Are All Religions Wrong?

In this regular feature, Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.  Here is this week’s question:  Dear Dave and Tom:  I’ve heard you declare that the Bible says that all religions are wrong.  Can you give me some verses that support that view?  It seems rather arrogant to me, furthermore, many different religions that don’t agree use the Bible, such as Judaism and Christianity.

Dave:

Well, Tom, the very first verse that comes to my mind is, we quoted it just a few minutes ago.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, the life; no man comes to the Father but by me.”  Well, if that doesn’t say all other religions are false—any religion that offers heaven or salvation by any other means than through Jesus Christ and him alone and his death for our sins, is by very definition a false religion.  Now the Bible makes fun of the idols, for example.  Over and over in the Bible, and we could go to Isaiah for example, “I am God, there is none else, beside me there is no God,” this is stated over and over.  So, if the God of the Bible is the only true God, any attempt to worship any other god is certainly a false religion by very definition.

Tom:

Sure, Psalm:96:5For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
See All... says, “All the gods of the nations are idols.”

Dave:

Absolutely, I had that right open here, Tom.  “For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord hath made the heavens.”  You get the same thing in several other Psalms.  Now, here’s a description that Isaiah gives of building an idol.  Isaiah says—Isaiah is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. “Fear ye not, neither be afraid:  have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it?Ye are even my witnesses.  Is there a God beside me? There is no God, I know not any.”  God says look, I’ve checked this whole thing out, I’ve gone all over this universe, and I can’t find another God.  This is from Isaiah 44: 8.  Then it talks about the gods that they have, and we just quoted from the Psalm that says, “All the gods of the nations are idols.”  This is Isaiah:44:9-14 [9] They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. [10] Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? [11] Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. [12] The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. [13] The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. [14] He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
See All..., “They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?  “Behold, all his fellows will be ashamed:  and the workmen:  they are of men:  let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms:  yea, he is hungry, his strength faileth:  he drinketh no water, and is faint.  The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.  He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest:  he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.”  Then he says, “It shall be for a man to burn, some of it, they burn it to heat themselves, or he will take thereof and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yet, he maketh a god, and worshipeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.  He burneth part of it in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth his meat; and is satisfied:  yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, and the rest of it there he makes a god; and he bows down and worships and praises it. And saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.  But he doesn’t consider in his heart, there’s no knowledge or understanding.  I burn part of it in the fire, and also I bake bread upon the coals thereof; I’ve roasted flesh and eaten it, and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stalk of a tree?  He feedeth on ashes:  a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

Tom:

Well, Dave, I’m just looking at Psalm:97:7Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
See All..., it says, “Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols:”  So, it’s delusion, it’s confusion, and you know, for this person to object that wrote this question, if you read the Bible it’s very clear, as we’ve been quoting, that all other religions, all other gods are false religions and false gods.  

Dave:

Now Paul makes it even a bit stronger, 1 Corinthians:10:20But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
See All..., “But I say (he’s speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils.”  Now the verse before, he’s talking about idols, and they’re sacrificing to these idols, they’re sacrificing to devils and not to God.  He says I don’t want you to have fellowship with that.  In other words, get in an ecumenical relationship with these people.  Well, but they believe in a higher power, and they really are sincere.  I mean, what can be wrong with that.  No, there is a demon; there is a devil behind every false religion.  The Bible calls Satan the god of this world.  He’s the one who is really worshiped when they worship any god other than the true God.  They are literally worshipping Satan.  Now, if you go to 1 John 4, he says, “Behind every false prophet,—he says there are a lot of false prophets—there’s an evil spirit.”  This is the inspiration behind every false religion.

Tom:

Dave, the last part of the question was many religions that don’t agree use the Bible such as Judaism and Christianity.  There are a lot of false teachings out there, but let’s take Judaism for example.  Now, you’ve been quoting from the Old Testament, the prophets of the Old Testament, so we’re not saying the Jews were wrong. They wrote the Bible.

Dave:

Yes, but they were wrong because they didn’t obey it, and most of the Old Testament—well, most of it, much of it is about the false religion that they have created themselves and they are not following Jehovah.  For example, you had the serpent lifted up in the wilderness; they made a god out of that.  They had false gods all the way through the wilderness.  Jacob—

Tom:

Book of Judges, over and over again.

Dave:

Jacob, when he is coming to meet Esau and he’s afraid of him, he says to his wives, “Hide the gods under the sycamore tree here.”  Not burn them, not get rid of them, no, no, no, we’re going to try to look good with God so he’ll protect us, but  hide them so we can get back to them again.  This was the case all through Judaism, and sadly, although they are not worshipping false gods, they are not worshipping idols today; they are into a false religion.  It’s their religion.