Once I went dirt bike riding in the desert with my two older sons. When the time came to leave we drove our vehicle through some deep sand and got stuck.
Yep, that’s me and that’s the four-wheel drive vehicle
Some park rangers came by and offered to help us. They asked if I was in four wheel drive. I sincerely believed I was and said “yes.” They showed me that I wasn’t in four wheel drive since I had not locked the hubs on my front wheels. Once I followed their direction, I easily drove out of the sand.
I sincerely believed in something untrue and it got me stuck. In the same way, people sincerely believe in the wrong way to heaven and are stuck with the consequences.
Here are Two Inaccurate Ways to Determine Truth:
Sincerity of Belief
Some think that sincerity of belief should determine salvation. They feel that God shouldn’t exclude sincere believers in faiths other than Jesus, leaving people out of His family, eternal life and heaven.
Just because people sincerely believe something doesn’t mean they are saved. They have to believe in the right Way: Jesus Christ.
Jesus said; “Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
The problem is that sincerity is not an accurate determination of many truths, including spiritual truths.
For example:
Hitler and the Nazis sincerely believed in the superiority of the Aryan race and extermination of Jews. But sincerity did not make them right.The 9/11 terrorists sincerely believed they were doing the right thing sacrificing their lives along with others. But that did not make it right.I have taken exams and sincerely answered questions believing I was correct. But the answer was marked wrong. Unfortunately, my sincerity did not make me right!
Another inaccurate way to determine truth is:
Tolerance of Personal Preferences
We live in a day when personal preference is often valued above everything. Therefore the difference between right and wrong has been blurred.
“Tolerance” is politically correct; including the personal preference to make immoral choices.
Christians are viewed as “intolerant” for expressing a different opinion.
Therefore, many try to say Christianity is right for some but not for all—it all depends on one’s personal preference.
But there is a problem. Yes, we have free will from God and in America to choose our own beliefs. But, have we confused our American freedoms with the false assumption that we can dictate to God what faiths He must accept?
Our freedom doesn’t mean that we can have our way in all matters.
For example:
Our freedom does not mean we can tell a gas station owner what price we will pay for his gas.Our freedom does not mean we can tell the Federal government how much income tax we will pay.What if I did not want to drive on the other side of the road because I thought one side too restrictive? My freedom does not mean I can drive on the wrong side of the road.
We observe the traffic signs for our own safety and they protect us. In the same way God is the Higher Authority, determining laws of Eternal Spiritual Truth that are non-negotiable.
God’s laws are given in love for our protection and guidance, just as traffic laws are given to guide and protect us.
Just as we tell our children:
don’t step in front of traffic.don’t touch the stove when it is hot.
We wouldn’t say anything if we didn’t know best and love them. In the same way our heavenly Father loved us enough to show us the right way and tell us the way of salvation found in the person of Jesus Christ.
Here is the clear teaching of God’s Word: “So you will be saved, if you honestly say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death.” (Romans 10:9 CEV)