Why All Religions Will Come To Jesus

WHY ALL RELIGIONS WILL COME TO JESUS

John 6:45

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: HOW WILL YOU EVER LEARN?

1. I heard the story of a nine-year-old girl who returned from Sunday school and as her father was sitting down with his newspaper after a delicious Sunday lunch, she asked him some questions.

2. ''Daddy, why did God make all the leaves green?'' He thought a moment and replied, ''I don't know.'' Then she asked, ''What did God do before he made the world?'' Again he said, ''I don't know.''

3. She asked him another one: ''Daddy, how did Noah catch the two snakes and put them in the ark?'' He put down the newspaper and said, ''I don't know.''

4. The little girl sensed that her father was a bit restless, so she asked, ''Do you mind if I ask you questions?'' He replied, ''Not at all, how are you going to learn anything if you don't ask questions?''

B. THESIS

1. Atheist Dr. Ray Bradley says, “[Christians’] God will torture the majority of humans eternally in hell for the sin of unbelief, even though most of them have never even heard Jesus' name.”

2. He says there is no way such a punishment is either “just” or loving. Is it true that a person's salvation or damnation could simply be the result of a historical or geographical accident – they were born in the wrong place or time?

3. Are these charges true? The Lord Jesus Himself contradicts this when He declares John 6:45, “Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to Me.” The title of this message is, “WHY ALL RELIGIONS WILL COME TO JESUS.”

I. THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT SALVATION:

A. ONLY JESUS CAN SAVE US FROM SIN AND MAKE US ELIGIBLE FOR HEAVEN

1. HE’S THE ONLY WAY TO THE FATHER; “I am the Way… No one comes to the Father except through Me,” John 14:6. HE IS ETERNAL LIFE; “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” I Jn. 5:11-12.

2. ONLY HIS SACRIFICE IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD; “He will save His people from their sins” Mt. 1:21. “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” 1 John 2:2. The Father was satisfied with His sacrifice, Isa. 53:11.

3. ONLY HIS NAME SAVES. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12.

B. THE BIBLE’S GOD IS A GOOD & JUST GOD

1. God declared Himself to be “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” Ex. 34:6. That’s His good nature.

2. God will also judge justly, not meting out a harsher punishment than necessary, but taking into account all the facts of each case. As Abraham asserted, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Gen. 18:25. He WILL do right.

C. EACH PERSON WILL BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO MAKE HEAVEN

As Adrian Rogers said, “I believe with all my heart that there’s never been a person who died without some opportunity to have received Christ, had they lived up to the light that God gave them.” Josh McDowell adds, “...God will not exclude anyone because he happened to be born at the wrong place and at the wrong time” (Answers to Tough Questions, 1993; p. 137).

D. ALL ARE GIVEN GENERAL REVELATION

1. Paul in Rom. 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

2. Even those who’ve never heard the Gospel have it written on their hearts (see Rom. 2:14-15).

E. ALL ARE GIVEN SPECIAL REVELATION

1. Every person receives a certain amount of special revelation, that is, a personal exposure to the reality of God & His presence, answers to prayers, signals that God is listening/ responding. If they respond positively to that, they get more light (Lk. 8:18; 19:26).

2. The goal of general & special revelation is to bring us to the saving knowledge of Jesus as our Redeemer. That why Jesus said, “Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to Me,” Jn. 6:45. That’s why all religions will come to Jesus Christ!

F. ALL SALVATION IS FROM JESUS ON CROSS. All salvation – even that of Adam & Eve, Seth, Enoch, Noah & Abraham – was made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.