In case you hadn’t heard, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life conducted a massive survey on religion in America last year. 35,000 Americans were surveyed and the results on the survey are still being analyzed and discussed by the media. This week, David Van Biema of Time cited an disturbing statistic found in the survey. Apparently 70% of those surveyed agreed with the statement: “many religions can lead to eternal life.” Perhaps even more disturbing was the fact that 57% of evangelicals surveyed “were willing to accept that theirs might not be the only path to salvation.”
Obviously, such a claims do not square with the claims of Jesus or the Apostles:
I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. – Acts 4:12
Perhaps such blatant disregard of the Bible’s teaching is the most disturbing statistic not mentioned in survey. It is my suspicion that most of those who would claim to be evangelical, and yet hold out that there are ways to salvation other than through Christ, probably don’t think they are contradicting Scripture. If I have noticed one thing in my short time in the world of evangelicalism, it is this: the average evangelical doesn’t know his or her Bible very well. Implicit in these statistics is an evangelical world that is largely illiterate when it comes to knowing the Bible.
In fact, recent Research from the Nehemiah Institute indicated that 85% of students from Christian homes who attend public schools do not embrace a Biblical worldview. Students who attended private schools do not fare much better (Steve Wright, reThink, 33).
I suspect they just think they are being practical. D. Michael Lindsey, a sociologist at Rice University, thinks so. He says, “If you have a colleague who is Buddhist or your kid plays with a little boy who is Hindu, it changes your appreciation of the religious ‘other.’” In other words, in Lindsey’s mind, it’s just easier to be a pluralist. Lindsey is right there; it is easier, socially, to be a pluralist but it is not biblical nor is it true.
Thankfully, not everyone cited in the article was so ambivalent toward these statistics. Dr. Albert Mohler said “the exclusivity of the Gospel is the most vulnerable doctrine in the face of the modern world.” Mohler said that query about whether there are other ways to heaven is the most common question asked to him by college students and callers on his radio program. Dr. Mohler has been calling Christians to defend the biblical teaching of the exclusivity of Christ as the only way to salvation for sometime now.
Those of us who hold firmly to the exclusivity of Christ need to wake up and realize that the majority of our evangelical neighbors do not. Obviously there is a problem, but what should we do?
Well, I have a few suggestions:
- If we hope to see the people in our churches make a difference in the world we MUST teach them the Bible and we MUST expect them to live it out. That is why things like personal evangelism and regenerate church membership are such important discussions to have on the table in our churches–because they are biblical.
- If we hope to see our churches truly make disciples, we must begin by taking the Word of the Lord seriously.
- We must teach the members of our churches the Bible and expect them to live it out!
Statistics like these show how important it is that our churches have pastors who study and preach the Word and invigorate their members to indulge in its treasure troves.
BTW, should the picture look like a red blob with black lines?
No its supposed to be a picture of a Bible. Does it look like a red blob with black lines? Did you think I was getting postmodern on you?
That’s weird. It’s working now.
Postmodern?! :)
With all the “This is you Best Life Now,” Cotton Candified Christianity and “greasy grace” concepts of theology
being preached, not suprising but certainly frightening the results of “another” way.
Salient scriptures : John 14:6 and Acts 14:12 with
Ephesians 2:8-9 we as Believers can and please do
feel free to share with others.
Or as I have gently pointed out to a nonbeliever,
Jesus said HE is The Way, The Truth, The Life, and
that he didn’t say one may come to the Father via
baptism, giving some monies, joining a church.
And, sometimes, I do gently point out, when Jesus
laid down his life on the Cross, what, HE had nothing
better to do that Friday?
Keep sharing The Gospel in Spirit & in Truth to those who
sit in darkness, we must let our lights shine, that of true light!
Thanks for your comment D H. I wish more in our churches had your same concerns and I pray that we would all have your same passion to “gently point” out the truth of the Scriptures to those who pose other ways to us!
Great beginning for a Great topic. As an Evangelical Pastor I have been teaching for about 2 years that I believe most of the Evangelical movement in the US will be part of the great falling away. It wouldn’t be appropriate to thank the above researchers for verifying this in light of what that means. It serioulsly makes me want to take the name “Evangelical” out of our vocabulary. How about “Disciples of Christ”… oops.. taken. Darn. Someone come up with a name, PLEASE!
I agree Joseph–its too bad that Disciples of Christ is already taken! I too become less and less comfortable with the term evangelical as it becomes more and more distorted.
The problem with labels is that those who make them (like all human beings) are sinful and the good intentions behind the label eventually become secondary to the selfish intentions of those taking the label. clear as mud?