How can only one religion be right?

You are at a party. You are a follower of Jesus (if not pretend for a moment that you are). Someone asks you if you believe only people who follow Jesus will go to heaven and that everyone else will go to hell. What do you do? A. Feign food poisoning and run for your life. B. Look for the nearest pastor. C. Tell them that you do believe there is only one way but that maybe hell is more like Houston Texas than Dante's inferno so it won't be so bad.

This is the question that makes Christians the skunk at the lawn party frequently. We will talk about it this week at Restoration, but let me give you a few thoughts.

1. All world religions have some version of hell. The topic is not unique to followers of Jesus.
2. All truth claims are exclusive. It takes maturity and personal security not to get defensive. Even radical relativists exclude people who are not relativists.
3. We do not know who is going to heaven and hell. The parable of the wheat and tares warns us not to judge. God alone knows what people are doing with the light they have received. If people ask us if they are going to heaven or hell our answer must always be, "I don't know, that is between you and God."
4. The way to increase people's odds of spending eternity with God is to invite them to follow Jesus with us. He alone is the way and the truth and life and no one comes to the Father but through him. He is heaven now and later. Sharing him is not a confrontation, but a mutual journey with others wherever they are spiritually.