Blogging BCM: Not All Paths Lead to God

Last night Dan spoke on the subject of not all paths lead to God. This message was very timely in the fact that our culture so often believes the opposite of this. Dan shared at the beginning of his message:

This is our cultural current. You can do whatever you do if it feels right to you. As long as you don't infringe on others you can do it.

Dan touched briefly on the fact that so often our culture is too tolerant. We don't want to infringe on others beliefs. We don't want to offend anyone with what we say. So we mosey through life, protecting this thing we call "the Gospel" from reaching anyone around us. If we were to even think about sharing the Gospel to those in our lives, it would be offensive and might push them away. We might loose them as a friend. Question...if we lose a friend because we try to share with them the greatest news they could possibly ever receive, are they truly a friend we want to have? This is our culture. The culture of "coexist." I hate that term so much. Let us coexist in this world, not bothering each other with what we believe. We can be friends and not even discuss what we believe. As long as we're tolerant of each others beliefs and I don't offend you and you don't offend me, we are good. I am going to make a pretty bold statement. We, as Christians in this coexist culture, must stand firm in proclaiming the Gospel. If we buy into the lies of Satan, if we sit back and remain tolerant, we are coexisting people into hell. Hell is a reality. A very, very real and dangerous reality. I am sure that if we all knew exactly, descriptively what hell was like, we wouldn't just sit back and withhold our precious Gospel. Christ came to this world claiming He is the only way. He says in John 14:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

How much more plain can it get that Christ is the only way...only path...to God. Who is this Christ, one might ask? What is this Gospel that we hold so dear. I think the passage Dan used in Colossians last night explains it very well. Colossians 1:15-22 reads:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.

That is the picture of who Christ is. That is the Gospel. That in Him, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, we might be reconciled in order to be presented as holy and blameless and above reproach before God. Through Him, we have our path to God. No other path will lead us to God. No other path will lead us to Heaven. So why do we sit around and tolerate this coexist nonsense, when we should be proactive in going out and proclaiming this Truth that we have. We must be passionate and stand firm in knowing that Christ is our only path to God, and it is our duty to proclaim this Truth to the whole world.

Things to reflect on throughout your personal devotions:

1. Study Colossians 1:15-22. How does this describe the person and work of Christ? How does this relate to Him being the only true path to God?

2. Are you tolerant and afraid to offend people? In what ways do you need to stop being tolerant and start proclaiming?

3. Who in your life has yet to realize that Christ is the only way to God? In what ways can God use you to help them see this truth?

As always, if you need anything or have any questions, do not hesitate to ask Tim, Dan or myself.