There are some Christians who believe that Muslims and themselves serve the same God, and that there is more than one way to get to heaven.
However, Pastor Robert Jeffress, who authored the book "Not All Roads Lead to Heaven," does not agree with their beliefs.
He told these Christians to refer to the Bible verse John 14:6, which quoted Jesus as saying, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
For Jeffress, Jesus' statement is very clear. It might sound "offensive" for people who practice different religions to hear that their gods will not help them get to heaven, but Jeffress insists that it is a message they need to hear.
"Today it is thought to be intolerant and hateful to tell Muslims and Hindus and Buddhists that their religions will lead them to hell and only Christ will lead them to heaven," he told the Gospel Herald. "But this is not a message of hate, it's a message of hope."
"We think we're being gracious and kind when we're opening it up to people that there may be another way to Heaven than through Jesus Christ. But in reality, if every other way is a dead-end road that leads to hell, it is very selfish for us not to share the only way to heaven," he said. "If we really hated Muslims and Buddhists and Hindus, we'd keep our mouths shut and never talk to them about Jesus. It's a sign of love to share with them the only way to safety."
Jeffress said Christians need to be ready not only for themselves, but also for everybody else in their lives. God sent His children "on a search and rescue mission" for salvation, so they need to be able to share the Scripture "in an appealing way to people."
