All Roads Lead…..

Well, it has been a while since the last post. There has been a lot going on here on the home front and time seems a bit tight. Today we are looking at a topic that most don’t want to tread or, if they do, it is down the path of “why can’t we all get along”. It is interesting that God actually does expect believers to get along with unbelievers. There is so much written about how Christians should behave in the world and yet sometimes we miss the boat. However, “getting along” and “acceptance” are not always connected. With that thought in mind, let us dive in.

All roads lead to God

I ride a road bike and travel to and from work, along with several side tours, right along with motorized traffic. One of my favorite bumper stickers to see along these routes is the COEXIST one that has several religious symbols found on it. I have discovered that those people do not like to “coexist” with me on the road and pass right up against me on many occasions. True, they are not alone in the disdain for cyclists but, their own claim mounted right on the vehicle doesn’t really mean anything to them. Such is this idea that “all roads lead to God”. One argument is that surely a loving God would not expect His creation to find only one path that leads to eternal life. Before we dive in deeper, I am going to ask a simple question, “why not?” After all, He is God. Why would He not require this of His created?

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ESV)

God’s expectation on His people is that He is the only one, period. Jesus reminds us that we cannot serve two masters, we will love one and hate the other. This is what we see today, people desire to serve themselves as “master” and don’t want God to interfere with that thought. God’s demand is that our attention is focused on Him. However, before we slide off topic too much, what does this have to do with other religions and attempts to reach the Creator of the universe? First, we have to understand what religion really is; man’s attempt to please a “supreme being(s)” by doing enough to achieve his/her attention. When we look around at all the religions of the world, they all have common themes, namely, what we do. There is a problem with this line of thinking. God is not pleased with our efforts. They are self motivated and prideful. Nearly all the religions of the world, by their very make up, demonstrate that there is a problem. With that information, they agree that something has to be done about it. So when the Bible says “all have sinned” and “there is no one righteous, no, not even one”, these religions are in agreement. However, the solution seems to be varied and most don’t deliver what God intends, that is HOPE. I listened to one person and his “faith” where he explained that he hoped that in his lifetime he had done enough. The question is “how much is good enough” or possibly “how do we know when we have reached good enough?”. Sadly, God says this about our good works;

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. (Isaiah 64:6 ESV)

In other words, we simply can’t do enough to satisfy the wrath of a Holy God. Here is where part of the problem exists. We act as if God doesn’t really care how we behave, after all He is the one who gave us “free will”. So, religion in its own right, is a track to failure. This would seem to leave us without any hope. However, God has, from the very beginning, set this world on a collision course with His plan. Everything in the Old  Testament points to Jesus. In fact, Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies written about the coming messiah. His birth, His life, His death, His burial and His resurrection were all recorded before Jesus was even born.

So, what does this have to do with all roads? Recently, I had the opportunity to share in a Bible study this thought. All roads do eventually lead to God. What??? How could this be a true statement? Let’s look at something God shared through the apostle Paul;

for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:11-12 ESV)

Also we read this;

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27 ESV)

Followed by this;

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27 ESV)

When John writes “enter it”, he is speaking of heaven and the presence of God, the Father.

I point these out just as a snapshot of the bigger picture. All roads eventually do lead to God but only those whose name is written in the “Lamb’s book of life” will enter into heaven and be with God forever. Jesus states that the gate, or pathway to hell is wide and easy. Many will follow that path but the gate to eternal life is narrow and few will find it. However, everyone will face God at the judgement. The question is how do we get on the “narrow path”? Jesus makes it as simple as it can possibly be;

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 ESV)

As simple as it sounds, it still comes with great difficulty for people. They don’t like this idea of God being that narrow. However, as we have stated before, God is God. He is “in the beginning” in Genesis and “it is done” in Revelation. With that, we have one path, one gate, if you will, that will bring us to the throne room of God with one advocate, Jesus Christ. His life, His death, His resurrection assures that the believer, the one who places all of his life in Jesus’ hands, will stand as “not guilty” before the Judge.

In His Name

Scott