One Way, One God Part Six Why So Many?

 If there is only one way to God, then why have these gods and goddesses been created for people to worship? There are so many starting in Old Testament days and going forward.

It is because people did not like the fact that there are certain things that God requires them to be if they want to be a part of his kingdom. They wanted to do their own thing. But because his kingdom is incorruptible therefore he will allow nothing evil into it. That was not good enough for those people and so they created their own gods that would allow them to do the things that God prohibited.

Romans1:28 pretty well sums it up.

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a corrupt mind, to do what they should not do.

So what does that mean? It means these are people that reject God, trying to suppress the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's those people that go their own way. Those that don't believe in him. Those that teach other gospels that are not from God. It is those that "Suppress the truth by their wickedness and it is upon these people that the wrath of God rests." Romans 1:18

No, false gods did not cease with the arrival of Jesus Christ. Look at what the apostle Paul had to say about them in his time.

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that "An idol is nothing at all in the world" and that "There is no God but one." For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods and many"lords",yet for us there is but one God the Father, from whom all things came, and for whom we live, and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ through whom all things came and through whom we live. 1 Corthianians 8:4-6

There are many gods, many idols, many lords that we can worship and give our allegiance to. But they are but things created by men that give false hope to the people that do worship them.

When I was 12 years old, Billy Graham came to the city that we lived in at that time. He preached at a baseball stadium and my family attended his services. The stadium was filled to capacity and so many people sat in the outfield to hear him. We were some of those people and as a kid, looking up to the stadium itself, above it there was a huge banner stretched out that said, "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE." JOHN 14:6. That banner proclaimed Jesus Christ and the rest of the verse says this: "No one comes to the Father, but by me." That huge banner made quite an impression on that 12-year-old girl.

Why so many religions?  The answer to that question is easy.

There have been many false gods created for man's pleasure and ability to disobey the laws of God. But to man's own destruction they have been and are still today for those that choose a different path from the true God.  And it doesn't end there because, in the meantime, there are also different religions that have sprung up all through the ages that are just as harmful to those that believe them.

"That we be henceforth no more children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" Ephesians 4:14

"One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God who is Father above all." Ephesians 4:5-6

The Bible, our God-given guideline into how to steer clear of false teachings, says we need to grow up and not fall for just anything that comes along and may look good to us because there are men out there teaching things that are not of God. And they are waiting for people that will fall for their tricks and it is usually for power and money. They are out there friends. We see cults in the news at times when bad things that happen to people due to cults and their teachings.  People have died from falling for such stuff when they have been indoctrinated and brainwashed by different groups.

Furthermore, there is just one Lord, one faith and one baptism above us all. And it is to our benefit that we need to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and let him help us to grow in our faith. Because if we follow God and what his plans for us are, we are not subject to the wrath of God, that rests upon those that go their own way. And believe me, we do not want to be under God's wrath when we can instead be under his grace. Because it is because" by grace, we are saved, through faith and not of ourselves, it is a gift of God." Ephesians 2:8-9

Which is for you? God's gift of grace. Or God's wrath? It is a choice we all have to make. I choose God's grace. And I sincerely hope you do as well.

January 16, 2019 Promise: I cling to you, your strong right-hand holds me securely. Psalm 63:8t

Thanks for your visit today, Friends. Tomorrow we will start a new topic in this blog. Be blessed!