for wide is the gate and broad is the way
that leads to destruction,
and there are MANY who go in by it.
Because narrow is the gate and difficult the way
which leads to life,
and there are FEW who find it."
Matthew 7:13-14
The many, and the few.
There is a movement today called "ecumenism." Its goal is the uniting of all religions for the sake of peace and tolerance. The pope is reaching out to Islam, and they're forming what they call "Chrislam." The two have some common ground. Islam acknowledges Jesus, except that it calls him only a "prophet" while denying that he is God and proclaiming that he did NOT rise from the dead. Islam acknowledges Mary as being the one Jesus was born to. So they're taking the beliefs the two religions have in common, and for the sake of unity they are creating this new movement of inclusivity.
The pope has called for members of protestant religions, specifically the leaders of mega-churches, to come to the Vatican where they held joint ceremonies of inclusion, binding their religions together. When the pope was in America, a ceremony of ecumenism was held in which leaders of many religions stood together with him in a show of mutual acceptance, a giant step forward in the push toward the global one-world religion the Bible predicts in "the last days."
To most of the world, what they're doing is just wonderful.
But is it?
It's an abomination to the Lord.
Why?
Because Jesus Christ said that there is only ONE way of salvation, there is only ONE truth, there is only ONE way to the Father, and that is through him.
Jesus said:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.
NO ONE one comes to the Father EXCEPT through me."
John 14:6
He said about ANY other way:
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door,
but climbs up some other way,
the same is a thief and a robber."
John 10:1
To join with other religions is spiritual adultery. There is only one truth. Jesus said there is only one way.
"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?
And what communion has light with darkness?
And what accord has Christ with Belial?
Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?"
2 Corinthians 6:14
This passage goes on to say:
"Come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord."
We are NOT to join with other religions, on the contrary, we are to COME OUT from among them. Ecumenism is the broad way that Jesus spoke of, and it leads to destruction.
The "offense of the Gospel" is in its exclusivity. Scripture makes it very clear that NOT all paths lead to God. Only one does. It is NOT true that we all pray to the same God, that we just call him by many names. Scripture makes it very clear that God has identified himself. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, from whom came the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the one and only Savior.
"Nor 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
Do not go the way of the masses. Do not go the way of the "many." Broad is the way that leads to destruction. Do NOT be among the apostate church. It's leading to destruction. Renounce ecumenism, it is spiritual adultery, it is the broad way leading to destruction. There is only one way, and it is narrow. But it leads to eternal life.
"Because narrow is the gate and difficult the way
which leads to life, and there are FEW who find it."
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The Line Of Religious Representatives
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I Was Saved From An Ecumenical Question Put To Me By God Himself
A Flashback!
As I was listening to a video about the ecumenical service held at the 9/11 Memorial yesterday (September 25, 2015,) I saw the line of clergy standing on each side of the pope, representatives from all the different religions. As I watched, I had a flashback. It was as vivid as the day it happened. And I'm still shaking from this flashback.
I was taken back to the day when the Lord first approached me, before I was born again. I was in my home on an ordinary day and very suddenly a voice which I did not recognize spoke to me inside. This is what the voice said:
"How do you know that your religion is the right one?"
"Huh???" I said.
The voice went on:
"There's A LINE of people, each representing one of the religions of the world." And as he spoke, I "saw" the line. He went on, "In it there'a a Buddhist, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Jew, a Jehovah's Witness, a Mormon, and one from each of the protestant denominations, a Baptist, a Methodist, an Anglican, and so on. And there you are in that line. You represent Catholicism. Now. There is only one truth, so if one of these is right, all the others are wrong. Their teachings all contradict each other. How do you know that you are the one representing the right religion and that all the others are wrong?"
I saw it on that day back then, and I was so stunned that I felt nauseous. I saw my foundation crumbling under me, because I realized that the only reason I believed as I did is because I lived in one of those religions and had been taught its teachings from my youth. And it's the same for each of these. Each of them believe what they believe because it's what they've been taught. ...But they contradict each other. There is only one truth. So how does one know his is the true one?
