Friday, August 04, 2006

"Is belief in Jesus the only way to get to heaven?"

Time Magazine asked Episcopal Bishop-Elect Katherine Jefferts Schori the following question:

"Is belief in Jesus the only way to get to heaven?"

This is her response:

"We who practice the Christian tradition understand him as our vehicle to the divine. But for us to assume that God could not act in other ways is, I think, to put God in an awfully small box."

In fact the "box" that God placed Himself in order to secure our eternal salvation was even more narrow than she may have had in mind. It was hammered in place with cruel nails. And it was agonizing.

For her to suggest that this box -- the Cross -- was just "a way" of getting to heaven not only represents a complete heart-betrayal of the Lord she claims to represent, it makes God look like an idiot for asking His Son to submit to the degradation and suffering of the Cross, and then to say, "oops", not "the way", just "a way".

The other point I want to make is this: I've noticed that liberal Christians are self-centred in their statements, not God-centred. Notice the self-orientation of her statement.

"WE who practice the Christian tradition understand him as OUR vehicle to the divine. But for US to assume that God could not act in other ways is, I think, [FOR US] to put God in an awfully small box."

It's all about "us"; they don't worship God; they worship themselves.

I will do what they will not. I will publicly praise our God and Saviour for His redemptive work on the Cross. And belittle myself by saying that I have done, am doing, and can do absolutely nothing to either merit His redeeming love or to add to or improve upon what He did for me on the cross. And I will declare that it's all about HIM, and not about me, or "us", or what we think.

And I will state what they dare not because they would rather make themselves look good at the expense of truth than offend anyone: Jesus is not just some way, or a way, or "our" way, He is THE way. And He is not just our truth, or a truth, or a witness to the truth, or even just someone who spoke the truth: He IS THE TRUTH. And He's not just an example, or one among many witnesses to God, or a good teacher, or someone who points the way to eternal life; He is the life. If you have Him, you have life; if you don't have him, you don't.

And just so there is no mistake, I'll make it even clearer:

No one, and by that I mean no one, comes to the Father, except by Him -- the One whom the Father Himself sent, spoke about from Heaven at His baptism, and Whom the Father raised from the dead to gloriously validate His message and claim to be the Son of God.

Until this woman is willing to submit to this gospel truth she should get out of the business. She is not a Christian leader. She is a fake, as phony as a three-dollar bill, and, worse, a false prophet whose damnable opinions will lead to many going to hell instead of heaven.

I hope that was clear enough.

And that's the way the Ball bounces.

1 comment:

frappeur said...

Why do these people want to be thought of as Christian?

Obviously, they are not.

Do they just want to be identified with Christians?

How do they get into these senior positions? Who is responsible for their advancement in the hierarchy?

Why don't they start a church of their own? They could call it the "The Church of the Let's Pretend Christians."

In many cases these people are espousing old heresies. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I could put a name to this one.

"... nothing intellectually compelling or challenging.. bald assertions coupled to superstition... woefully pathetic"