Good Question: Don’t All Spiritual Roads Lead Up The Same Mountain?
These are the notes to Pastor Brian’s message on September 25th, 2023.
Today we are aiming to answer the question: Do all spiritual roads lead up the same mountain? At the end of the day, isn’t their cosmic force that will get me to the end goal of life?
Radial Inclusivism: The belief that religion is culturally and historically conditioned. No single religion has all the answers or has the big picture.
Problem #1: In order to say others are blind and lack perspective is an arrogant claim and assumes that YOU are the one with some sort of higher perspective.
Problem #2: This idea lacks integrity to other religions. Other monotheistic religions would never concede to another. Their teaching are not mutually beneficial for each other. Their teachings are different and contradictory.
Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. 3 And many peoples will come and say,“Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord,To the house of the God of Jacob; So that He may teach us about His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go out from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 2:2-3
If all religions lead the same place, why do they teach radically different things?
Interesting Religions of the World:
Jediism?
Raelism?
Bullet Baba?
Problem #3: As soon as your draw a line saying someone else is mistaken about something you are conceding to the fact that there is something that is right and that somehow you have the perspective no one else seems to have.
Radical Exclusivism: The belief that no one else could possibly be right about anything, in fact, others are dangerous.
Problem #1: Tribalism
Problem #2: Keeps us from recognizing the revelation of God in every culture around the world.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Romans 1:20
The Revelation of Jesus is not in conflict with other religions of the world. The Revelation of Jesus is a blessing to world religions to show even within another culture Jesus has come to bring the fulfillment of their natural revelation.
13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6
17 And hearing this, Jesus *said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Mark 2:17
10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Luke 19:10
