Creator, Father, King #223

He commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.

THE WORLD IS A big place, filled with billions of people and thousands of nuanced religious ideas. If you asked ten different people on a busy city street, “How do you get to heaven?” it’s quite possible that you’d get ten different answers.

But as we’ve discussed over the last few days, the Bible clearly proclaims that Christianity is the only true faith. Jesus himself said, “No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Perhaps you are looking for more assurance of this. Maybe you’re thinking, There are so many religions out there. How can I know for sure that Christianity is right and everything else is wrong?

Let’s probe deeper . . .

What’s It Mean?

First, you can take the eternal Son of God at his word. If he says he is the only way to God, then it’s true because he is perfect, and he defines truth.

That said, let’s make a distinction between religion and Christianity. Religion is man’s way of trying to impress God. It’s a human-centered endeavor to earn eternal life through good works.

Christianity, though, is different. It’s the only belief system in the world that acknowledges that salvation is a free gift of God’s grace, not to be earned by human merit, but by faith in Christ’s finished work of atonement.

Most powerfully, Jesus’ resurrection affirms Christianity as the only true faith. As today’s verse says, God has “given assurance to all [of Scripture’s gospel message] by raising him from the dead.” All other gods, prophets, martyrs, or religious pioneers are either myths or dead. But not Jesus. He is alive, risen, and reigning on high!

Of course, forsaking other worldviews and embracing Christ takes faith. You can’t please God without trusting him at his word (Hebrews 11:6). But a Christian’s faith isn’t merely wishful thinking—like blindly throwing a dart at a dartboard of religions and hoping you hit the bull’s-eye of truth. No, Christian faith is a confident, expectant hope rooted in the true promises of Scripture.

Trust in the Christian message of God’s salvation through Christ!

Now What?

Look up these verses that attest to the doctrine of salvation through Christ alone: John 3:16-18; 3:36; 8:24; 14:6; 17:3; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5; and 1 John 4:1-3.

Did You Know?

In an attempt to cover all their religious bases, the first-century Athenians superstitiously worshiped “an Unknown God” (Acts 17:23).