"I've got my own religion."

"Whatever you believe is alright."

"Everybody has their own beliefs."

"Just so you believe something."

These are sayings which you will hear from many people today. They sound nice, and help to make people feel good, since their own beliefs are said to be as valid as those of anyone else. "After all," some say, "can you really know anything for sure?" People who claim to have "the truth" are looked down upon as being arrogant and intolerant. For some reason, people can accept the idea that any religion is valid as long as it doesn't claim to be the only true religion! Do you know why that is? It's Satan's way of getting people to believe anything but the one thing that will remove his grip on their souls.

It is not true that all religious beliefs are of equal value. It is not true that "Whatever you believe is alright." The very fact that "Everybody has their own beliefs" is what God says is man's biggest problem--we have exchanged His truth for our beliefs. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6). Man's confused religions stand in opposition to God's simple way to life. Man's ways are the wide, tolerant, sin-ignoring way that ends in destruction. "Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction ... narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" ( Matthew 7:13-14).

There is one sense in which it is true that what you believe doesn't matter. What you believe, or what religious men have taught, does not change the truth of God's Word! Just believing something doesn't make it so. Jumping off the top of a skyscraper onto the street below will kill you, no matter how strongly you believe otherwise. Entering into eternity with the firm belief that there is no God, or that your beliefs or your works are good enough to merit His approval will not change the outcome: "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15).

Truth is not a matter of opinion. Either something is true or it is false. Jesus Christ claims to be the truth. He did not say "I am a way," but rather, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6). When it comes to faith, it is not, "Just so you believe something," but "Just so you believe Christ." Faith in Jesus Christ, who laid down His life on the cross of Calvary and rose victoriously from the dead, is the only way to everlasting life and forgiveness of sins.

Just as everyone has turned to his own way, each of us must individually turn from our rebellion. No one can save himself, since salvation is "not of works" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Because God is the One who saves, salvation is as certain as His promise: "He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

Jesus Christ is the only way. Won't you stop rejecting Him, and by faith receive Him as your Saviour today? "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

--Ron Melick (posted with permission of Moments With The Book)