Is Knowing Jesus Essential for Heaven?

Is Knowing Jesus Essential for Heaven?

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At an Urbana Christian missions conference 8,000 questionnaires were distributed and 5,000 responded and returned. Thirty-seven percent said the gospel of Jesus wasn’t essential to go to Heaven. This is a most serious issue for Christian faith from a world perspective.

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Persons who believe Jesus was a good person but not essential for Heaven think as follows. People can be utterly sincere in following the only religion they know. It’s not their fault they haven’t heard of Christ. There’s truth in all religions. God may be called by different names. You can find good descent people everywhere and in all religions. Religions essentially teach be good or follow the golden rule. Jesus said God loves, forgives, and doesn’t want anyone to perish. It’s shameful to imagine a cruel God who would fry good innocent people in Hell. I wouldn’t treat a dog that way. Some Christians are too judgmental. This viewpoint seems so reasonable to some persons.

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Many persons exposed to only Christian teachings believe in God and good works. They see no essential differences between Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Catholics or other Christian churches. They are cultural “Christians” not Bible Christians. They believe Jesus was a good man and example we should follow. They may have heard things about non-Christian religions but not taken them seriously. “People aren’t all that bad,” they say. So, what’s the big deal?”

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Can we consider the issues involved realistically? Can we be open to facts we might find distasteful? There are hundreds of religions in the world. How do we know the particular one we were taught or exposed to is correct when they all differ?

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Doesn’t the fact that world religions contradict show all can't be correct? A study of world religions shows they have radically different views about God, man, man’s problem, its solution, ethics and the afterlife. They teach:  no God, universe is god, many gods, a finite god, deist God. They teach man has a soul, no soul, afterlife, no afterlife. If any one view is correct all opposing views must necessarily be incorrect. That's a basic fact of logic we can't deny.

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Isn’t it obvious some religions are more productive of human life and well-being than are others? Some world religions are atheistic, others pantheistic, or teach hate and murder to those who won’t submit to their beliefs. You may believe anything and be a Hindu but you must stay within your caste and work off bad karma to achieve the enlightenment that you are a part of the universe’s energy or god. Buddha’s philosophy was release from pain in his four noble truths and eightfold path. Essentially, it was to deny a personal God and attachment to all desires and follow his philosophy to achieve nirvana--personal extinction. Socialist’s teach there’s no God and that elites must seize control and keep the ignorant masses under control even if some must be eliminated.

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Some Muslims stress the Quran’s one statement on no religious compulsion (Surah 2:256). But they somehow fail to mention the Quran’s other teachings. Non-Muslim religions are unacceptable (Surah’s 3:85). Jews and Christians are not friends and protectors (Surah 5:51, 33). Treaty obligations with non-Muslims may be resolved (Surah 9:3). And Muslims are to fight and slay non-submissive infidels (Surah’s 9:5, 29; 123; 47:4). Now can we honestly believe all religions agree and teach the golden rule? Muhammad was the prophet of the sword. Jesus said put up the sword and love your neighbor as yourself.

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The Christianity of the Bible is the only world religion that gives objective empirical evidence that it is of God. I’m not saying non-Christians don’t have some profound and spiritual truths. But Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tzu, Muhammad, Zoroaster, Nanak performed no eyewitness miracles, fulfilled no specific ancient prophecies. These founders usually denied a personal God and some avid followers’ centuries’ later ascribed miracles and deity to them. What evidence is there that their religions are anything more than human thinking even imagination? What basis do they provide for life after death, human dignity, rights, freedom, ethics, and hope?

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Jesus alone lived without sin, claimed to be God, fulfilled many ancient prophecies of the coming Messiah (Christ or Annointed One), performed many miracles, died in place of us sinners, and arose from the dead to establish his claims to be our God. No other world religion can claim anything like that. 

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The Apostle Peter’s statement about the Lord Jesus Christ makes more sense than all others. “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). We must trust humanities only Savior from our sins and giver of eternal life. Then share Him with others. Jesus is the Lord we all must bow to one day at the judgment. We had best know Him as our Savior and Lord now. Won't you pray, Lord I trust You now and forever to forgive my sins, make me a child of God, and guide me through life until death or You come for me. Now the best thing you can do is share these blog articles with others who may come to know the Savior and be with you in Heaven.
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