Theological Misconceptions Part 2: "Jesus is one of many ways to God."

The second misconception I want to address is the idea that there are many paths to God, Jesus is just one of them. This is sometimes voiced, as it doesn’t matter what you believe so long as you are sincere. The problem with this view again begins with a foundational misunderstanding of God’s character. The philosophical understanding at the root of this misconception is that if God is loving He would surely not allow someone who is sincere in whatever religion they are practicing to be cast off for all eternity. This is an overemphasis of one attribute (love) over others, such as justice. This is a topic that will be dealt with in depth in later posts.

Outside of the overemphasis on God’s love, the Scriptures are explicit on several doctrines that are essentials to the Christian faith. All of which speak very clearly to claims of exclusivity. A denial of any of these doctrines constitutes a lack of regeneration or a lack of salvation.

--Jesus is both fully God and fully man (John 1:1,14; 8:24; 12:39-41; Col. 2:9; 1 John 4:1-4).

--Jesus rose from the dead physically (John 2:19-21; 1 Cor. 15:14).

--Salvation is by grace through faith (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2; 5:1-4).

--The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:8-9).

--There is only one God (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8)

--God exists as a Trinity of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

--Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary (nature of incarnation)

--Jesus is the only way to God the Father (John 14:6).

The last claim, from the words of Christ Himself, allow absolutely no room for Christ being only one of many ways to God. Christ's claim is that He is in fact the only way to God, by faith in His death and resurrection to bear God's wrath against sin in our place.

Theological Misconceptions Part 1: "If I am good enough God will accept me."

Over the next few posts, I wanted to take the time to address a number of common theological misconceptions held by non-Christians and nominal Christians. The first misconception I would like to address is the thought that, "If I am a good enough person God will allow me into heaven and accept me."


Like virtually every theological misconception they start with a wrong foundation. Like any strong building if the foundation is poorly done the building will eventually decay and be destroyed. The foundational issue here is one that is asked regularly in our society but mostly answered incorrectly. Is man inherently good or is he inherently evil? 

The Old Testament is clear in Ecclesiastes 7:20, "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins." In the New Testament the Apostle Paul deals with this issue in Romans 3 quoting portions of Psalm 5, 10, 14, 53, 140; Proverbs 1 and Isaiah 59.  

“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” - Romans 3:10-18

Paul later says in Ephesians 2:1-3 the plight of men without Christ. "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."

Mankind according to Paul is by nature children of wrath. One might say this is a hopeless plight! There is no way that we can be accepted by God. You would be right in and of themselves man cannot be accepted by God. God must intervene and perhaps two of the greatest words in all of scripture appear right after this statement in Ephesians 2:4..."But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."

God intervenes and provides a way for sinful men who were once objects of God's wrath to be forgiven and reconciled to God. By sending His Son to be the object of wrath in our stead, by faith in substitutionary death and resurrection of Christ + nothing else we may have life.

Romans 3:21-26, "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

The Greatest Story Ever Told

The historical narratives of the Old and New Testaments are an amazing unfolding of God's redemptive purposes. Each one of God's past redemptive acts is part of the development of His plan to restore lost sinners into communion and relationship with Him. Immediately after man sinned and became subject to all misery and condemnation, God began to reveal to man His thoughts of peace and reconciliation. The first promise made with Adam and Eve contained the essence and substance of the entire plan of salvation, even though it was only in its elementary form. God's gracious redemptive plan was increasingly revealed with the progression of time. The Old Testament promises, types, and messianic prophecies all pointed forward to the coming of the Messiah in whom God's purposes of redemption would be ultimately fulfilled. These means shadowed forth, to the Old Testament saints, the one and only way of salvation through the substitutionary death of the Lamb of God. With the eyes of faith they rejoiced to see the promised Messiah, and in Him they obtained the blessings of justification and the forgiveness of sins. Redemptive history climaxes with the shedding of the blood of the Son of God on the cross. His precious blood was the necessary price for redeeming sinners from the state of condemnation and death. The Christological focus of redemptive history does not end with Christ's first coming, however, but it also includes the manifestations of His grace and mercy in this present age, and it anticipates His second advent when He will make a final restoration of all things unto Himself. -redemptivehistory.org  This all culminates into, as Shai Linne puts it, "The Greatest Story Ever Told."

Lyrics

Alright check it: lets go back in time, brethren. Divine lessons always keep your mind guessing. The glory of the Triune God is what Im stressing. The origin of humankind was fine. Blessings were plenteous. God is amazingly generous. Crazy benefits in a state of innocence. God told the man what he could taste was limited. Not long after came our nemesis in Genesis. He scammed well, man fell, damned to hell. The whole human race—he represented it. Fooled by the serpent, man through his work, woman through birth—even the earth ruled by the curses. But instead of a wake immediately. God said her Seed would be the One to crush the head of the snake. Yo, wait what is this? Whoa, a gracious gift! In Jehovahs faithfulness He clothed their nakedness. This was so they would know their Saviors kiss and bliss. But first, many growing pains exist suffering in the worst form, ugly deeds. Eves firstborn seed made his brother bleed. Indeed things got progressively worse. Every section of the earth is been affected by the curse. And though Gods judgments against sin were gory, praise the Lord! Its not the end of the story.

Next scene: mans sin was extreme. God gets steamed, man gets creamed. The Lord is so Holy that He drowned them in the water. Fire in the valley of slaughter Sodom and Gomorrah. But at the same time, Hes so gracious and patient that from one man He created a whole nation. Eventually enslaved by the mentally depraved, they cried out to the only One with the strength that He could save. He brought them out with signs and wonders satisfied their hunger. Then He appeared on Mount Sinai in thunder. Where He laid down the law for God-ruled government. Commonly referred to as the Mosaic covenant. Sin was imputed. So for man to know hes unrighteous, God instituted animal sacrifices. This was to show our constant need for atonement. And when it came to sin, the Lord would never condone it. And when His people disobeyed and went astray, He raised up prophets and kings to lead them in the way. But they would get foul with their idolatry—wet and wild prophecy—send them into exile. To take their punishment like a grown man. Then with His own hand He placed them back in their homeland. And while in their forefathers land they dwelt, they awaited the arrival of Emmanuel.

After 400 silent years filled with sighs and tears. In Bethlehem the Messiah appears. God in the flesh—Second Person of the Trinity. At thirty begins His earthly ministry. Baffling cats with accurate, exact facts and back-to-back miraculous acts. A stumbling block to the self righteous. But the humbled—His flock, said Theres no one else like this. He came from heaven to awake the numb. Demonstrated His power over nature, son. A foretaste of the Kingdom and the age to come. But the reason He came was to pay the sum for the depths of our wickedness, our wretched sinfulness. Bless His magnificence! He is perfect and innocent. Yet He was wrecked and His death. He predicted it. Next He was stretched, paid a debt that was infinite. He said that He finished it. Resurrected so the elect would be the recipients of its benefits. Through faith and penitence we get to be intimate. His grace is heaven sent, it never diminishes. Now the Holy Spirit indwelling is the evidence for heavens future residents who truly represent Jesus, the Author, Producer, Director, and Star of a story that will never, ever end!

Its the greatest story ever told.
A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold.
The greatest story ever told.
Restoring all that the enemy stole.
The greatest story ever told.
The glory of Christ is the goal, behold.
The greatest story ever told.
Its the greatest.

Artist: Shai Linne
Album: Storiez
Song: Greatest Story Ever Told Feat. Flame

Year: 2008