Bible Gateway interviewed Dr. Robert Jeffress (@robertjeffress) about his book, Not All Roads Lead to Heaven: Sharing an Exclusive Jesus in an Inclusive World (Baker Books, 2016).
What was the impetus for you to write this book?
Dr. Robert Jeffress: Christians lost the battle in the public square over gay marriage because, frankly, we were outthought, outfought, and outmarketed on the issue. But now, we’re in danger of losing an even more foundational belief of Christianity: that salvation is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ. A recent Pew Study revealed that 70% of Americans with a religious affiliation say that many religions lead to eternal life. Some people might think that “surely the statistics among evangelical Christians is different.” Not by much. A 2008 poll of 35,000 Americans revealed that 57% of Evangelical church attenders believe that many religions can lead to eternal life.
I’ve written Not All Roads Lead to Heaven to help Christians understand why this foundational belief of Christianity is so important, and to equip believers to share this truth in a compelling, but compassionate way. If we as Christians waffle and waver on this foundational belief, then we have absolutely no message to share with a lost world.
What Bible passages have led you to the conclusion that believing in Jesus is the only way to heaven?
Dr. Robert Jeffress: Certainly the most foundational passage is John 14:6 in which Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Unlike many people today, Jesus did not teach that all religions in the world are simply different paths up the same mountain of truth that leads to God. Jesus could not have been more clear: he offers the only way to heaven.
Think about this. If the universalists are correct in saying that everyone is going to be in heaven regardless of what they believe, or the pluralists are correct that all religions lead to the same god, then the horrific death of Jesus Christ was completely unnecessary. The only reason Christ submitted himself to the horrendous experience of bearing the sins of the entire world is because his death provided the only way for reconciliation with God.
As I demonstrate in my book, the consistent teaching of the entire New Testament is that faith in Christ provides the only way of salvation. For example, consider the teaching of the Apostle Peter. When commanded by the Jewish officials to quit invoking the name of Jesus Christ, Peter responded, “And there is salvation in no one else: for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Remember, Peter was a Jew, speaking to a group of Jews, claiming that there is no salvation for Jewish people—or anyone else—apart from faith in Jesus Christ.
Why do you say the exclusivity of Jesus Christ for salvation is Christianity’s most offensive belief?
Dr. Robert Jeffress: Because of the consequences of that belief if it is indeed true. Of the seven billion people who reside on planet Earth, only 25% could, in the broadest sense of the word, be classified as “Christian” (and the percentage who have personally trusted in Christ for salvation is much smaller), meaning that over five billion people in the world are destined to hell if indeed Christ offers the exclusive path for salvation. To many people, such a claim is offensive.
Yet, Jesus clearly taught that the majority of humanity will spend eternity in hell, and only a few will find the exclusive way to salvation. In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Why is the Old Testament important to study in the context of this question about the exclusivity of Christ?
Dr. Robert Jeffress: The idea that there is only one way to be reconciled with God has its origins in the Old Testament. The Old Testament message of exclusivity can be seen in five themes found in the Old Testament: (1) the oneness of God, (2) the holiness of God, (3) the sinfulness of man, (4) the need for sacrifice, and (5) the exclusivity of the sacrifice.
As I point out in Not All Roads Lead to Heaven, the story of Cain and Abel is the earliest illustration of the doctrine of exclusivity for salvation. Abel’s sacrifice was accepted by God because it was made according to God’s instructions. Cain, however, tried to approach God in his own way and was rejected by God (Genesis 4:3-5). From that point on, Cain became a symbol of those who try to approach God on their own terms. In fact, Jude 11 refers to those who have gone “the way of Cain.”
“The way of Cain” refers to any individual who attempts to approach God on his or her own terms rather than on God’s terms. “The way of Cain” describes any religious system that attempts to earn God’s favor by works and rituals rather than reliance on God’s grace. “The way of Cain” says there are many paths that lead to God rather than one path.
What are some of the common objections to the exclusivity of Christ you explore in the book, and how do you answer each one?
Dr. Robert Jeffress: Here are some of the common objections to the teaching that only Jesus Christ offers the exclusive way to heaven:
(1) “All religions teach essentially the same thing.” The only people who make such a claim are those who are ignorant of the teachings of the major world religions. Various religions offer a variety of theories about life, death, and eternity. And yet, as different as all religions are, they share one common characteristic: they teach that the way to be reconciled to God is through works and rituals. Christianity alone teaches that our only way for reconciliation with God is by his grace that is received through faith.
