The Only Way to the Father
A Spirit-filled Christian cannot compromise the truth to stay on good terms with anyone, but can still be tolerant and loving towards others.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the exclusivity of Christ as the only way to the Father, critiquing the modern tendency to accept all religious beliefs as equally valid. He argues that true believers, who have encountered the divine, cannot compromise on the truth of the Gospel for the sake of tolerance or social acceptance. Tozer highlights the importance of standing firm in one's faith while still loving and praying for those of different beliefs. He asserts that genuine faith compels one to uphold the truth of Jesus' words, 'No one comes to the Father except through me,' without yielding to the pressures of societal norms.
Text
It is more than a little strange that persons who modestly decline to risk an opinion on matters that do not touch them at all closely, such as philosophy or science for instance, are often ready and eager to pronounce with finality on religion which above all else is vital to their welfare for this world and that which is to come. This follows the popular notion that everyone is capable of discovering for himself the true way to heaven and that one man?s belief is as good as another?s in any kind of weather.
A second tenet in this creed is that no one has the right to question the belief of anyone else or to try to influence him in any way in religious matters. This leads naturally to the third tenet which is that we should practice complete tolerance toward every expression of religious belief, however base or ill-founded it may be, and accept it as someone?s way of worshiping God even if it isn?t ours.
All this has about it a certain savor of charity and slips well off the lips of politicians, who are forced to try to please everyone, and liberal ministers who find it profitable to do so.
But the man who has knelt before the burning bush or heard the sound of thunder on the mount can never bring himself to sell out his soul in that manner. The man who has walked beside the sea and has heard the voice of Jesus saying ?No one comes to the Father except through me? (John 14:6), can ever get the consent of his heart thus to trifle with religion. He has been smitten with the love of God and the wonder of the cross and he can never again be tolerant in things that touch his soul and the souls of his fellow men.
He will live beside, be patient with, minister to, pray for and love any religionist of whatever color or creed from a cardinal to a medicine man from the long grass, but never will he compromise the truth to stay on good terms with anyone. He may die for men, but he will never trifle with them.
Sermon Outline
- The Popular Notion of Tolerance
- The Consequences of this Notion
- The Response of the Spirit-filled Christian
- Everyone can discover the true way to heaven
- One man's belief is as good as another's
- No one has the right to question another's belief
- We should practice complete tolerance toward every expression of religious belief
- Cannot compromise the truth to stay on good terms with anyone
- Will live beside, be patient with, and love any religionist
Key Quotes
“He has been smitten with the love of God and the wonder of the cross and he can never again be tolerant in things that touch his soul and the souls of his fellow men.” — A.W. Tozer
“He may die for men, but he will never trifle with them.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- As a Spirit-filled Christian, I will not compromise the truth to stay on good terms with anyone.
- I will be tolerant and loving towards others, but not at the expense of the truth.
- I will live beside, be patient with, and love any religionist, but will not trifle with the truth.