What about all the other religions? The world population fast approaches 8 billion people. That’s a lot of men, women, and children calling planet earth home. Of that nearly 8 billion, 2.3 billion identify as Christian. That’s about one quarter of all humanity. What about everyone else? Is it the height of arrogance to question the eternal destination of nearly 6 billion people simply because they don’t call a crucified first century Jewish carpenter their “Lord”? What happens to all of them?
Throughout the summer at Christ United Methodist Church in Gastonia, NC, we’re asking some BIG questions! Here is our Sunday Rewind for July 24, 2016. We ask the big question, “What about all the other religions?”
As a pastor and Christ-follower, I offer a very simple response, “I don’t know.” Determining someone’s salvation and eternal destination ranks above my pay-grade. No one currently walking the planet earth possesses empirical, irrefutable evidence of the afterlife. No one, at least that I’m aware of, currently walks our planet holding authority over my or anyone’s right or residence in heaven or hell. As I understand it, only God – if there is even a God – owns that right. What I know by fact is extremely limited.
What I know by faith is a different matter. When it comes to answering questions of God, eternity, and my place with either, I choose to follow Jesus. A Jesus follower desires to be just like Jesus. A Jesus follower submits to the words, wisdom, and authority of Jesus…and by extension, the Church. We choose this by faith, forgoing our own right (and to a lesser degree, our reason) to offer our own insights to these questions and instead embrace Jesus’ answers on the subject.
What about all the other religions? My answer isn’t my own. Instead, I surrender that right to Jesus. What does Jesus have to say on the matter…not only to the 6 billion people who don’t claim to follow him…but maybe even more importantly, what does Jesus say to the 2.3 billion people who claim him as LORD. As we continue our summer message series, I Have a Question, we let Jesus answer the big question, “What about all the other religions?”
Click below to listen to this past Sunday’s Message
Here are some questions for further conversation on this topic:
- How do you typically respond to correction? Are you naturally defensive? Easily offended? Do you rationalize and justify your decisions? Or eagerly listen and learn? Why?
- Read 1 Timothy 2:1-7 & John 14:6. Why do some people negatively respond to this claim of Jesus? What role does the church have to help all people understand “the Way all the way”?
- Read Matthew 7:13-14. What does it look like to follow “the Way all the way”? How do we know if we are following “the Way all the way”? What are some intentional things we can do to evaluate how our way lines up with the Way?
- Read Romans 10:14-15. How comfortable are you when it comes to sharing Jesus? What are some effective ways you have shared about Jesus? How can the church support you?
- What is your NEXT STEP with Jesus? How can Christ Church help you?
