While talking about his new book "Not All Roads Lead to Heaven," Pastor Robert Jeffress of the programme "Pathway to Victory" says the problem with American society nowadays is that people have been confusing the absolute truth with relative truth.
Many people assume that God is simply a relative truth. Jeffress reasons that if that were true, then the death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ would be nothing more than a horrible mistake.
"I believe with the increasing emphasis on pluralism in our country especially, those who teach the exclusivity of Christ are labeled as hate-mongerers and intolerant, and to tell this to Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists is seen as height of intolerance," Jeffress told Charisma News.
"But this message that there is one way to God, is not a message of hate; it's a message of hope. When Jesus said 'follow me' as the only way to Heaven, it wasn't to keep people out of Heaven but to invite them in," he added.
Jeffress cited Wheaton professor Larycia Hawkins who claimed that Muslims and Christians served the same God. The pastor said this is a lie.
He issued a warning to pastors who are preaching the wrong things. "If you are going to waffle on this most foundational issue, get out of the ministry, leave your church. Don't lead from your pulpit with words who will lead people to Hell and not to heaven. There's no reason to be a pastor or preacher if you aren't going to say Jesus is the only way," he said.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler also called Hawkins' proclamation as a lie. "Hard times come with hard questions, and our cultural context exerts enormous pressure on Christians to affirm common ground at the expense of theological differences. But the cost of getting this question wrong is the loss of the Gospel," he wrote.
"We must also understand that the most basic issue is the one Jesus answered with absolute clarity. One cannot deny the Son and truly worship the Father," he further said.
"There is no question that the Muslim is our neighbor, but there is no way to remain faithful to Scripture and the gospel and then claim that Christians and Muslims worship the same God."
