COEXIST?

By Justin Edwards

You've all seen them on car bumpers and rear glass, maybe you even have one on your own car. If that's the case, please continue reading. Perhaps you've never considered this before, but the idea behind these COEXIST bumper stickers is among the greatest lies ever told. Let me explain.

I was actually behind this bumper sticker earlier this week. In addition to COEXIST, they also had an interesting PEACE bumper sticker with the same play on religions, as well as this one, “FREEDOM OF RELIGION MEANS ALL RELIGIONS”.

Granted, that simple statement is true as far as our U.S. Constitution is concerned (and rightly so), but the context behind it, or at least in context with this driver’s other bumper stickers, only led me to think they believe all religions are valid. After all, who is anyone to say only one is correct (especially Christianity)? It made me sad to think how widespread this deception is. So after reading Mike Ratliff's article Wednesday, Are You Ashamed of That Stumbling Block?, I decided to go ahead and write this article. And if you get a chance, please read Mike's timely article as well.

In the name of Universalism, many a soul will be damned.  Universalism is the belief that all roads eventually lead to heaven, including atheism. All mankind will be saved no matter the path they follow. This cannot be further from the truth. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." I've met professed Christians who know of this eternal truth who continue to claim "to each his own" or "my way is not necessarily right for everyone" or "it's not my place to tell someone they are wrong in what they believe". My friend, you are in grave error!

An essential doctrine of Christianity is that absolutely no one can enter heaven except they go through the blood of Jesus Christ. God is holy and there will be no unrighteousness in heaven, therefore, the only way one can become righteous in His sight is by receiving the righteousness of Christ by the grace of God through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). This faith comes through trusting in Christ as Lord and Savior and repentance from yourself in turning to God in surrender. You cannot save yourself nor can you work for your salvation, which is the deception of all other religions.

Christianity is the only religion (to use the term loosely) that does not require works to go to heaven. Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism and Roman Catholicism all require the practitioner to perform works to some degree. In Christ, there is freedom - true freedom that can only come through the washing of sins and justification by faith alone in Christ and His finished work on the cross. These religions create a system of bondage where one can only hope their good works outweigh their evil deeds in the end. The cult of liberalism is largely responsible for this idea entering the church, and more recently through Emergence Christianity of this post-modern society. This intermixing of ideologies, religions, and the New Age is the foundation of what will become the universal religion during the Tribulation period. The co-mingling of religions is largely responsible for the falling away that we see in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, which must take place before Christ returns. It is one of the greatest tangible evidences the Wrath of God is ready to be poured out on earth and its dwellers.

If you are one who believes all religions should coexist peacefully, I agree with you. Christians especially must express their love for all people in word and deed. We are to be the salt and light of this world, else how will the lost see the love of Jesus Christ but through His own children? Unfortunately, however, coexisting in the name of tolerance and moral relativism is impossible as there is only one God and one path through His Son Jesus Christ. Ultimately, darkness and light contradict one another as Ephesians 6:12 says,

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

To put it bluntly, all other religions are derived from the pit of hell. They are a means for Satan to deceive the masses away from the truth and grace offered by a holy and sovereign God. To deny that Jesus is the only way for salvation is to diminish His blood sacrifice. To deny there is an eternal hell is to belittle the torment and excruciating death of the Savior. To deny these truths is to call God a liar.

If you are a professed Christian who believes there is more than one path, I plead with you to study the Bible for yourself and repent from this heresy. If you do not believe in Christ, I plead with you to search the Scriptures and pray the Holy Spirit reveals Himself to you. The average human life span is around 75 years, where will you be 1 TRILLION years from now? For 1 trillion years, will you have been worshiping and serving the Lord in heaven or will you have been suffering in the darkness of eternal hellfire? What about 100 TRILLION years after that?  Isn't an eternity worth spending a few hours or days searching out these truths now?

Don't put your trust in man-made traditions or in the god you have made up in your own mind. If you say you believe in God, then do yourself a favor and make sure you believe in the God of the Bible. The consequences will be the difference between an eternity with Jesus or an eternity of damnation. Matthew 7:13-14

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.