"Well, we all worship the same God don't we?"

      How often I've had this phrase thrust at me by someone who wants to justify multi-faith worship. The answer I give them in response is that "No, actually, we don't", which always causes a glint to come into their eyes as though I've wounded them by pricking their bubble. "Well", they argue, "surely you agree that there are many different ways to heaven?" Once again I have to say that "No, I disagree entirely." The parting shot will then usually include something to the effect of the saying that 'all roads lead to Rome.'
      I recall the suggestion coming down the line from Head Office when I was the Minister of my local Presbyterian Church that we consider holding a Multi-Faith service in the church. The suggestion was that Ministers would invite leaders from other faiths to address the congregation one Sunday service. It was a suggestion that I immediately rebelled against, pointing out that anyone from any faith or none was always welcome in the church provided they were prepared to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached. They would hear the call for repentance and the message of salvation by faith, but my congregation would not be addressed by leaders from alternate faiths. My argument was based on the premise that we are not all the same, and we do not all worship the same 'god', nor do all roads lead to Rome in terms of the eternal kingdom.
       Christianity is unique amongst the religions of the world, because only Christianity claims that their faith is based upon the Son of God as the leader of the faith. Of course, other religions acknowledge the existence of Jesus of Nazareth, but only from an historical point of view or as a prophet. The Muslim belief is that Jesus was one of the prophets, and certainly not the greatest, an accolade they confer upon Mohammad. Whilst they accept that Jesus existed and was a great man of God, they refuse to accept that he was crucified, claiming that some people simply believed that he was. The Jews believe that he was a teacher and a prophet, although denying that he was the promised Messiah. Other faiths, such as the Eastern religions, might well acknowledge that Jesus was a prophet, but pay their allegiance to a variety of gods. Christians, however, differ altogether, believing the Bible to be the breathed Word of God and believing what it says about Jesus to be true; that he was indeed the promised Messiah, who lived and died and rose again from the dead. In other words, that he was resurrected. 
      Jesus himself has said that the only way to God the Father is through him. Note that he did not say it was one of the ways but that it is the only way. There is no other way to heaven but through Jesus Christ, and that means believing that he died on the cross at Calvary for the forgiveness of sin, that he was entombed and that on the third day after his death God the Father raised Jesus the Son back to life. It is in our acceptance of these facts and our repentance of sin and profession of Jesus as the Christ and our Lord, that we find the path to salvation and reconciliation to God.
      No other faith offers the hope that is offered by Jesus Christ. In him we have the blessing of the promise which grants us eternal hope, and we know that God cannot lie, and so we know also that the promises we read in the Bible are true, because the Bible is the inspired Word of God.
This is what we read in the Bible: 
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself,taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found inappearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, evendeath on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the namewhich is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess thatJesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians Chapter 2, verses 1-11 NAS) 
      The path to heaven has been forged by Jesus, and the only way to get there is to accept him for who he claimed to be, for all that he has done for you, and because he lives. Just as the hymn-writer says:

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus

He came to love, heal, and forgive.

He lived and died to buy my pardon,

An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, All fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Words: Bill & Gloria Gaither