It is unquestionably true that there are many paths to God and to oppose such a truth just displays one’s ignorance and denial of the obvious. All the great world religions, when taken together, far outnumber Christianity, so it’s pretty ridiculous to believe they are all wrong. When true Christians say there is only one way to God, and that way is only through the person and work of Jesus Christ, the open-minded folks believe this only displays their arrogance and narrow-mindedness.
Why is it that Christians are so stubborn and are viewed by the open-minded as uneducated deplorables, hateful, better than, know-it-alls? Why is there a growing hatred worldwide toward Christianity? Jesus made it pretty clear to his disciples…”If they hate me, they’re going to hate you as well because you love and follow me.”
Psalm 2 in the Bible explains the hatred for Jesus. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against His Anointed (Jesus) saying. ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His fury, saying, ‘As for Me, I have set My King on Zion, My holy hill'”.
And in the book of Isaiah, Chapter 44, verse 6, God says: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me.” To the open-minded, that makes God way to narrow-minded. Man hates a God like that.
It’s easy to acknowledge and thank a generic god publicly, but dare to mention Jesus and the interviewer’s face turns red, the eyes narrow, the hair stands up on the back of the neck, and the interview abruptly ends with, “Sorry, we’re experiencing some technical difficulties.”
To have one’s spiritual eyes opened is totally a work of God, it originates with Him alone; that’s where Christianity differs from all other religions. Other religions attempt to reach God on its own terms…man determines what God must accept, therefore man becomes, or attempts to become God. Christians reject that and unshakably declare that Jesus is God and that there is only one way to the Father, and that is through the son, Jesus Christ. That makes them very narrow-minded and closed off to any departure from that truth. For that reason Christianity is hated.
The open-minded are generally open to a variety of immoral practices, all condemned in Holy Scripture. They are deeply offended and convicted by the light. They hate the light (Jesus) because He exposes their darkness and love for those things opposed to the truth. Since those opposed to Jesus Christ can’t fight God directly, they fight against His people…all this empowered and encouraged by the Prince of Darkness…Satan.
“He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear because you are not of God.” (John 8:47)
The broad-minded can’t walk a narrow path, nor can the narrow-minded walk a broad path. Man wants a God that is less narrow-minded, one that is all-loving, all forgiving, and accepting of all behavior. Just about everyone wants to go to heaven and they believe, or at least expect, they’ll arrive there one day, basically because they believe they’ve been a good person. The Bible clearly teaches we’ll never make it based on our supposed good works, it’s totally on what Jesus did for us. Our need is great. The Bible declares there is no one righteous, not even one. The only way to obtain right standing with God is through trusting in Jesus and His sacrificial, substitutionary atonement for our sin. Salvation is offered to us freely, but sinful man refuses to accept it. It’s like someone offering a helping hand, reaching out to pull us from a consuming fire, but we reject it because we don’t like the One offering to save us.
So, on this side of heaven, if you are offended by Jesus or His message of salvation, there’s no way you’ll enjoy being with Him in His heavenly kingdom, you’ll be totally miserable and out of place there. Someone has said, Jesus is like Kryptonite to the unbeliever. But also know, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not in decline and defeat, as Satan would have you believe. The Kingdom of God is expanding. The Book of Revelation says the people of God are beyond number from every tribe, kingdom, nation and tongue. All that the Father has given to the Son will be saved, not one will be lost, they are the promised inheritance to the Son.
So, there it is, my Thanksgiving message…a pretty unusual one, and hard-hitting for sure. I am so thankful to Jesus that I am narrow-minded, for He has opened my eyes, ears and narrowed my mind to focus on the One who offers Himself as The Way, The Truth, and The Life. For those of you that don’t know Him, he offers Himself to you. He will change the direction of your life forever; you will become a new creation.
Today is the day of salvation…a day of Thanksgiving so meaningful, it will never be surpassed, and one for which you will thank God forever.