Is Jesus the Only Way?

 I was watching the interviews with Larry King and Joel Osteen. There is a sermon by Benny Hinn where he criticizes Joel Osteen's response regarding if Jesus is the only way to heaven. I would like to comment on that in this blog. Yes Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except by me." But there is also, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Everyone who admits they need God to help them will be saved. "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, not a result of works so that no one may boast." God is the judge of who gets to heaven and who does not. No person alive gets to decide that. Only God does. 

I used to be very strict in my belief that you have to believe in Jesus in order to be saved. Now I do not think so. Before you want to throw stones, pray about it. The Bible says, "God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son." God didn't only love people who would believe in Jesus. He loves everyone. It is not up to us to decide who gets into heaven. It is only up to God. 

There are people of other faiths who have a connection with God too. It is not just Christians who believe in Jesus that are able to have a connection to God. In some cases, it could be said that people of other faiths are More saved then Christians, because they are more loving. They have more good fruit. Jesus said, "By your fruits you will know them." You will know people are saved by the love they have for others and for God.  James said, "Try to show me your faith without good deeds. I will show you my faith by what I do." Your fruit is more important then if you believe in Jesus or not. 

There are people who have dozens of Bible verses memorized and know all the right things, but they don't love people, and they don't really love God. They just pretend to love God and they pretend to love people, but it is all just an act. A verse that has always echoed in my mind is when Jesus said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." That is most of America. 

There are people of other faiths who love others more and love God more. How can we say they are not saved? But some Christians would say, "Because they don't believe in Jesus, they can't go to heaven." First of all, you are not God. Therefore, you do not get to make that call. "Judge not lest you be judged." Would you want another human being getting to decide if you get to go to heaven or not? I wouldn't. I am glad that is God's decision, personally. God is a lot more merciful then some people can be. And to those people who aren't merciful, what makes you think that You will make it to heaven? "You cannot judge others and love them at the same time." "If you do not love your brother who you can see, how can you say you love God who you do not see?" 

God does not want us to judge others. He wants us to love them. You want others to love you rather then judge you right? "Do to others as you want them to do to you." 

It is up to God who will go to heaven and who will not. It is not up to us. God bless :)