By Gray A. Sands
Associate Minister
Patrick Springs Christian Church
Over the last few years I have noticed a trend in talking with young people.
Most of them would be in the millennial generation. It seems that the idea is that all you have to do is just believe. It really doesn’t matter what you believe or in whom you believe just as long as you are connected with something spiritually, you’re okay.
Some of these young people were even raised in a Christian church. So where did this trend come from and is belief enough?
Especially in the last decade, our society has been pushing us to be more tolerant of different cultures and religions and there’s nothing wrong with that. However this has spilled over into the minds of some professing Christians in a distorted way.
Our young people want everyone to go to Heaven, to be okay, to be accepted—that’s good. But is it good to distort the truth just to make others feel good? Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
There is also the idea that those who think in a narrow way somehow hate everyone that doesn’t think the way that they do. Our media, Hollywood, academia and even government at times have characterized Bible-believing Christians as haters.
Young people don’t want to be seen as haters, that’s good. But is it good to be more concerned about how others see you than about how God sees you?
Jesus said in Matthew 7:13 and 14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
There is also another idea that has been around a long time that is not just excluded to the young. That idea is that all I have to do is believe, just believe in the right God and I’m okay.
The book of James chapter 2 and verse 19 says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the Demons believe that—and shudder.” Surely Satan’s demons know who the true God is. So I ask you, is belief enough?
Jesus said in John 14:23, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
Now I’m not going to tell anyone what to believe because I have found that to be futile. Most people believe what they want to without any regard to what the Bible teaches. However there are a few that look for the narrow gate that Jesus spoke of.
If you are serious about a relationship with God and eternal life in Heaven perhaps you should look for it. I ask you one last time, is belief enough?
