Do all religions lead to God?

Men and women were made to know God deeply and intimately. When sin severed the link between us and God, it left an aching God-shaped void within the heart of each person. Universally religious, human beings strive to fill the gap. In some countries religion has been brutally suppressed, in others terribly perverted, and in still others it has become a vain attempt to find God.

Most religions involve people trying to climb up to God. But He is too great for small humans to reach, and too holy for sinful humans to contact. Fulfilling the five pillars of Islam, keeping to the eight-fold path of Buddhism, learning and living by the Hindu teachings, being faithful in attending Mass or confession, working to be religious, or even seeking to obey the Ten Commandments is not God’s way to draw us to Himself. The Bible says, ‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. (Titus 3:5).

A drowning man does not want a crowd standing on the sea short shouting instructions as to how to swim, especially if those instructions are contradictory. But if someone were to dive in and rescue him, that would be a different.

God has taken the initiative. Christ Jesus has come into the world to save sinners, which includes all of us. Whilst other religions try to point the way to God, Jesus said, ‘I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ (John 14:6) Or as someone expressed it: ‘If all the religions are right then Jesus is right, and if Jesus is right then all the other religions are wrong! Right?’ Christ alone was sinless. He alone was big enough to carry and pay for the sin of the world as He died on the cross. He alone can forgive a person and bring Him or her to God.

It is possible to visit the graves of the world’s greatest religious and political leaders. Christ too, was buried. Three days later, He rose from the dead. There is an empty tomb where Jesus lay. The risen Christ towers above the rest of humanity and surpasses all other leaders. He alone can establish a relationship between us and God.

Religion is human kind’s sincere desire, but a vain attempt to reach God. Christ is God’s only bridge from us to Him. Are you trusting in what you are doing or in what Christ has done to save you?

The Bible says, ‘Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved’ ~ Acts 4:12