I staggered for three days, pacing back and forth trying to find a way to dismiss this question because if my foundation crumbled I'd have nothing. My whole life, the life of my family, all the years of my religious education, it would all be worthless. The emotion was tearing me apart because I saw it, and I didn't WANT to see it. I saw that my foundation was sand, and I couldn't bear it. But ...I did. It was unavoidable. I saw it. I was standing on sand, and it was crumbling from under me.
Finally, on the third day, I stood before God and said to him:
"I don't even know if you exist. The only reason I've believed in you is because that's what I've been taught since my youth. How do I know that my learning is right when everyone thinks that about his own religion? Who are we that we should be right and all those others wrong? I'm sinking, my foundation is crumbling all around me. I'm falling!"
And then I said, "God, I see that I have no valid reason to believe that you exist, but I'll say this one thing: if you do, I want to know who you are. Please tell me which religion is the right one if there is any that is the right one. I have no way to live if I don't know who you are. If you're Allah I'll become a Muslim. If you're the God of the Jews I'll become a Jew. If you're the God of the Christians, then which Christian denomination is the right one? I can do nothing until you tell me who you are ...IF you are."
And now on this September day as I watch this ecumenical service in New York, I am physically seeing exactly what that voice showed to me that day, and it's like I'm back there in all the emotional distress that I felt then when I did not know the Lord. I look at these men and it's deja vu for me, the very picture, the EXACT picture I saw on that day many years ago.
And I weep for them, because it is obvious they have never asked the most important question one can ask in life: "God, who are you?"
And now these foolish religious men have come together to be united in tolerance and good will and to achieve as much unity as they can with each other. And they actually think this is "good." This pope is willing to embrace the false god of Islam, and receive all these others who worship all manner of "gods," unaware that he's leading those who believe in them right down the road to hell, because NO! NOT all religions lead to God! NO! Not all religions will bring you to heaven as long as you're "good!" No! No! How can I shout it loud enough, NO!!! NO!!! NO!!! You're leading men to hell!!!!!
And THIS is the problem with "ecumenism." Unity in error. Unity in tolerance. Unity in all that is false and abominable to the one true God. This is WRONG! And this is ...FATAL.
People, there is only ONE God, and he is the God of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation he has revealed himself to us. He's explained to us who he is, why we're here, where we're going, and how we are to get there. Sixty six books make up the Bible, written over centuries, yet they all carry the same message because each was God-breathed, written by the inspiration of God, from beginning to end. "In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God." The aleph and the omega, from start to finish, it's all his revelation to us. (John 1:1)
The Scriptures tell us that man is fallen because he was deceived into sin, but God provided the atonement for the sins of all who would receive it. But there's only ONE atonement. There's only ONE "lamb of God."
If there were many ways to God, then the torture and crucifixion of Jesus Christ the Son of God would not have been necessary. If there were any other way, would God have required that from him? There must be something terrible to be avoided for Christ to have to pay such a terrible price.
I hope and pray that people who are confused about religion will read this, and I pray that the Spirit of God will speak the truth through this and convince man of the importance of getting this right. Eternity is a long, long time to spend in regret. You must get this right! Your entire eternity depends on it. And there's only one way to discover the truth, and that is to ASK HIM to reveal it to you.
When Jesus asked his disciples who men thought he might be, they answered naming several. But then Jesus asked who THEY believed him to be. Peter said, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." YES! YES! He got it right. But HOW did he get it right? Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (men) did not REVEAL this to you but my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 16:13-17) Jesus did not found his church upon a man, God forbid! He founded it on the REVELATION of who he is. THIS is that solid rock upon which he has built his church, he said it comes by REVELATION. It cannot come from man, it cannot come from theology, it cannot come from books, no, it is REVELATION, and must come from God himself. Every person has to receive this revelation from God himself, and that is what being "born again" is all about.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3
Here is more information for anyone who is searching:
Who Is Jesus Christ?
What does it mean to be "born again?
