As a church we are sometimes asked “Why doesn’t your church get involved with ‘Churches Together’ or the ecumenical movement?”
Now that is a very good question and one which could involve a theological and complex answer. One which to be honest, people will probably lose interest in very quickly.
However, we can perhaps answer the question with references to Scripture. One from Jesus and one from the Apostle Paul.
Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to Father [God] except through Me.” That verse comes from John 14:6.
Note what Jesus says; He says that He is the way, the truth, the life. Which means that any religion that does not have Jesus as the Son of God as its primary teaching, Jesus says such a religion does not come to God. It is a dead end. Simply put without Jesus there is no heaven. The Bible is clear on that. This then rules out all the major non-Christian world religions and the cults that are around today.
Our text from the Apostle comes from his letter to the Ephesian church. Ephesians 2:8-9.
Here Paul writes, “By grace are you saved [saved to eternal life] through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.”
This verse gives a clear teaching that to go to Heaven; we must have faith in Jesus and Jesus only. It is not about, being good or how nice we are, or again how committed we are to our church. None of those things save us to eternal life.
Our salvation is not by faith and works as so many churches teach, but Christ alone, through faith alone. As a church we are more than happy to fellowship and work with churches that would preach that. However, we find so many churches do not preach this and indeed often have a low view of the Bible, such that the Bible contains the Word of God rather than holding to the teaching that the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is the Word of God, every word in the Scriptures is God’s Word to us.
2. Timothy chapter 3:16 says; “All Scripture is God breathed and profitable for teaching , for reproof, for correction and training in righteousness.”
If your church can say Amen to what has been written then we would be happy to fellowship with you.