Does It Matter What We Believe?

Our world has thousands of different, often contradictory, religions. Just a brief overview of these religions is a confusing study. In some cases, a single religion, like Christianity, can have thousands of different groups that adhere to teachings that contradict the rest, which adds even more to the confusion. In an environment such as this, there are many who proclaim that there are many paths to God. The thought that there is only one way to God is rejected and spurned, for that is “too narrow-minded.” Even the hint or suggestion that certain beliefs or practices are evil before God will get you labelled as hateful and bigoted by many people. We have become a society of tolerance wherein all beliefs are deemed equally acceptable. There is no inherent superiority to one religion over another. Moreover, truth in religious beliefs is set aside in favor of what one feels is right. At that point, it becomes a subjective mess, and everyone is free to do as they please. Is this what God intends for His creation?
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The first of the Ten Commandments makes this declaration: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). It was God’s will for Israel in this setting to avoid idolatry, which is the worship of other gods besides the true God. Later, God would state that He is jealous for His people and their service, which also rules out idolatry (Exodus 34:14). To some, this makes God petty and egotistical, but this is nothing but a modern spin on an ancient principle. What God communicated to Israel thousands of years ago established that He does care what His creation believes and thinks about Him. He does not will for His people to participate in false worship which not only defiles His holiness but also harms the worshipers. It cannot be overstated that the idolatrous beliefs of Egypt, Canaan, and many other nations in the ancient world were sickening. They offered their own children as sacrifices, mutilated their bodies, and participated in heinous sexual activities, all in the name of so-called “worship.” It mattered that these people believed these acts were acceptable before God, for it led them down dangerous roads from which there was often no return. God did not wish for Israel to fall into that trap.

Despite God’s commandments and warnings, Israel went down the path of the nations into idolatry. This brought condemnation from God through the voice of His prophets. Through Isaiah the Lord proclaimed their worship was a burden to Him because it was all a lie (Isaiah 1:10-15). They carried out the proper mechanics of worship, such as offering sacrifices and observing certain festivals, but they were living lives filled with evil deeds. It mattered to God that they falsely believed they were serving Him when in fact they were not. Through Jeremiah God declared that His people trusted in lies (Jeremiah 7:1-11). They sincerely believed that because the temple of the Lord was in their midst, they were shielded from destruction. It was simply a lie, and a dangerous one at that. Desolation was at their door, but their false religious beliefs blinded them to reality. It mattered to God that they held to these false beliefs. While the people in the days of these prophets undoubtedly felt comfortable with their beliefs, God was uncomfortable with them. He was greatly disturbed that His people had turned away from Him in favor of falsehood. Constantly God warned His people to abandon these false beliefs, but they refused. It would not be until destruction came that they realized their tragic error.

The sad reality is that the attitude of God’s people in the days of the prophets persists into the modern age. Through Scripture the Lord teaches us His ways and urges us to follow them, yet people create their own ideas and follow those instead. Jesus spoke of many who would cry out to Him in the final day and declare that they had done many good works in His name, but He will reject them because they practiced lawlessness (Matthew 7:21-23). These were clearly sincere people who were comfortable in their religious beliefs, but it was all a lie. It was not in harmony with the truth God wills for us to follow. Jesus would state in another place that He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). It is only through Him, Jesus says, that we can reach the Father. There are no alternate routes, detours, or exit ramps on the path God has set before us through Christ. It matters to God that we trust in Him and in His Son Jesus Christ and that we seek to obey His teachings given to us in the Scriptures. Otherwise, we will find ourselves believing in a lie rather than allowing the truth of God to set us free.

Friends, there is only one way to God, and that is through Jesus. No other religion can supersede or undermine that claim. It is not narrow-minded, bigoted, or hateful to plainly declare this truth, for it is this truth that can set us free from the errors of our world. God does care about what we believe, and only by taking heed to what He has revealed to us in Scripture can we know what He wants us to believe and practice. God has ensured we have an accurate record that shows us what He expects for our lives, and we would do well to follow those expectations. Let us then examine our religious beliefs and ensure they are in accord with the truth God has revealed in the Bible and not patterned after lies.