This is the “Golden Q,” the great question. Can’t all religions lead to God? Well I know of one religion that worships the god of Baal and they believe in killing their children. Does that lead to God? What about Satanism? It’s a religion, isn’t it. Doesn’t that lead to God? Functionally, no, it does not. Ok well maybe they all don’t lead to God but aren’t they all true…

Don’t all religions lead to God? No. Aren’t all religions true? No. That seems and sounds very severe, narrow-minded, arrogant, and bunch of other bad words. There are actually many reasons for why the answer to the question is no. We are providing just a few. Let me lay down some thoughts on your computer screen and whatever you do keep your thinking cap on.

Truth?

Now out there in the world of logic there exists the “Law of Non-Contradictions.” This basically says that two opposites cannot be true. For example, today, in Boston its either Friday, February 2, 2007 or it’s some other day. It can’t be both. It can’t be both false and true. Another example, Jack can’t be both 6 feet tall and 5’8”. It cannot be.

So what’s the point? Here’s the assertion: The various religions of the world can’t be all true because they fundamentally make different claims that are opposites. Remember two opposites can’t be true. Explain more?

Thought 1: Disagreement on the Identity of God

Religions of the world disagree on who God is. How can they all be right is they say different things. It’s like saying the state California of the USA in North America and the state California of the USA is in Antartica. It simply cannot be both. Two basic opposites cannot both be true. These are only a few of the many examples of what religions say:

a. Monotheism (there is one god) AND Polytheism (there are many gods)

b. Jesus the Christ alone is God AND Jesus the Christ is one of many gods

c. God is worthy to be believed and worshipped AND God is not worthy to be believed and worshipped

d. Deity (God) is in everything AND deity (god or gods) are far removed from us and dwells only in the heavens

Conclusion: All the religions of the world can’t agree with each other. Many religions assert direct opposites and therefore they all can’t be right. They all cannot be true.

Thought 2: Disagreements on other matter besides the Identity of God

a. The Problem and Origination of Evil

b. Origin of Man

c. The afterlife

Conclusion:
We know all religions don’t agree on these things. Thus they all can’t be true. It’s like saying that Michael Johnson won the gold medal and the silver medal for the 200 m race at the Summer Olympics in 2000 because he came in first place AND second place in the race. This cannot be. Both cannot be true.

Verification for Christianity outside of the Bible

There is a ton of external evidence that proves the verity of the Bible and exalts the claims in it as objectively true. For example, there has never been an archaeological dig or find that has disproved anything found in the bible and there are numerous archeological finds that vindicate the authenticity of the bible the test of history has also verified the truth of the scriptures. We have collections from the other Ancient Near East cultures that verify the existence of Israel and their wanderings. We have historians such as Josephus, Eusebius, and Philo who as historians in early days of the church also echo the authenticity of the scriptures. We have archaeological and topographical research performed on the writings of Luke (the author of “Luke” and the “Acts”) which proves his authenticity. We have the wide proliferation of manuscripts of the New Testament. There are at least 20,000 manuscripts of the New Testament copied and by statistical science we are able to verify what was actually written. Also the scriptures were written shortly after the events occupied by the contemporaries themselves. When you look outside the bible for hard evidence for the bible, it’s there! There is a mass of information and external testimony we have only scratched the surface.

How can a man form and lead a religion that can lead to God?

Biblical Christianity is highly distinct from all other religions for many reasons. Here are two.

1. Almost every major religion is a teaching from a basic man who claimed to point the way to God. Right? Right. But special insight did he have? After all he was just a man. It’s like the blind leading the blind. Here’s how it plays out. One man says to everyone else, you’re blind but here is the way…but the leader is just like everyone else. The leader is blind himself. Therefore his leading is flawed and his inspiration is of his own.

2. Also years later after his death his followers will claim that he wasn’t mere man anymore and they will ascribe him to deity.

Now here is the Difference between biblical Christianity and other religions.

1. The leader of the way, the revealer of the “religion” is God himself. No other major religion claims that a significantly other God came down from heaven to be man, to live as both God and man and pointed the way. This is definitely different but you know what? It fulfills the logical necessity of the one with perfect vision leading the blind. Only one who is above man, and different from man can point the way for man because he is not subject to the flaws and sin of man. That is what Christ did.

2. Also, Jesus was heralded and prophesied to be God in flesh before he walked the earth. Another difference is that his followers didn’t just claim his deity after he left them but he was claimed to be God before he was born of a virgin and also during his death.

Fundamental Approach to God

Biblical Christianity is the only major religion that is not based on works or doing something to earn favor with God. It is the only religion. Every major religion says that you need to do something to earn the favor of their god. For example almost every major religion including some branches of Christianity say that maybe you will have a better afterlife if your good deeds and your good stuff outweigh your bad deeds. This is a huge difference. In other words, the ultimate difference between the two is this one is free and the other needs to be earned.

What’s the point of following them if they are just a system for life where as Christianity asserts certainty in declaring that one can know if they will indeed have internal life. But this better promise is not based on what you can do. You see the difference. Now grasp this statement. It is a very human thing to earn thing and get what you deserve. Our wages from work, penal system, contracts, and relationships are based on an exchange of works. It’s an inherently human thing. But what biblical Christianity says is super human. It’s supernatural. It says that one can have eternal life not at all based on anything a person has to do. It’s completely free, no special prayers, no penance, no money, no system or scale of good works versus bad works. It’s all about grace. All one needs to do is receive it.

So the bottom line: Why is Jesus the only way?