Simply the Truth

It has been disturbing for me to read and watch popular Evangelical Christian leaders backing away from the essential truth that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. Some Church leaders have decided that in order to keep Christ culturally relevant (or whatever they say) the gospel must become Americanized (meaning tolerant of other religions. While on “Larry King live” Joel Osteen, pastor of the largest Evangelical church in the United States, refused to say that a “good Muslim” or a “good Buddhist” would be shut out of heaven. I recently watched a video on another blog of an Emergent Church leader who also left the door open for other faiths to enter heaven (you have to watch the video yourself to see how off-base this guy really is). Why is it so hard for Christians to defend Christ’s central message? Christ preached over and over again that the only way to heaven is through him. One such example comes in Matthew 25, verses 1 through 13:

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

It does not get much more straightforward than that folks. Those who are not “ready” (have a relationship with Jesus Christ and live according to his word) will not be allowed into the Kingdom of God. This is one of the fundamental points of Christianity. If we as Christians lose this truth, we have lost our faith and Jesus becomes nothing but a “good teacher” or “prophet.” It’s time for the Church to get back to the basics. It’s time for the Church to get back to the truth.