I recently saw a bumper sticker with a symbol of a cross, the Star of David, the crescent moon symbol of Islam, a Hindu symbol, and several other religious symbols. The message, I presume, is that all religions are pretty much the same.
While I'm sure this bumper sticker is intended to be humorous, its message encourages a very serious and, unfortunately, all too common misconception. The misconception is that there are many paths to God and it really doesn't matter as long as you have faith and you are a "spiritual" person. We have heard people say, "I'm a person of faith" as though the object of their faith is not really important, just that they have faith in someone or something.
There are many religions, many gods, and many faiths, but the Bible is very clear. There is only one true God and only one true way to have a relationship with Him, by faith alone in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matthew 7:13-14).
Christians are generally tolerated as long as they don't insist that faith in Jesus Christ, and Him alone, is the only true way to God. This selective tolerance should not be surprising. The religious people in Jesus' day also tolerated His teaching until He claimed to be the only true way to God. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6).
The Bible says "And without faith is it impossible to please Him (God), for the one who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6). There is only one true God, one true way, one true Gospel, and one true faith. Marnatha!
