Have you ever watched the Jay Leno show when he does his "Jay-Walking" feature? Jay goes out onto the sidewalks of southern California and asks passersby questions that any third grader should be able to answer.
I am constantly amazed at how many people don't know how many states there are in the United States, who the current president is, and many other seemingly simple questions.
I just finished reading a summary of a recent Pew study on religious beliefs and practices. To be completely honest with you, I was deeply saddened when I saw the results of some of the questions.
It is clearly apparent that many Americans have gotten so wrapped up in this life, and their individual pursuits, that the teachings of God have gotten morphed into relativism.
It seems that if we don't really know what the answer is to some of life's more salient questions, then we get to make them up. Furthermore, in our arrogance, laziness, or perhaps just our busy lives we take these lackadaisical philosophies and build our lives around them!
People! What is going to happen to you when you die? Why do you believe that? What is the foundation of your beliefs? Your quickly fashioned opinions don't count! Do you want to risk life after death with such impromptu thinking?
This chart, from the Pew Study, shows that 70% of Americans believe that there are many ways to heaven. Fully 57% of Evangelical Christians hold the same belief!
Here are two verses from the Bible that we all need to read, understand, and come to terms with:
John 14:6, "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
That is very direct. No one goes to heaven except for belief in Jesus Christ.
Jesus speaks to this issue again in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
Jesus is telling us here that many get it wrong! Most will go through the wide gate (many ways to heaven) and find only their destruction.
Here is the real question. Do you really believe that God exists and that Jesus was His Son sent to earth? Do you really believe that Jesus Christ was God? Really? If so, dear friend, then read and understand the path that Jesus Christ proclaims.
You simply can not afford to be wrong on this one!