Jesus Among Secular Gods, Part 3 - Who's Mountain Are You Climbing? Answering Questions Of Humanism & Pluralism Series

To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? Says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing. (Isaiah 40:25-26)

A motto of the United States is e Pluribus Unum – out of many, one. In many cases, plurality is a desirable thing. According to God’s own Word, every nation tribe, people, and language will be represented in heaven. It is important, however, not to confuse the reach of God’s saving grace to all nations with a misconception that all roads lead to God. By God’s very nature and the distinct values of Christianity, vs. Isalm, Hinduism, Buddism, or Pantheism.

“Traditional tolerance (Social Pluralism) is now referred to as negative tolerance. This is defined as ‘respecting others' beliefs and practices without sharing them,’ or ‘to bear or put up with something not especially liked.’ “The new tolerance (Religious Pluralism) is called positive tolerance, which says this: every single individual’s beliefs, values, lifestyle, and truth claims are equal.” (Josh McDowell)

The question then is, “Do all roads lead to God?” Someone once said to me, “It doesn’t matter who we’re praying to, as long as we are praying, they all go to the same place.” The idea behind pluralism is that there is no one right way. Just be good. Can I worship a tree and find God just as much as coming to church? Is Jesus only one way for us to know God while Muhammed another way? I can tell you, most assuredly, that the answer is no. But such claims in a post-modern culture are treated as hostile by our culture, especially when it makes such claims by Christians.

This, however, is called by Ravi as a “Western Fashion Statement.” That all views are equal, as long as your view doesn’t make a claim of exclusivity. Western Civilization embraces pluralism while assaulting Christianity. Jesus didn’t come and make pluralistic assertions. In fact, just the opposite. How tragic it would be for God to send his own son to a sinners cross, but only for those who found this way to be most pleasing? Jesus claimed exclusivity because in being fully Divine, he did what no man or religion could do.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

I. Christianity is Unique to All other Claims

This is not only a claim of absolute exclusivity, but it is also the most significant message of hope and blessing from God that he could make. How can I make such an assertion? Isn’t this a message of hate to others who chose to follow Islam or even those who decided not to follow and religious construct at all? Remember that man is searching for answers to four essential questions:

Origin—Where did I come from?

Meaning—Why am I here?

Morality—How should I live?

Destiny—Where am I headed?

Only Christianity answers these questions. If we strip the exclusive claims of Jesus from his words, then we also strip the answers to these questions. Where Christ places periods after the question, we replace them with question marks and leave us back to a place without hope.

Islam is not only different than Christianity but in some key respects directly opposite to it. In Islam, if you love and obey Allah, he may love you back. In Christianity, Jesus explicitly objects to only loving those who love you first: “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them” (Luke 6:32). In Christianity, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). (Vince Vitale).

No other place in religious constructs do we find the relationship with God as that of a Heavenly Father. I think this is why Satan works so relentlessly on damaging the father/child relationship. Children, especially boys, learn from their Fathers how to love and treat the woman they will marry, how to raise their children, how to handle failure and success, their work ethic, and, most importantly, their relationship with their Heaven.

• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes

• 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes

• 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes

• 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes

• 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes

• 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes