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Do All Roads Lead to God? There is a common belief today that "All roads lead to God." While it is noble to respect each other's religious faith, the Bible teaches that the only way a person can be reconciled to God is on God's terms. Here are five "landmarks" that set Christianity apart from other roads. The Bible... The Bible is the only inspired, infallible Word of God! Historians agree as to the authenticity of the New and Old Testament writings, and contrary to popular belief, transmission of the text was completed with 99.99% precision (determined by textual criticism and comparisons of thousands of existing manuscripts). Conclusive evidence for the infallibility of the Bible includes: the bibliographical test; historical and archaeological confirmations; the Bible's harmony and unity (considering it contains 66 books written over 1,500 years, by 40 authors on 3 continents); and the Bible's fulfilled predictive prophecies. There were 330 specific prophecies about the coming Messiah in the Old Testament - fulfilled with 100% accuracy in the life of Jesus centuries later! God spoke to the Old Testament prophets revealing history in advance because He is outside of time. The Bible itself declares, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God (by the Holy Spirit)..." Reference: 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Matthew 5:18, 24:35; Psalm 119.89. Compare: No other "written religious authority" in history has provided such purity of text, such historical or archaeological confirmations, and such extensive prophecy fulfilled anywhere near 100% accuracy! The Founder... God Himself is the founder of Christianity. The God of the Bible is the eternal, triune God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). He is the creator and the sustainer of all life, creating the human race to enjoy a relationship with Himself. Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity - God the Son. Jesus humbly took the form of a man and came to earth as Savior to redeem us. Jesus predicted to His disciples that He would die and then rise from the dead three days later, an event which would validate His claims to be God! He did not try to escape death on the cross, but He submitted to it. "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Reference: John 1:29, 2:19; Philippians 2:6-8; 1 John 4:2; Matthew 12:40, 26:52-54; Titus 2:13; Revelation 13:8. Compare: All other religions "founders" were mere men, not God Himself! The Cross... "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16)! God the Father gave up His Son for us. His gift of eternal life is free to us, but it cost Him crucifixion. God loves every person with an unconditional, divine love! He created us to live in relationship with Him, but the Bible says that sin and death entered the world through Adam, (in the garden of Eden). Thus, all humanity is guilty of sin. (going against God, Romans 3:23). The penalty of sin is spiritual death (Romans 6:23), but Jesus willingly died on the cross, in our place, to pardon us. If we were to ask God to prove His love for us, He would point to the CROSS! The cross was the supreme demonstration of God's love for us! Reference: Matthew 26:31, 39; Hebrews 9:22, 13:20; Revelation 13:8; Isaiah 53:4-6. Compare: No other religions' "founders" loved people so perfectly, nor sacrificed so greatly to prove it! Other religions require human works for redemption. The Good News of Christianity is that God has provided us with the way to Himself. The Resurrection... The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central pillar of Christianity, and the evidence for its historicity is conclusive. We have the actual eyewitness accounts of this event (the gospels of Matthew, John, etc.); the empty tomb (despite the Roman guards and strict precautions), the transformation of the apostles, and the post resurrection appearances of Jesus. By His resurrection Jesus conquered sin and death, thereby offering new life, eternal life, to us! Jesus declared, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." Reference: John 11:25; Acts 1:3; Hebrews 12:2; Matthew 17:9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. Compare: No other religions' "founders" ever conquered death by resurrection (returning to life). The Only Way... Jesus Christ claims to be the ONLY WAY to eternal salvation (life in heaven). In His own words Jesus declared: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Our eternal destiny depends on our personal decision, whether to trust in the only One who can settle our "sin issue" so we can commune with God. Logically, if there really is a God, then we must come to Him by His own prescribed way! That prescribed ROAD according to the God of the Bible, is by FAITH in Jesus Christ! Religions are based on various systems of works, whereas Christianity is based on Jesus and what He has already done for us! Reference: John 14:6; Matthew 25:41; Acts 4:12; John 3:16; Romans 10:9; 1 Peter 3:18. Compare: Other religions and philosophies claim that all roads lead to God, but their contradictory beliefs cannot be reconciled. Therefore... It cannot be true that "All roads lead to God." When we consider the various teachings about God from different religions, we see that they cannot all be true. They contradict each other in critical ways. God cannot at the same time be both impersonal and personal, both singular and triune, both finite and infinite, both knowable and unknowable. There is no way to reconcile the various world views, such as pantheism, monotheism, and polytheism. Therefore, logically, either none of them - or only one - is true! The real issue is Truth, an issue of infinite importance. In Conclusion... Jesus Christ voluntarily died on a Roman cross 2,000 years ago to pay the penalty for our sins and to demonstrate His love for us. He was "God Himself who came in the flesh" -- the promised Messiah. He offers every person the free gift of eternal life. The Gospel of Grace is : Whoever believes in the biblical Jesus Christ - who lived, died, and then three days later resurrected - will have eternal life in heaven! Christianity is founded on a Person, not on a teaching system as with other religions. Christianity is a relationship. God longs to have a personal relationship with you through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus says: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; John 11:25) Religion is man on a quest for God! Christianity is God reaching down to man! Marilyn Joy Tyner Reference Source... Do All ROADS Lead to God Tract American Tract Society We Must Receive Christ... We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know God personally and experience His love. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). We Receive Christ Through Faith... "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth (Read John 3:1- 8) We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation... (Christ is speaking): "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20). Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us the kind of people He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will. There are two kinds of lives... Self-Directed Life Christ-Directed Life Which one best represents you? Which one would you like to have represent you? The following explains how you can invite Jesus Christ into your life. You Can Receive Christ Right Now By Faith Through Prayer... Prayer is talking with God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer... "Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be." Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, pray this prayer right now, and Christ will come into your life, as He promised. How to Know That Christ Is In Your Life... Did you receive Christ into your life? According to His promise in Revelation 3:20, where is Christ right now in relation to you? Christ said that He would come into your life and be your friend so you can know Him personally. Would He mislead You? On what authority do you know that God has answered your prayer? (The trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word.) The Bible Promises Eternal Life to All Who Receive Christ... "And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:11-13). Thank God often that Christ is in your life and that He will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5). You can know on the basis of His promise that Christ lives in you and that you have eternal life, from the very moment you invite Him in. He will not deceive you. An important reminder... Do Not Depend on Feelings... The promise of God's Word, the Bible - not our feelings - is our authority. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word. Now That You Have Entered Into a Personal Relationship With Christ... The moment that you receive Christ by faith, as an act of the will, many things just happened including the following: 1. Christ came into your life (Revelation 3:20 and Colossians 1:27) 2. Your sins were forgiven (Colossians 1:14) 3. You became a child of God (John 1:12) 4. You received eternal life (John 5:24) 5. You began the great adventure for which God created you (John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Can you think of anything more wonderful that could happen to you than entering into a relationship with Jesus Christ? Would you like to thank God in prayer right now for what He has done for you? By thanking God, you demonstrate your faith. To enjoy your new relationship with God Suggestions for Christian Growth... Spiritual growth results from trusting Jesus Christ. "The righteous man shall live by faith" (Galatians 3:11). A life of faith will enable you to trust God increasingly with every detail of your life, and to practice the following: G - Go to God in prayer daily (John 15:7) R - Read God's Word daily (Acts 17:11) - begin with the Gospel of John. O - Obey God moment by moment. (John 14:21) W - Witness for Christ by your life and words (Matthew 4:19; John 15:8) T - Trust God for every detail of your life (1 Peter 5:7) H - Holy Spirit - Allow Him to control and empower your daily life and witness (Galatians 5:16,17; Acts 1:8) Fellowship in a Good Church... God's Word admonishes us not to forsake "the assembling of ourselves together..." (Hebrews 10:25). Several logs burn brightly together, but put one aside on the cold hearth and the fire goes out. So it is with your relationship with other Christians. If you do not belong to a church, do not wait to be invited. Take the initiative; call the pastor of a nearby church where Christ is honored and His Word is preached. Start this week, and make plans to attend regularly. Reference Source Here's Life Publishers, Inc. Campus Crusade For Christ
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