I almost couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing. I’d driven past the house a thousand times (at least). Because Jamie and I live in the country, we have to drive to “the big city” whenever we want to go to the store, go to a doctor, or run most of our errands. The other day on one such outing, we drove past a woman sitting in her front yard in a full burka. She was facing Mecca, with her prayer mat in front of her, going through her daily ritual.
Immediately my heart broke for her. Here she is so devoted to her religion—wearing this hot outfit on a smoldering summer day—going through her daily prayers. I had to admit that she may be more devoted than I because I’d run out of the house without praying that morning. And yet, my heart was breaking because, despite her devotion, she is completely deceived.
We began to pray for her. Since then, we’ve driven that road many times (we drive past her home a lot.). Every time, I’ve thought of her and prayed. I’ve prayed that she finds Jesus as her personal Savior, prayed that God would see her devotion, lift the deception, and help her come into a genuine relationship with Him.
That’s what is so sad…it doesn’t matter how faithful or devote anyone is to any religion…the Bible is clear…only those who accept Jesus as their Savior will be forgiven of their sins and spend eternity in Heaven.
John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
Again in John 8:24, Jesus said, “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”
In Acts 4:12, Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
1 Timothy 2:5-6 says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.”
Even though the culture and progressive Christians want us to believe that all religions are the same and all roads lead to Heaven, this simply is not true. It is a bald-faced lie that is leading too many into an eternity in Hell. What disturbs me to my core is that too many who call themselves ‘followers of Christ’ believe this lie.
Is it easier?
Obviously, the truth that there is only one way to Heaven carries with it the tragedy that those who die without knowing face a devastating eternity. It’s easier to pretend this truth doesn’t exist and live in oblivion rather than accept that WE HAVE A MISSION.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20, NIV)
That mission is to help people find Jesus—to spread the Gospel.
This lie removes our responsibility to pray…to give to missions…to be a light in a dark world.
But these are our responsibilities…we must do what we can do! It isn’t just people’s lives on the line—it’s their eternity.
In this case, all I can do is pray. I don’t know her or her family, and she doesn’t know me. Walking up to her house and telling a stranger she needs to change her religion may do more harm than good. So I pray. Every time I drive past her house, I take a few moments and pray for the salvation of her and her family.
I pray that God would open their eyes to the truth. That somehow, someway, He would bring people into their lives that they trust who would have a voice to lead them to Him.
I ask God to help them see that their religion isn’t the truth and it doesn’t deliver on all its promises.
I pray that they would experience the true freedom from accepting Christ as their personal Savior and living as a Christian.
Because the sad truth is that it doesn’t matter how dedicated someone is to their religion, there is only one way to salvation through Jesus Christ. Every other religion is a deceptive path to destruction.
This truth fuels me to pray.
It fuels me to give to missions.
It fuels me to do whatever it takes to reach more people with the Gospel of Jesus.
It fills me with the passion for encouraging other believers to stand up against the lies of progressive Christianity.
Yes, it may sound nice, but lots of lies sound beautiful. The teaching that all roads lead to Heaven and every good person goes to Heaven when they die IS NOT TRUE.
We can’t fall for the easy path. Instead, we must believe in truth and continue walking the hard path of speaking and sharing the truth so that more people can be saved.
Adessa Holden is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God specializing in Women's Ministry. Together with her brother, Jamie, they manage 4One Ministries and travel the East Coast speaking, holding conferences, and producing Men's and Women's resources that provide practical Biblical teaching for everyday life.
When asked about herself, she'll tell you "I'm a women's minister, a sister, and a daughter. I love to laugh and spend time with people. My favorite things are chocolate, the ocean, sandals and white capris, anything purple, summertime and riding in the car listening to music. It is my absolute honor and privilege to serve Jesus and women through this ministry.
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