In Defense of the Faith

Question: I find it very naïve and objectionable that Christians claim that Christianity is the only true religion. Aren’t we all taking different roads to get to the same place?

Response: Like most people, you apparently consider the popular notion that “we’re all taking different roads to get to the same place” to be commendably broadminded. On the contrary, it is extremely dogmatic and narrowminded—more so than anything Christianity teaches. Yes, it allows everyone to take the road of his or her choice but insists that no matter which road is taken, we must all end up at the same place. I reject such dogmatism and reserve the right to choose my own eternal destiny.

Christianity teaches that there are two destinations and that each person has the freedom to choose one of the two: heaven or hell. That Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven can be easily proved. Nor can that fact justify any complaint, since Christ offers Himself freely by grace as the Savior of all who will believe in Him. What folly to insist upon taking your own way to heaven, a place where you have never been and which you don’t even know how to reach! Obviously, God alone is entitled to decide whom He will allow to enter there, and upon what terms.

We all know that we have violated God’s laws and that keeping the law perfectly in the future (even if that were possible) cannot make up for having broken it in the past. None of the world’s religions (Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God through Christ) offers a righteous basis for God to forgive sins and to welcome the sinner into His presence. Neither Buddha, Confucius, Zoroaster, Muhammad, nor any other founder of a religion ever claimed to pay the penalty for the sins of the world. They couldn’t even pay for their own sins and thus are still in their graves.

Only Christ (who is God and man in one Person) was able to pay the infinite penalty that His own justice demanded. His resurrection and ascension to heaven proved that fact. On that basis alone can sinners be forgiven. The choice is yours—either to believe this good news that the penalty has been paid and to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, or to reject Him. Which will it be? If the latter, remember that you can never blame God for your fate. You have chosen it yourself.