“For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 66:22-23)
It is difficult in these days of confusion and change for Christians to maintain the truth of the exclusive nature of our Christian faith. We are pressured on all sides to preach tolerance and equality for all. This means we are accused of bigotry and intolerance because we believe that faith in Jesus is the only way to peace with God. The problem is that many people in America and across the world have subscribed to pluralism, the belief that all religions are equal. In fact, many Christians are adopting this view in the interest of tolerance and promoting world peace. Their idea is that, although Jesus is Lord God, he has manifested Himself in different ways to different cultures. He will accept into heaven all the faithful and devout of all religions, even those who subscribe to atheism. In other words, this is a salvation based on human works.
A works-oriented mentality promotes a legalistic religious mentality that allows people to think that their outward deeds of kindness and/or righteousness will make them right with God. Such a mentality also breeds injustice, selfishness, neglect of the poor and needy as well as racism, hatred, and violence because it tends to promote rules and behavior that are supposed to placate God (or gods) for whatever sins or infractions we have committed. Such religion distorts real faith for it focuses on outward appearances of piety, adherence to rules and rituals, and even hypercritical moralizing. The balance of Law and Grace is ignored while sin is redefined and repentance and confession are deemed unnecessary.
We must accept and promote the truth presented here in these closing words of the prophecy of Isaiah. The prophet presented a vision of pure worship, not religious or legalistic ritualism. To achieve this purity, the Lord would create a new nation, God’s kingdom, the church. It would be a source of true light and peace that would incorporate people from all nations. This Kingdom was established by the work of Jesus Christ, not by human efforts or works. Thus no one, no matter how respectable, noble or famous, earns entry into this Kingdom by their good deeds or impeccable religious rituals, but only by faith in what Jesus has done. One day all the nations will proclaim the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus.