Is Jesus the
only way to
heaven?
Tough Questions
Is Jesus the only way to heaven?
A question with assumptions
 there is a heaven …
 that is a desirable
destination!
 … and which Jesus
can give us access to!
Tough Questions
Is Jesus the only way to heaven?
A question with assumptions
A culturally conditioned
question
 our post-modern culture
is uncomfortable with
absolutes
 “what is true for you
may not be true for me”
 most of us now have
many neighbours of
other faiths - which we
do not understand
Tough Questions
Is Jesus the only way to heaven?
A question with assumptions
A culturally conditioned
question
Tough Questions
Is Jesus the only way to heaven?
A question with assumptions
A culturally conditioned
question
A philosophical question
 post-modernity raises its
own challenges for
philosophy:
 how can diverse faiths
be equally “true” where
they (in some ways) are
incompatible?
 how could a loving God
deny people heaven?
Tough Questions
Is Jesus the only way to heaven?
A question with assumptions
A culturally conditioned
question
A philosophical question
A theological question
 what did Jesus teach
about access to
heaven?
 what is the Bible
teaching about the
eternal destiny of those
who are not followers of
Jesus?
Tough Questions
Is Jesus the only way to heaven?
A question with assumptions
A culturally conditioned
question
A philosophical question
 how will our
understanding of all this
affect the way we
engage with those of
other “faith streams”?
A theological question
A missional question
Tough Questions
Living in a post-modern multi-faith society
Before we consider telling
those of other faiths that
they’re wrong – it helps to
understand what they believe!
Tough Questions
What do Christians believe?






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How do we use the Bible?
What do we do for a new child?
How do we celebrate communion?
What is baptism?
How do we decide what to do?
How do we view divorce and remarriage?
How do we choose a leader?
Is it ever right to have an abortion?
Tough Questions
2000 BCE
1500
1000
500
0
500 CE
Tough Questions
1000
1500
2000
2000 BCE
1500
1000
500
0
500 CE
1000
1500
2000
One G-D, Yahweh
Chosen people, given Israel
Covenant relationship
Coming Messiah
Founder
Date
Holy Book
Judaism
Abraham
2000 BCE
Tanakh
Tough Questions
2000 BCE
1500
1000
500
0
500 CE
1000
1500
2000
One Great Power, Brahman
Reflected in many deities
Reincarnation
Respect for life
Release through duty,
knowledge, devotion
Founder
Date
Holy Book
Judaism
Abraham
2000 BCE
Tanakh
Hinduism
(Not known)
1500 BCE
Vedas
Tough Questions
2000 BCE
1500
1000
500
0
500 CE
1000
1500
Life involves suffering
Suffering is from desire
This can be eliminated
… by Noble 8-fold Path
Founder
Date
Holy Book
Judaism
Abraham
2000 BCE
Tanakh
Hinduism
(Not known)
1500 BCE
Vedas
Buddhism
Siddartha Gautama
500 BCE
Tipitaka
Tough Questions
2000
2000 BCE
1500
1000
500
0
500 CE
1000
1500
2000
Jesus = God (Trinity)
Human predicament: sin
Gift of forgiveness in death
& resurrection
Need to “turn” (repentance)
Founder
Date
Holy Book
Judaism
Abraham
2000 BCE
Tanakh
Hinduism
(Not known)
1500 BCE
Vedas
Buddhism
Siddartha Gautama
500 BCE
Tipitaka
Christianity
Jesus
30 CE
Bible
Tough Questions
2000 BCE
1500
1000
500
0
500 CE
1000
1500
2000
One God, Allah
Muhammad his messenger
5 pillars: shahadah, prayer,
alms, Hajj, fasting
Founder
Date
Holy Book
Judaism
Abraham
2000 BCE
Tanakh
Hinduism
(Not known)
1500 BCE
Vedas
Buddhism
Siddartha Gautama
500 BCE
Tipitaka
Christianity
Islam
Muhammad
Jesus
610 CE
30 CE
Bible
Qu’ran
Tough Questions
2000 BCE
1500
1000
500
0
500 CE
1000
1500
2000
One God of all religions
Cycles of births > unity with God
Equality of race / sex / religion
No empty ritual or priests
5 Ks: uncut hair, sword, bangle,
comb, shorts
Founder
Date
Holy Book
Judaism
Abraham
2000 BCE
Tanakh
Hinduism
(Not known)
1500 BCE
Vedas
Buddhism
Siddartha Gautama
500 BCE
Tipitaka
Sikhism
Christianity
Islam
Muhammad Guru Nanak
Jesus
1500 CE
610 CE
30 CE
Guru Granth Sahib
Bible
Qu’ran
Tough Questions
2000 BCE
Founder
Date
Holy Book
1500
1000
Judaism
Abraham
2000 BCE
Tanakh
500
Hinduism
(Not known)
1500 BCE
Vedas
0
Buddhism
Siddartha Gautama
500 BCE
Tipitaka
500 CE
1000
1500
2000
Sikhism
Christianity
Islam
Muhammad Guru Nanak
Jesus
1500 CE
610 CE
30 CE
Guru Granth Sahib
Bible
Qu’ran
Tough Questions
those obedient to
Torah, the
compassionate
LORD will welcome
to paradise
after judgement,
God will welcome
forgiven sinners to
heaven
on the Day of
Judgement, those
submitted to Allah
will enter paradise
those who respect
life will eventually
break free from
samsara and enter
moksha
those who follow the
noble eightfold path may
become enlightened and
enter nirvana
purity of life will result in
mukti, escape from the
cycle of lives
Tough Questions
Thinking about truth
When we look at other faiths,
we find that we have some
ideas and ways of doing things
that are similar …
Tough Questions
1
Tough Questions
Thinking about truth
While we might rightly think
that all should be treated with
equal respect - this does not
mean that they are all
necessarily equally valid:
Tough Questions
Thinking about truth
a (human) rabbi,
the Son of God, who
a prophet of Allah,
who blasphemed
laid down his life for
whose life and
by claiming to be
us in crucifixion,
message have been
God, and was
gloriously vindicated
distorted by
executed for this by when he was raised
Christians. Did not
crucifixion.
from death.
die on a cross, but
Dead.
Alive.
ascended directly to
heaven.
Tough Questions
What the Bible says about getting to heaven
heaven is where God is …
… pictured as above us …
a “triple decker universe”.
the kingdom of heaven =
the kingdom of God
 God speaks from heaven
 Jesus says to the thief, “Today
you will be with me in paradise”.
 Jesus ascends into heaven




Tough Questions
What the Bible says about getting to heaven
 the Bible doesn’t talk much about what heaven is
like …
 … and when we talk about the way to heaven, we
often substitute the word “heaven” for ideas
coming to the Father or living with God for eternity
 … but the underlying picture is of Eden restored
Tough Questions
What the Bible says about getting to heaven
 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life: noone comes to the Father except through me”.
 Jesus promises his followers a place in the Father’s
house.
 Jesus teaches that on the final day, some will be
surprised and some disappointed!
 answers to questions about what heaven is like – or
who will get there – depend on the principles of
interpretation used:
Tough Questions
What the Bible says about getting to heaven
Fundamentalist
Fred
Conservative
Charlie
Evangelical Eve
Tough Questions
Liberal
Larry
Postmodern
Pippa
What the Bible says about getting to heaven
 most Christians would say that those who die
without having heard the Good News will be judged
according to how the followed their conscience.
Romans 2
 regarding followers of Judaism, some Christians hold
that God’s covenant with them still stands, while
others argue that must accept Jesus to be saved.
Paul writes, “… all Israel will be saved”. Romans 11 26
Tough Questions
What the Bible says about getting to heaven
 elsewhere, Paul quotes a very early Christian hymn
which some Christians argue suggest that God
might seek to save all:
“… at the name of Jesus every knee will bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2 10,11
Tough Questions
What the Bible says about getting to heaven
Tough Questions
What the Bible says about getting to heaven
Tough Questions
What the Bible says about getting to heaven
“Exclusivist”
Only Christians are “saved”; other faiths
are outdated, deluded or demonic
“Inclusivist”
Other faiths have insights into truth, but
Christianity alone has the full picture.
God may welcome others into heaven.
“Pluralist”
There are many ways to God through
different cultures and faiths;
God, who is love, welcomes all.
Tough Questions
Lastly – the
“missional”
question
Tough Questions
2000 BCE
Founder
Date
Holy Book
1500
1000
Judaism
Abraham
2000 BCE
Tanakh
500
Hinduism
(Not known)
1500 BCE
Vedas
0
Buddhis
m
500 CE
Siddartha Gautama
500 BCE
Tipitaka
1000
1500
2000
Sikhism
Christianity
Islam
Muhammad Guru Nanak
Jesus
1500 CE
610 CE
30 CE
Guru Granth Sahib
Bible
Qu’ran
Tough Questions
=
Oldest
monotheistic faith
Rebellion
Ancient
faith
Break out of
cycle of re-birth
Right Living
Union with the
Great Power
“Improvement!”
of Hinduism
Problem of
suffering
Right living
Nirvana
Fulfilment of
Judaism
Correction of
Christianity &
Judaism
Correction of
Hinduism & Islam
(Inevitable)
Rebellion
(Possible)
Rebellion
Break out of
cycle of re-birth
Obedience to Torah
(Right living)
Heaven or Hell
Accept forgiveness Heaven or hell
> new (changed) life (heaven starts now)
Submission
(Right living)
Judgement >
paradise or hell
Right living
Merge with
God
Tough Questions
=
Oldest
monotheistic faith
Rebellion
Ancient
faith
Break out of
cycle of re-birth
Right Living
Union with the
Great Power
“Improvement!”
of Hinduism
Problem of
suffering
Right living
Nirvana
Fulfilment of
Judaism
Correction of
Christianity &
Judaism
Correction of
Hinduism & Islam
(Inevitable)
Rebellion
(Possible)
Rebellion
Break out of
cycle of re-birth
Obedience to Torah
(Right living)
Heaven or Hell
Accept forgiveness Heaven or hell
> new (changed) life (heaven starts now)
Submission
(Right living)
Judgement >
paradise or hell
Right living
Merge with
God
Tough Questions
Good
news!
=
Oldest
monotheistic faith
Rebellion
Ancient
faith
Break out of
cycle of re-birth
Right Living
Union with the
Great Power
“Improvement!”
of Hinduism
Problem of
suffering
Right living
Nirvana
Fulfilment of
Judaism
Correction of
Christianity &
Judaism
Correction of
Hinduism & Islam
(Inevitable)
Rebellion
(Possible)
Rebellion
Break out of
cycle of re-birth
Obedience to Torah
(Right living)
Heaven or Hell
Accept forgiveness Heaven or hell
> new (changed) life (heaven starts now)
Submission
(Right living)
Judgement >
paradise or hell
Right living
Merge with
God
Tough Questions