If you believe in pluralism, you believe that people of all races, classes, religions and backgrounds should be able to get along on equal footing in society. That’s a good thing. But when it involves religion, it is tragic for the human race. Allow me to explain.
Pluralism obviously comes from the word plural, meaning “more than one.”
Someone who believes in pluralism believes that there are many different ways to live, and thinks that government and society should be structured in such a way as to encourage and appreciate people’s differences and allowing everyone to co-exist and get along. I have no issues with that at all. It sure beats the other extreme opposite, which is totalitarianism, when one supreme dictator makes all the decisions, and no one can oppose him without serious consequences. We’ve just had the closest to an American dictator of anyone we’ve ever had in the White House who is on his way out.
Pluralism is not dangerous, but it is the religious kind that is detrimental to humanity. Religious pluralism generally refers to the belief in two or more religious world views as being equally valid and acceptable. More than mere tolerance, religious pluralism accepts multiple paths to God or gods as a possibility and is usually contrasted with “exclusivism,” the idea that there is only one true religion or way to know God.
Even though this belief has been in existence for centuries of time it has gained traction and momentum in the latter half of the 20th century in the West—both in Europe and America. Specifically, it would apply to the idea of the religious ecumenical movement (religion working together as one) and the recently popularized interfaith movement that has led to the increased acceptance of religious pluralism in popular culture.
Studies have even shown that significant numbers of professing Christians now believe that there is more than one way to heaven. What a damnable doctrine! The Bible does not teach that. And although some religions such as Islam have some commonalities with Christianity, such as the belief in only one God, they differ in their view of salvation.
The Bible does teach that there is only one God (Deut. 6:5), but it also teaches exclusivism.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'” (John 14:6).
“There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
This is not a belief system as some will say, but it is the way it is. Period.
Jesus Christ was crucified for the sins of mankind. His holy blood was shed, and then He rose from the dead. That’s not a myth or a fable, or some kind of belief system that only serious Christians believe. That is a fact. That is the way it is. And anyone’s refusal to believe that will not change a thing.
The Bible also condemns other religions and other gods that are not really gods.
“If you break the covenant of the Lord your God that He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land that He gave you” (Josh. 23:16).
Although religious liberty gives all peoples the right to worship as they wish and whom they wish peaceably, religious pluralism teaches that multiple religions are true and equally valid, which the Bible refutes. Instead, it teaches that there is only one God and one mediator between God and men, who is the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).
A new religion is emerging in society today called “pluralism,” which tells us that everyone has the same god but with different ways to get to God. This milquetoast philosophical slant, which tells us all that is needed to co-exist is to be a nice person, do good things, and respect and accept everyone’s belief system, is a crock of lies that enslaves humanity instead of setting them free. The church has be stronger in this conviction, and preachers have to educate the American public on it.
As Bible-believing Christians, we need to stand firm against such a dangerous and hell-bent philosophy and preach the only way of salvation, which is not a system or a religion, but the person of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter who is offended by that narrow-minded statement. Jesus was narrow-minded and still is. We cannot compromise the only hope given to humanity for salvation.
Narrow is the way to eternal life, and broad is the way to destruction.
It is time for more narrow minded preachers to arise and preach the uncompromised gospel of Jesus Christ.
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