By now, many know that Oprah Winfrey believes that ‘Jesus can’t be the only way,’ that is, she believes there is more than one way to get to heaven…but Ms. Winfrey still claims she is a Christian. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama also believes there is more than one way to heaven… although he too claims he is a Christian.

According to Oprah Winfrey’s spokesperson (as revealed in a July 2008 article): “Oprah was raised Baptist and has stated many, many times that she is a Christian and that she believes in only one God,” said the spokesman, who asked not to be named. “She has also said, ‘I’m a free-thinking Christian who believes in my way, but I don’t believe it’s the only way, with 6 billion people on the planet.’” [More on Oprah Winfrey in her own words here...]

As Barack Obama said in an April 2004 article: “I’m rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people. That there are values that transcend race or culture, that move us forward, and there’s an obligation for all of us individually as well as collectively to take responsibility to make those values lived.”

It’s perhaps an unlikely theological position for someone who places his faith squarely at the feet of Jesus to take, saying essentially that all people of faith — Christians, Jews, Muslims, animists, everyone — know the same God. That depends, Obama says, on how a particular verse from the Gospel of John, where Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me,” is heard. [You can read more, up-to-date words from Mr. Obama on his curious faith here...]

There are some very confused, mixed-up folks out there calling themselves Christians and even professing that they believe in the ONE TRUE GOD, but in the same breath deny HIS Only Begotten Son…therefore denying the ONE TRUE GOD as well.

The only book GOD ALMIGHTY gave to HIS children is the Holy Scriptures (the Holy Bible or just Bible), written by HIM at the hands of chosen people. It is true that understanding many of the passages in the Holy Bible takes time and perseverance, but John 14 is an exception. Just read it:

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” That’s not too hard to understand, right? It may be hard to believe, however, if you have loved ones and very dear friends who are Muslims, Jews, Buddhists or of other faiths. It’s hard to read that passage and to accept that your loved ones and very dear friends will be denied entry into heaven if they die without having confessed Jesus Christ as LORD. Many are left to choose — will we believe Jesus Christ, or will we believe that HE can’t possibly be the only way? There are too many good and kind self-less people we know who don’t believe in Jesus… you can’t tell me they don’t deserve to go to heaven! — Actually, no one deserves to go to heaven. Eternal Life is a gift, a blessing — not a privilege. You don’t get into heaven on the merit of doing good works.

So, when we deny Jesus Christ as the only means of Salvation and Eternal Life, what are we left with? Since that passage is too hard to bear, we decide to follow the belief that there must be more than one way to heaven. But do we really believe that our Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist friends who die without confessing Jesus Christ as LORD will all go their own way when they die? Do we really believe that atheists (and unrepentant Jehovah Witnesses) just stay dead when they die and that’s the end of that — no heaven, no hell, no anything… just all loss of consciousness? I ask this of professing Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and those of other faiths who have an all-inclusive view of faith and the after-life — do you really believe you will go your way when dead, and that others will just go theirs?

Let’s look at some of the commonly held beliefs on the afterlife:

Catholics: Either Heaven, which is union with God, life forever in Christ; Purgatory, a temporary period of purification; or Hell, a state of self-chosen exclusion from God. Who Gets To Go: Those who have received God’s limitless love (grace) as shown through the sacrificial life, death, and resurrection of Jesus receive eternal life. Though true faith leads to good works, what is necessary for salvation is not actions, but the receipt of God’s love through Jesus. Heaven, purgatory or hell… but you can get out of purgatory once you’re purified and make it to heaven.

Judaism: The concept of an afterlife is emphasized in Orthodox Judaism, where it is usually referred to as Olam Ha-Ba, the world to come. The Jewish idea of heaven is generally known as Gan Eden, or as the Garden of Eden, and hell is called Gehinnom. Who Gets To Go: All righteous people, not just Jews, get a place in the world to come, but not all places are equal. A person’s status in Olam Ha-Ba depends on actions in this life. Before going to Gan Eden, many people first have to spend time in Gehinnom, which is described by some as a fiery place of harsh punishment and by others as a place where the soul contemplates its past life and repents misdeeds. Except for the worst human beings, the maximum stay in Gehinnom is one year, after which the soul ascends to Gan Eden. Heaven or hell… but you may be able to leave hell after a year and make it into heaven.

Islam: Paradise (which Muslims believe has seven levels) or Hell. Who Gets To Go: Those who observe the Five Pillars of Islam: Belief in only one God and His Messenger Muhammad, Hajj, Fasting, Prayer, and Charity. Heaven or hell… but you may have to be a Muslim to make into heaven.

Buddhism: After death, one is reborn in successive incarnations until he/she awakens (as the Buddha did) and becomes liberated from the cycle of life and death (samsara), thus reaching nirvana. Nirvana is not exactly a “state”–it’s an awakening to truth. In this “place” one is free from suffering, attachments, and delusions. Although there is a concept of “hell(s)” in Buddhist cosmology, it is not considered a place of permanent damnation. It is understood more as state of mind that anyone can experience in his/her lifetime. Who Gets To Go: The emphasis in Buddhism is on spiritual practice rather than adherence to a particular belief system or the development of a relationship with God. Practitioners can improve their karma and advance toward enlightenment through moral conduct, meditation practice, compassionate acts, the development of wisdom, and other guidelines prescribed by the Buddha’s Eightfold Path. Constantly reborn until you become “enlightened.”

It’s nice to believe that there is more than one way to heaven, but that’s impossible. We are all one people — physiologically. We live on one planet, one green earth, under one great sky. We breathe the same oxygen and need the same things to live — food and water. If there were many gods… is it possible that they would have cooperated so wonderfully to make a unified creation? Or…aren’t we lucky that the random Big Bang worked out so specifically? But this doesn’t make much sense, does it? Usually when men stray from the TRUTH, everything starts to fall apart.

There is ONE GOD and HIS name IS LORD, or the I AM WHO I AM as HE told Moses. The LORD sent HIS Son to rescue mankind from their confusion. This Son, Jesus of Nazareth, grew up and lived among the people and taught us what GOD had been trying to teach us for hundreds of years. HE opened the eyes and hearts of some (although HE preached to all), and let others remain in their confusion since they would rather believe a lie than the TRUTH (“Jesus can’t possibly be the only way”). Jesus allowed HIMSELF to be killed, taking on the sins of the entire world, and when HIS blood was shed HE made atonement once and for all for man’s sinful ways.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

No one else could do this but Jesus Christ, for HE alone was sinless, perfect, spotless. And Jesus Christ was only able to do this because HE IS GOD, for when HE was resurrected HE ascended back to the FATHER in Heaven and sat at HIS right hand on HIS throne.

And HE sits there still… watching us chase our tales like a bunch of mindless dogs or headless chickens. But although HE sits high, HE looks low. And has been waiting for us to look up already and acknowledge HIM. No one can come before the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY if they bypass HIS SON — that’s how HE has made it.

Stop believing the Devil and his lies about there being more than one path to Eternal Life. He was damned a long, long time ago and is only seeking to keep us from Eternal Peace with Christ Jesus. And, no, you can’t save yourself either — if so, would you hurry up and save all of mankind, too, please? And, no, you are not a little god — or else you’re a rather pathetic one, as you are stuck here with the rest of us.

There is only ONE GOD and one Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth — the Only Begotten Son of GOD.

Colossians2: 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

2 Peter 2:12 Peter 2:1
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
2 ¹ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  

WP-Bible plugin But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

… 18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.

Philippians 2:5Philippians 2:5
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  

WP-Bible plugin Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.