(2) “What about those who have never heard of Jesus Christ?” I spend an entire chapter answering this question. In summary, nobody will be sent to hell for rejecting a gospel they’ve never heard. Romans 1 teaches that everyone has received a natural revelation of God through creation. While that knowledge of God is not sufficient to save them, that knowledge is sufficient to condemn them if it’s rejected. One of the consistent themes you’ll find throughout the Bible is that God will always provide the necessary information about Jesus Christ to someone who sincerely desires to receive that revelation. The illustrations of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) and the Roman centurion, Cornelius (Acts 10) illustrate that truth.
(3) “What happens to children who die before they’re capable of trusting in Christ?” Obviously, if trusting in Christ is the only way to be saved one has to wonder about infants, small children, and those who are child-like who are incapable of exercising faith in Christ.
In Not All Roads Lead to Heaven I devote a chapter answering that question. I share five scriptural insights that lead me to the conclusion that those who are incapable of trusting in Christ on their own are still welcomed into heaven the same way you and I are welcomed into heaven: by the grace of God.
(4) “How could so many people be wrong in their religious beliefs?” The fact that only a tiny fraction of those who’ve ever lived will occupy heaven actually confirms the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:13-14. If all, or the majority of humanity, end up in heaven, then Jesus made a mistake in his pronouncement that only a few will enter through the “narrow gate” into heaven. And if Jesus was wrong about this, then one could assume that he may have been wrong about a number of other issues of which he spoke. However, if the population of heaven will indeed be small, then this disturbing disparity between the number of occupants in heaven and hell only confirms the truth of Jesus’s words.
(5) “How could a loving God send people to hell just for not believing the right things about Jesus?” While love is one of God’s attributes, it’s not his only attribute. God is also holy and just. God’s love means that our Creator desires to have a relationship with us. God’s holiness prevents him from having fellowship with us and, instead, demands the outpouring of his anger against us. The cross of Jesus Christ represents the intersection of God’s love and God’s holiness. The willingness of God to sacrifice his Son to reconcile us to himself is a demonstration of his love for us. As Paul wrote, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
What do you say to critics who call you intolerant because of your Christian faith?
Dr. Robert Jeffress: If it’s true that Christ was correct in saying that faith in himself is the only way to heaven, then sharing that truth is a demonstration of love, not hatred, toward unbelievers. Here’s an example you can share with someone who honestly believes it’s hateful to suggest that faith in Christ is the only way to escape God’s judgment:
Suppose I walk by your house and see that it’s on fire. I bang on your front door and there’s no response, so I kick in the door and find that you’re groping through the smoke trying to find a way out. I say, “Follow me. Every other exit is blocked, and there’s only one way out.” Would you accuse me of being hateful for trying to lead you to safety? Would you charge me with being intolerant because I insisted there is only one way out of the house? The only reason I would try to rescue you is because I care about you. And the only reason I would insist there’s only one way out of the house would be that, in fact, there is only one way out of the house.
No person with whom I’ve shared that illustration has ever had an argument with which to counter.
What do you hope will be the result for people who read this book?
Dr. Robert Jeffress: Without hesitation I would say that this book is the most important of the 23 books I’ve ever written because it deals with the most important subject of all: how a person can have a right relationship with God. I hope those who read Not All Roads Lead to Heaven will be strengthened in their own convictions about the exclusivity of Christ for salvation.
But beyond that, I hope this book will help equip believers to be able to share this basic truth with those who don’t know Christ. I wrote the book in such a way that it also makes an excellent gift to give a friend, family member, or acquaintance who doesn’t know Christ as Savior. This book is an easy way to share your faith in Christ with others in a non-threatening way.
My prayer is that God will use Not All Roads Lead to Heaven to help Christians rediscover and reclaim the truth that Christ offers the only hope of heaven for those who trust in him.
What are your thoughts about Bible Gateway and the Bible Gateway App?
Dr. Robert Jeffress: I’m excited and grateful for Bible Gateway! Any tool that helps instill God’s Word in the lives of people is something I can enthusiastically endorse!
Bio: Dr. Robert Jeffress is senior pastor of the 12,000-member First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, and is a FOX News contributor. Among the books he’s written are How Can I Know?: Answers to Life’s 7 Most Important Questions and Outrageous Truth: 7 Absolutes You Can Still Believe. His daily radio program, Pathway to Victory, is heard on more than 800 stations nationwide, and his weekly television program is seen on thousands of cable systems and stations in the US and in nearly 200 countries around the world. Known for his bold, biblical stands on cultural issues, Jeffress has been interviewed on more than 2,000 radio and TV programs, including Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Fox & Friends, MSNBC, CNN, Real Time with Bill Maher, Hardball with Chris Matthews, and The O’Reilly Factor.