Are Americans "Religious"?
According to Prophecy News Watch a new survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that 57% of evangelical church attenders said that they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching. According to the same survey, as a whole, 70% of Americans with a religious affiliation, shared that same view.
That is astonishing information because Americans say they are very religious. The operative word here is RELIGIOUS. Jesus found the same attitudes when He walked the earth. People then and now are RELIGIOUS but do not have a personal relationship with God. Let's examine some scriptures to verify this.
The book of Matthew, chapter 16 tells us that when Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea, Philippi, he asked his disciples, (vs. 13) Whom do men say that I am? And they replied (vs. 14) Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. You see, how confused the people were. Even though his arrival had been prophesied by the writers of the Old Testament many times over they still didn't get it.
Jesus wasn't satisfied with their answers, nor will he be with yours, if that is your answer, so he asked: (vs. 15) But whom say ye that I am? You see how he always gets to the heart of the matter? I love Peter's reply: (vs. 16) Thou art the Christ (or the Anointed One), the Son of the living God. Oh, there's a lot here. Anointed One: Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power . . . And the Son of the living God. There were many Gods then as today. They just have different names, but none of them are living gods.
Then Jesus said to Peter: (vs. 17) Blessed (fortunate, well off, happy) are you, Simon Bar-Jona: (or son of Jona) for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, (who Jesus is takes revelation knowledge not head knowledge. Head knowledge is by flesh and blood and smacks of religion but revelation knowledge is relational), but my Father which is in heaven.
And then in verse 18, Jesus says, "And I say unto you that thou art Peter, and upon this rock (not upon Peter, but upon his confession that Jesus is the Son of the living God), I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". Petros is the Greek word for Peter which means: stone. The word, rock, is the Greek word Petra, which means large rock, and it is upon this rock of confession that Jesus said he would build his church. Then there is Ist Cor. 12:3b - "no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost". That's revelation knowledge.
Peter often gets a bad rap for his big mouth and for cutting off the Roman soldier's ear when he was swinging for his head, but in the above exchange between Jesus and his disciples, there were 11 others who had no clue. Peter, on the other hand, nailed it because he was open to the revelation of God. Yea Peter!
Following is a noteworthy scripture to refute the 57% of evangelicals and the 70% of the others with "religious" afiliations in America who think that there are other religions that can lead to eternal life. That scripture is: John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am (notice how often Jesus uses the term, I am? Those are the same words God used when Moses asked, "who shall I say sent me?" and God said, "Tell them I AM sent you". In English "I am" is a form of the verb "to be" and means: I exist.) I am the way, the truth, and the life (Jesus says so much with so few words) and no man comes to the Father, but by me". What else is there to say?
Glory to God, this is Good News!
Hal Mitchell
Hal Mitchell
Ready Writer Ministries
PS
Don't forget to click on Great is Thy Faithfulness in the sidebar on the left for a wonderful rendition by Cece Wynans. You will be blessed!
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