Are There Many Paths to God?

In recently watching Oprah claim that there are many ways to God and not just one way, she is in effect saying that there are many paths that lead to God, and that there is more than one way to salvation. Just have an inward Christ-centeredness. That is all you need. She has given herself over to the New Age way of thinking, self enlightenment, finding God in ourselves. This type of "spirituality" has been promoted by Eckhart Tolle. In his book, Stillness Speaks, he modernizes the ancient sutra form, teaching the transformation of individual and collective human consciousness that will lead to a global spiritual awakening. But Christ is left out!

This type of humanistic, existentialism is contrary to the teachings in the New Testament that frequently and clearly state that Jesus is the One and Only way. There is "no other name by which men [mankind] must be saved" except by the name of Jesus (Acts. 4:12). All roads do not lead to Rome. There is no access to God and salvation in the name of Allah, or Buddha, or Krishna, or through your "inner-self", but only through Christ. It is black and white. This "many paths" philosophy had no theological legs with which to stand. And they most certainly can not all be right at the same time. These philosophies embrace gods, some no gods, and others in reincarnation [quite popular in Hollywood] but not all can be right at the same time. There is either one god or many, none or some. The Law of Non-Contradiction states that it can not be both ways!

Whatever a person's beliefs might be, they will have absolutely no effect on facts. Beliefs can not change a proven fact, however, facts can (as least they should) effect a person's beliefs. Neither can beliefs alter or change a known fact. Beliefs can not create or change facts. Ancient world explorers once feared sailing the oceans for fear of falling off the edge of the earth (once thought to be flat). What they once believed did not change the fact that the earth was spherical. The fact that they eventually found out that it was spherical, changed their beliefs. Proverb's seem to focus in on just how worthless human opinions are. What seems right to us can be polar opposites to what God thinks.

This is the fast-food, microwave, theological or philosophical buffet, choose this, reject that, a dash of that. But can we be allowed to pick and choose what we like and don't like and still call ourselves "Christian"? Oprah is on a first name basis with the mass American TV audiences and appears to have all the answers to the hordes of hurting and the maladjusted people who come to seek him as their last resort.

Oprah has a following in the millions and the massive audience's are easily persuaded by her beliefs. The potential of spiritually blinding huge numbers of viewers is threateningly ominous. It is so easy to mislead the spiritually weak, the poorly informed, the easily persuaded...and this philosophy is growing and aimed right at the soul of America. Just go out there and do some "good deeds" in your life and you'll be okay (works-induced salvation). Just whatever is in your heart (beliefs) will be good enough, you just have to believe it. Giving cars away to audiences and building homes for the less fortunate is great, but it earns you nothing for salvation. There is really no one good enough, except those that Jesus made good.

A similar belief is that churches are just religious social clubs. You'll often hear people say that they don't need to go to church to believe in Jesus and be saved. That is certainly true. However, Paul often says in the New Testament that we are all members of His One body, so considering myself as the smallest member of His body, the little toe (perhaps the most uncomely of parts), I would do well to stay attached to the Body of Christ (the Church). If a toe (a Christian) is detached from the body for long, it will eventually wither and die, since it's source of nourishment. Churches serve a purpose in that they have community outreach programs and visitations so that the Gospel is spread throughout the community. The Great Commission (Math. 28:18-20/Acts 1:8) is more effective when two or more are gathered to share the Gospel. Anyway, a person's own philosophy will be utterly useless at the time of God's judgment.

It doesn't matter what I believe or what my philosophy is, just as long as I believe that He is the One and Only way. Holiness is not the way to Jesus, Jesus is! It is not all your responsibility; it is your response to His ability! Now, if this "One" way or no way seems "intolerant" or "narrow minded" or "politically un-correct", it is actually God-minded! The only thing narrow is the path. This is not my opinion, it is a God-breathed fact in the New Testament. I not only believe that Jesus Christ is the One and only way, but I know that "there is no salvation in any other name under heaven given to men whereby we can be saved"(Acts 4:12). It is written in the Living Word. There is no other way to eternal life except by the name of Jesus Christ.