Question:  My pastor never preaches about sin and says that there are many paths to Heaven. Does this match what the Bible teaches?

Answer:  No.  Your pastor is not teaching you the truths of God’s Holy Word.  He is replacing God’s truths with lies.  Anyone who does this is referred to in the Bible as a “false prophet” –a false teacher.  In the book of Matthew, chapter 7:15, Jesus says:  “Beware  of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”  Jesus goes on to say in verse 16, “You will know them by their fruits…” (NKJV)  In the case of your pastor, if he does not preach about sin, then how can he deliver the message of salvation?  It is precisely because of our sin, which separates us from a Holy God, that Jesus had to die on the cross.  The Word of God says that the wages of sin is death.  God sent His Son, Jesus to take this punishment for us.  By accepting Jesus as our one and only Savior, we are reconciled to God.  God then blesses us with eternal life in Heaven instead of eternal death in hell. (See John 3:16).  So, without understanding about sin, one cannot understand our need for salvation through Jesus Christ.

As for your pastor’s teachings about other religions, he needs to be clear.  While Believers can be knowledgable about other religions, and of course treat people of different beliefs with kindness and love, we need to understand that their beliefs do not match the teachings of God’s Holy Word — the Bible.  As Jesus himself said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life .  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  If their religion teaches another way to our Father God in Heaven, Christians know that this religion does not match the truth in God’s Word.

Believers also know that as we get closer to Jesus’ return,  Satan will increase his attempts to pull people away from God.  He will use false teachers to help accomplish this.  These false teachers will tell people to ignore the teachings in God’s Word and decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong.  Romans 1:22 says, “Professing to be wise, they became fools…”  Of course these false teachers will still present themselves as being Christians.  1st Timothy 4:1-2 says, “Now the spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron…”  And, Titus 1:16 says, “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.”

Throughout the years, there have been many false prophets.  These teachers often present themselves in an attractive manner.  They may be well-dressed, well-spoken, and even  graduates of prestigious universities. They can be of all different races, sizes, and ethnicities.  But they all teach lies about God.  One example of this was a man by the name of Jose’ Luis de Jesu’s Miranda  (April 22,1946 – August 8, 2013).  Miranda claimed to be Jesus Christ and later even claimed to be Anti-Christ.  He attracted a great many followers who truly believed what he preached.  They helped make  him rich by giving him a great deal of  their money, cars, and other valuables.  He named his “ministry” Growing in Grace.  He told his followers that it was revealed to him that there is no such thing as sin, the devil, or hell.  He said prayer was a waste of time.   NBC News even did a story about Miranda.  Watch the 5min. 39sec. news story here:    https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=730540937004515.

The bottom line is simple.  If you are listening to someone whose teaching is the opposite of what’s written in God’s Word,  you need to stop listening.  You should not be attending their church.  You need to find a church that is teaching the Word of God accurately, and  stay away from false teachers!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family     http://www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries   http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network   http://www.cbn.com

World Magazine    www.worldmag.com