Question: My religion professor says that there are many ways to heaven. Is this true?

Answer: No.  What your professor said is not true! There is only one way to Heaven and that way is through Jesus Christ.  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.” (NKJV)  Jesus made this clear. And, Jesus does not lie!

However, we are regularly fed spiritual lies by some of the people around us. Sometimes they tell us falsehoods out of their own ignorance.  Other times, people know that what they are telling you is not true.  Satan uses people to tell lies that would lead others away from God’s truth. In fact, Jesus says that Satan is the father of lies. (John 8:44)  He lies to keep people in the bondage of sin.

But by reading and studying God’s Holy Word, we can break free from Satan’s grip.  John 8:32 says,  “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  Verse 36 goes on to say, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

Therefore to be free we must first accept God’s only Son Jesus Christ as our One and only Lord and Savior. We must accept that He saved us from eternal separation from God in Heaven. He took  the punishment of death on the cross that we deserved for our sins. We must ask for forgiveness and repent of our sins.

In doing this, we can pray that God’s Holy Spirit will give us discernment to recognize truth from lies. For example, when someone comes to us saying their message is from God, yet their actions go against God’s teachings, we can remember 1 John 2:4.  “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

So, when we hear people say anything that goes against God’s Word, we know they are telling lies.  Even when these people come across as very likeable, intelligent, and caring, we must test what they are saying. For example, are they lying by telling people that they don’t need to be accountable to God for their actions – that they can just do whatever seems right in their own eyes? If so, they are liars!

Especially beware if what they say denies the unbreakable bond between God the Father and His Son.  In fact, 1 John 2: 22 – 23, puts it this way:  “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

So, don’t be deceived by the liars. Seek God’s truth. Pray to learn to discern!

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