When someone says there are many paths to God (as I heard someone say this week), it makes me feel sad … and for those who may not be aware, it is unscriptural. In the Bible, John 14:6 records Jesus as saying: 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father except by me.'
If you could get to heaven by burning incense; visiting a temple/church/impoverished foreign village; memorizing verses; prostrating yourself on a long journey to Lhasa; admiring nature' or any of the other things that some other religions promote as the way to God, then Jesus would have certainly told us to do those easy things and be on our way! If there are lots of ways to God, by all means take the easy route! But he never told us to take the easy route. There is not one. Jesus died as a sacrifice, to pay the price of our salvation. And though he did it willingly, it hurt him deeply. For us to discredit that by looking for an easy way out, or by telling him we found another way to achieve the goal by ourselves, it is an insult to Jesus who deserves so much more from us. Really, why would he bother to die a brutal death (a blood sacrifice) if there is some other way that would reconcile us to God?
God is the one who created heaven, and he gets to make the rules for what it is, who gets in, and how. He decided that the door to heaven is through Jesus. All our deep thoughts and alternative paths that point to anything else amount to foolishness. We humans don't get to make up the rules.
And Easter seems an excellent time to say so.
If anyone wants to know more about how to become a Christian, Romans chapter 10 in the Bible can help you get started. I realize that most people who read my blog already know this information, but, you know, just in case, it seems worth saying.
On a personal note: I have had some crazy stomach bug or food poisoning all weekend, and had to cancel all my numerous weekend activities -- including the Easter ones. Monday morning my time (Easter Sunday evening for those of you in the U.S., around 8 p.m.), I 'll be flying to Japan where I will stay until late Friday. I would appreciate your prayers for the stomach bug to go away, for travel safety (especially on airplanes, but road and rail safety too) and for no earthquakes while I am in Japan this week (They had a relatively small one this past Friday. The whole Pacific Rim of Fire is really active right now with earthquakes popping up every day at one place or another.) I've been through a few earthquakes before, and if I never experience another one, I'm totally okay with that. Thanks so much!
If you could get to heaven by burning incense; visiting a temple/church/impoverished foreign village; memorizing verses; prostrating yourself on a long journey to Lhasa; admiring nature' or any of the other things that some other religions promote as the way to God, then Jesus would have certainly told us to do those easy things and be on our way! If there are lots of ways to God, by all means take the easy route! But he never told us to take the easy route. There is not one. Jesus died as a sacrifice, to pay the price of our salvation. And though he did it willingly, it hurt him deeply. For us to discredit that by looking for an easy way out, or by telling him we found another way to achieve the goal by ourselves, it is an insult to Jesus who deserves so much more from us. Really, why would he bother to die a brutal death (a blood sacrifice) if there is some other way that would reconcile us to God?
God is the one who created heaven, and he gets to make the rules for what it is, who gets in, and how. He decided that the door to heaven is through Jesus. All our deep thoughts and alternative paths that point to anything else amount to foolishness. We humans don't get to make up the rules.
And Easter seems an excellent time to say so.
If anyone wants to know more about how to become a Christian, Romans chapter 10 in the Bible can help you get started. I realize that most people who read my blog already know this information, but, you know, just in case, it seems worth saying.
On a personal note: I have had some crazy stomach bug or food poisoning all weekend, and had to cancel all my numerous weekend activities -- including the Easter ones. Monday morning my time (Easter Sunday evening for those of you in the U.S., around 8 p.m.), I 'll be flying to Japan where I will stay until late Friday. I would appreciate your prayers for the stomach bug to go away, for travel safety (especially on airplanes, but road and rail safety too) and for no earthquakes while I am in Japan this week (They had a relatively small one this past Friday. The whole Pacific Rim of Fire is really active right now with earthquakes popping up every day at one place or another.) I've been through a few earthquakes before, and if I never experience another one, I'm totally okay with that. Thanks so much!
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