue us by His life, death, and resurrection. God’s salvation is a free gift, received by faith alone. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was sufficient, so we can rest in Him.
Option B is this: You and I can work our way to God, earning divine approval by our valiant effort, good deeds, and moral striving. Though we can never be quite certain that we’ve done enough, we can keep trying, and hope for the best.
I think you can see that every group I mentioned is committed to some version of Option B. That’s the basic nature of every “religion” that does not define itself by the gospel of Jesus Christ. You see, friends, the gospel is good news only when we realize that Option B is the epitome of hopelessness and despair. When the religious parade gets finished with their various versions of Jesus, they’ve refashioned him into something far less than fully God and fully man. (On that they do agree.)
It’s always been this way: Jesus is the cosmic deal-breaker! We want a broad way by which “all roads lead to Rome.” But He insists upon a narrow way that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14). More than that, Christ is the way, thetruth, and the life (John 14:6). Jesus majored on exclusivity, in fact, and such an exclusive claim came from His own mouth. His testimony was unequivocally exclusive.
But I’m happy to report that the Exclusive has come to us. And He has come to us with His arms open wide. It must be love: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Yes, it must be love.
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Pastor Charles
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