I was driving around in Edmonton about 7 years or so ago with a co-worker and he asked me if I would mind if we stopped in at a church where his wedding was going to be taking place in a month or two so he could speak with somebody there to make some sort of arrangement. It was no problem for me so I agreed. I can’t remember those details completely anymore since it was so long ago but I think it was a United church or something like that. I remember waiting for him in his truck in the parking lot, looking around in appreciation at the new facility with the nicely paved parking lot. Must have cost quite a bit since it was quite a large building and they had done a really nice job making the parking lot pretty with trees and green spaces instead of just throwing out a huge uninterrupted mat of asphalt.
All of a sudden it hit me: These people must really be serious about what they believe in to spend this kind of cash. I’m a Mennonite Brethren so you wouldn’t catch me attending a United church. Don’t ask me what all the differences are because I don’t know – all I know is that I agree with things the way they are at the Mennonite Brethren churches and I don’t see a good reason to change what aint broke so I’m staying put.
I kept thinking along the previous path – who are all these people who go to this church? Well my buddy attends here and I think he’s a good guy; he’s got a pretty good head on his shoulders. I would imagine that this United church has members from all walks of life, just like my church. What are they all doing going to this United church? Have they all been deceived? They obviously take it pretty seriously to invest their cash in this new facility.
The natural progression of these thoughts led me to consider other religions instead of just other denominations within Christianity. What about Muslims? Buddhists? Hindus? Taoists? Just to name a few. How are these churches all surviving? Are they only attended by idiots? Are they just kidding around? I don’t think so. The implications are not really all that funny. So then what are they doing believing in this stuff? How can something that makes so much sense to me be so incredibly different for other people? And they are utterly convinced that they are right and I am wrong!
It makes me feel kind of small. It makes me nervous too. What if I AM wrong? How can I truly know that I am right?!?! I don’t know how to answer this. I have heard that there are Christians who are so solid in their faith that they don’t struggle with questions like this. I’m not one of them. All it takes are a few well shot arrows from the Enemy and I really start pondering things.
A large measure of comfort is provided to me in John 14:6:
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. NO ONE!!! AND THERE IS NO OTHER WAY!!! That is the bottom line right there. There is no area of life which has a line below that one – it is at the very bottom.
