How Spiritual are We?
October 8, 2009

Last Sunday Parade Magazine published the results of an "exclusive" national poll aimed at getting America's spiritual pulse. While 75% of Americans believe in God, that belief is very non-judgmental and open. 59% said all religions are valid and only 12% said their religion was the only true faith. While there were a lot of other results which you can see by going to www.parade.com/spiritual, I'd like to focus on the now commonly held American belief that no one faith is the only way to God.

On the surface that conclusion seems logical. I mean, if one religious has it right, that mean's all others must have it wrong. How could so many people be wrong. It just makes more sense to believe that God is the hub of a spiritual wheel and all world religions are the spokes leading to him. In such a religious world-view, it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe in God.

Unfortunately, for those who hold to such a belief, truth is always narrow. 2+2=4. Light and darkness can't coexist in the same place at the same time. A compass needle will always point to the magnetic north pole. Two planes can't land on the same runway in opposite directions. You get the idea.

The New Testament teaches that faith in Christ is the only way to God. In fact, Jesus himself said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; nobody comes to the Father, but through me" (John 14:6). In Acts 4:12 Peter said, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

What makes following Jesus unique is that he alone paid for the sins of the world. He alone rose from the grave. The good news is that all men can find forgiveness through Christ. Nobody has done anything so horrible he can't be forgiven. That's why Jesus died and rose from the grave. Any other message is a distortion of the truth. How many drops of cyanide would you be willing for someone to add to your milk? How much water would you want added to your car's gas tank? Or, or how much sand mixed with its oil?

No doubt your response to those questions was quick and sure. The answer to each is the same: "None!" No man would drink poisoned milk or take cyanide laced aspirin. And even a little water in your gas tank would mess up your car as would a few grains of sand in the oil.

The same diligence we would exercise in protecting our health and our car should be shown in guarding the gospel. After all, a distorted gospel can do more than kill the body or ruin a car's engine. It can destroy a person spiritually. It can prevent them from finding the One who offers them eternal life.

Paul certainly provides us with an excellent example of someone who guarded the purity of the gospel. A group of "agitators" were distorting the gospel message and attempting to lead the Galatians into a legalistic system of spirituality. They talked about Jesus, but they added numerous elements of the Jewish Law to the message of salvation. Paul set the record straight with some pointed insights.

First, there is only one true gospel (Galatians 1: 6-7). While the false-teachers claimed to proclaim the Christian message, their message wasn't good news at all. How could it be? Instead of stressing God's free gift of salvation, they urged men and women to believe in Christ plus perform certain good works to win God's favor. Any message which adds anything to faith in Christ isn't the true gospel.

Paul's hard-line should cause us to sit up and take notice. The gospel is simple: Faith in Jesus plus nothing. The false gospel teaches: Faith in Jesus plus something. As you seek to determine if someone's gospel message is truly biblical, ask them what they believe a person must to do be saved. Listen carefully to their answer. It will tell you if they're adding cyanide to the pure milk of the gospel. If they are, beware!

Second, don't be impressed with appearances but with truth. Most of us would be awed if an "angel of light" suddenly appeared before us. We'd marvel if they told us how we could know God. Paul cuts no corners. In essence he tells us, "Don't be impressed with the superficial. Find out where someone stands on the gospel."

Don't allow someone's religious pedigree or position or popular opinion to get in the way of the truth. It doesn't matter who they are or how many of them there might be. What matters is the truth. To make his point, Paul said even his message shouldn't be accepted if it added works to the gospel message.

Paul's message is clear, and so should yours--salvation is by faith in Christ alone.