Have you seen the “Coexist” bumper stickers? They are so popular, I would be surprised if you haven’t. Various religious symbols replace each letter, suggesting that all religions should coexist peacefully. As Christians, we should agree with the “peace” but must disagree with the implied equivalency of all faiths.

The Unitarian Universalist Church “encourages each individual to develop a personal faith. It draws from many different religions, in the belief that no one religion has all the answers and that most have something to teach us.” That may sound nice, but it means nothing–quite literally. If the foundation of faith is individualistic, then there is nothing to have faith in at all. 

Imagine if the law of gravity was different for each person. On the same planet, some would float away, and others would be crushed. Some could leap tall buildings, and others could barely stand. How would we build any shelter? Flying would be impossible. This isn’t to be confused with changing gravitational pulls on different planets–indeed, gravitational forces change because the law of gravity is the same throughout the universe. The reality of nature remains the same; it is the mass of each celestial body that differs. Gravity would not work without a constant law, nor would life.

Though mankind cannot prove spiritual matters scientifically, the same element of truth still applies. The argument that different religions look at the same unknowable truth through different lenses only works if each does not blatantly contradict the others. Hindus believe in reincarnation; Jews do not. Buddhists believe our chief aim is to ascend to a mental and spiritual plane of super-consciousness, whereas Muslims have a faith primarily measured by works. Similarly, Christians have a hard redline that determines our eternal destination: Jesus.

Speaking of Himself as the gateway to eternal life, Jesus declares, “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” (John 10:1, NIV) He further describes these thieves’ motives as “only to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10) The entire chapter of John 10 metaphorically describes how the people of God will learn to hear the true shepherd’s voice and enter through the only gate to eternity. Jesus states, “I am the gate for the sheep.” (John 10:7) 

Jesus declares that He, alone, is “the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) He announces, “whoever does not believe stands condemned” (John 3:18) He has the power to cast out those from eternity that never truly knew Him (Matthew 7:23) Jesus will be leading the heavenly charge when this world’s time has ended (Mark 13:26) Anyone ashamed of Him and the entirety of His words will find no comfort from Him in glory. (Luke 9:26) There is no equivocation, no room for another “messiah, " no option for alternative hope. It is Jesus or nothing. 

The world’s largest religions–most from the Abrahamic faithline–take similar exclusionary stances. The first of the famous Ten Commandments prevents Jews from having any other god besides YHWH. The Quran also declares its own exclusivity “‘The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills – let him believe; and whoever wills – let him disbelieve.’ Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like murky oil, which scalds [their] faces. Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting place.” (Quran Surah 18:29) Among these monotheistic religions, which all claim the same human forefather, there is no compromise, either.

So, why choose Jesus? We believe in the convincing testimonies in the Bible. The New Testament fulfills many of the Old Testament prophecies. Those who wrote the New Testament did not seek power or fame; instead, they often died for their faith. Their convictions were so strong that they would not deny the miracles Jesus performed, most of all His resurrection. Now, there are many Christian apologetic books that present substantially better arguments than this 5-minute message. Still, the historicity and counter-cultural, self-sacrificial nature of both the Lord and His followers make a strong analytical case for its accuracy.

And then, there are our own testimonies. When you invite the Holy Spirit into yourself, your life changes in unexplainable ways. Miracles happen by faith. The world loses its control over you. 

As we’ve read, Jesus is not coy about the Truth. If you believe Jesus at all, you have to believe Him fully. There is no middle ground; therefore, the Truth revealed through Christ cannot be massaged in any other form. This isn’t to say that we understand everything about creation, faith, God, or Jesus; however, it draws a hardline against accepting any other spiritual offering. Even if an angelic being preaches a different version of this Gospel, it is to be eternally condemned. (Galatians 1:8) This is why cultural Christianity or Christian morality is so dangerous: it can trick you into thinking you believe when it’s simply a moral ethos that you pick and choose from according to your comfort level. 

Different religions may get along on Earth, but there will be no compromise in heaven. That truth may feel as uncomfortable as falling to the hard ground. However, our feelings cannot change either the laws of gravity or heaven–we are still bound by these undeniable forces. So, we must choose between the truth man creates or the Truth Jesus declared; the two will coexist.

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