There are many things that bother people about Christians, but seemingly the one single thing that people really key in on is a Christians insistence upon Jesus Christ being the ONLY way to Heaven. People don’t like being told that there is only one way to do something. As a matter-of-fact, if you want to alienate someone from you and have them mad at you for a long time, simply tell them that when they are with you, it is your way or the highway.
And yet Christians come along and do exactly that. They tell people that the only way you can get into Heaven is through Jesus Christ and belief in him.
And there are a lot of theists around the world that don’t want to hear that. There are also a lot of atheists around the world that are threatened by that.
The theistic people that are threatened by the claim that Jesus Christ is mankind’s only hope to see Heaven are angered by the fact that this then trumps their god. They want to believe that Jesus Christ is A way to Heaven, but he is not the ONLY way to Heaven. Buddhists want to believe that Buddha is a way to Heaven. Muslims want to believe that Mohamed the prophet is a way to Heaven. Hindus want to believe that everything is a way to Heaven. And a lot of good folks just want to believe that they are the way to Heaven. If I just live a good life and am kind, I will get into Heaven.
Atheistic people are threatened by the claim that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven because they have some mistaken belief that this somehow limits their freedom or creates strife in the world. This always amuses me greatly because it is generally these very people that have no problem whatsoever demanding that some cause they believe in be practiced, yet your cause cannot be because it encroaches upon peoples liberties. An example of one of these causes might be abortion. A cause that really does encroach upon my actual liberties. A cause that costs me my tax dollars that I pay (I would never support abortion with my money unless forced to). A cause that costs society in fractured lives (I could provide the stats if you doubt me here, but you can do the research yourself). A cause that, in my humble point of view, legalizes the killing of innocent human beings (and before you jump on the bandwagon here, let me ask you, how in the world can these clinics be caught selling human body parts for research unless they are already developed?). A cause that is affecting the very fabric of society, and yet when a Christian comes along and says that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven, they immediately have to be silenced. Even though the Christian’s statement costs nothing and it’s only effect of society is what others allow it to have. Nothing is forced on them, it is not a statement that disrupts peoples lives (unless they allow it too), it is simply a statement that may be accepted or rejected.
But I digress. Even agnostics seem threatened by the statement that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven because they don’t like having their world disrupted by being told any absolutes.
Everyone appears to miss the fact that Christians are not making a claim on their own, rather they are repeating what they have been taught (and come to believe) by Jesus Christ himself. It is not Christians who decided that Jesus Christ was the ONLY way to Heaven, it was Jesus Christ himself who made the statement:
“5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. (John 14:5-7 King James Version (KJV))”
Jesus Christ made the statement that he was the only way to the Father (in Heaven) and he is the only one who ever has made this statement or could make this statement. Buddha did not claim this, Mohamad did not claim this, not even Satan has claimed this, nor could they. I believe God, as the author of truth, reserves this one claim for his Son and only his Son.
Suppose someone today were to make this claim. A great world leader or an influential person who champions the cause of the poor and downtrodden. Would you hold them credible? I do not think you would. There is one person, and only one person who ever could make this claim credibly.
But how do we know that Jesus Christ was credible in making this claim? I believe there are many reasons, but consider this one – the Magi that came to Jesus as a young child bowed before him and worshipped him (Matthew 2). They also brought him gifts of great value – gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Where did these Magi (whom have been referred to as Wise Men and Kings) come from? Matthew tells us only that they came from the East. A lot of Biblical scholars place their origin in Persia, India, and Babylon.
Why would kings or wise men of obvious influence during this time travel to a foreign land and seek out a young child born in a stable and bow before him and worship him? Their people were not looking for a Messiah. And they probably did not have a complete understanding of the Old Testament (hence their questions of Herod). And their method of finding Jesus was through secular means. They told Herod they had “seen his star in the East”. Note that they prescribed to Jesus Christ his very own star. And because of this they recognized him as King of the Jews and in the very act of finding him and worshipping him and presenting him with gifts of great value, they in effect recognized him as King of Kings.
Why is Jesus Christ’s claim to be the ONLY way to Heaven credible? Well one compelling reason is because the leaders of the countries which birthed the other religions of the world came and bowed down before him.
This Christmas season I hope you will take a moment to consider the Three Kings. The Wise Men who came to Herod seeking the one who had his very own star in the heavens. If they would come and worship Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords perhaps we should pause and give thought to his claim of being “the ONLY way to the Father” in Heaven.
Merry Christmas to ALL of YOU and may each and every one of you have a Blessed New Year.
Feel Free To Share Your Views …