| From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase |
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The Gospel, and religious freedom, are under attack - by both secular governments and the Vatican.
October 8, 2024 - In our last News Update we reported on a proposed Canadian law that would make it a hate crime to quote Jesus' words in John chapter 14, verse 6: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." This would be considered religious discrimination in Canada, punishable by fines and imprisonment.
But speaking at a conference on so-called "interfaith dialogue" in Singapore last month, Roman Catholic Pope Francis took what is, essentially, the same position. He said that "All religions are paths to God". He said "they are like different languages that express the divine.â?¦ There is only one God, and religions are like languages, paths to reach God. Some Sikh, some Muslim, some Hindu, some Christian."
The pope went on to say that anyone who claims his religion is the exclusive way to God, that "mine is the true one, yours is not true", is advocating the "destruction" of religion and society, and therefore that person and his beliefs are dangerous - and by implication, must be suppressed.
Both the proposed Canadian law and the pope's statements are an attack on the Biblical doctrine of salvation, and on religious freedom. What he said about the way to God is completely contrary to the Word of God. He is, as one headline said, "Turning certainty on its head" - and we will see that in more detail in our next news update.
At TeachingTheWord Ministries and the Authentic Scripture Foundation, we teach not these false doctrines, but what Jesus declared. As Martin Luther put it at the time of the Protestant Reformation, "My conscience is bound by the Word of Godâ?¦Here I stand, I can do no other."
Jesus did indeed proclaim that He is the one and only Way, the one and only Truth, and the one and only Life - and that no one comes to the Father - no one can have eternal life - except through Him.
His death is the only full and final propitiation for sinners, and Jesus is risen from the dead so that repentant sinners, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, can be declared "not guilty" at the judgment bar of God - not because of their own righteousness, or because they found their own way to God, but because they believe the great truth that Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live, and died the death that every sinner deserves, taking God's punishment on our behalf. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
This month, Bible-believing Christians around the world commemorate the anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation over 500 years ago. The church desperately needs a new Reformation in our time, and we seek to promote that cause through our worldwide, multimedia ministry.
We greatly value your prayers for this work, and we appreciate your financial support.
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