Ramakrishna, an Hindu mystic of the 19th century, said, “God can be realized through all paths. All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof. You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope. You can also climb up by a bamboo pole.” In essence, he was saying that it doesn’t matter which religious path you take because they all lead you to the same place. Many people in our society agree with this concept, sometimes called “religious pluralism.” In fact, according to one 2025 survey, 65% of Americans either “somewhat agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement: “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.”(1)
Compare the quotes above with the words of Jesus found in John 14:6 - “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The exclusive nature of Jesus’ statement directly contradicts the inclusivity of Ramakrishna’s roof-top analogy. Nor does it fit well with the idea that God accepts the worship of “all religions.”
These competing claims bring up an interesting dilemma for those who affirm that there are many paths to salvation: how can two paths both be valid if they contradict each other at their very core? If it’s true that there are many ways to salvation, then Jesus was wrong when He claimed to be the only way. But if Jesus’ way is wrong, how can we say that “all” ways are right? Regardless of how tolerant and inclusive this type of thinking seems, it’s simply illogical.
So, what about Jesus’ claims? Do we have any reason to believe Him? Yes, we do. The primary reason we should trust Him is the fact that He predicted His own death and resurrection and then walked out of His own grave. If the resurrection hadn’t happened, Jesus could be written off as just another in the long list of failed prophets and false Messiahs. But the resurrection proves that He was, and is, completely unique. As Paul said, God “has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). I know that this position isn’t popular, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true.
Years ago, a video clip of The Oprah Winfrey Show when viral. In the video, Oprah and a panel of guests are discussing religion and spirituality. At one point, Oprah claims that there are different ways to God, asking her audience "How can there be only one way to heaven or to God?" When one woman in the audience responds, "What about Jesus?" Oprah answers, somewhat defiantly, "What about Jesus? There couldn't possibly be one way." Her dislike of such a suggestion was obvious.(2)
Yet, if we’re going to disregard this claim from Jesus, we can’t afford to do so just because we don’t like the sound of it. We can’t do it just because of how it makes us feel. There are all sorts of things that I don’t like that are nevertheless true. I don’t like the fact that sweet tea isn’t good for me. I don’t like the fact that my metabolism is slowing down. That doesn’t make me feel very good, yet it’s true! If I act like it’s not true just because I don’t like it, then I’ll be in big trouble.
The reason that Jesus alone can offer us true salvation is because He alone has provided a solution to our sin problem. By His perfect life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection, He has done everything needed for us to be forgiven and welcomed into the glory of God’s heaven. When we turn from our sin and trust in Him, He welcomes us into His eternal kingdom.
I hope you have taken Jesus at His word and trusted in Him alone for your salvation. If you have, then you can be confident that He will make good on His promises to you. If you haven’t, please contact us or come see us this Sunday at Arrowhead. We would love to introduce you to the One who is “the way, the truth, and the life.”