A "PASTOR" SAID "THAT?!"

"Years ago I was sitting next to a popular woman pastor at a banquet. I asked her, "'Do you believe Christ is the only way to God?'

"She replied, 'Of course! Why do you ask?'

"'Do you believe that all the religions of the world are equally valid?'

"Again the reply, 'Of course!'

"When I asked her how this could be reconciled with the view that Christ was the only way to God, she refused to answer. Undaunted, I persisted until she leaned over and whispered in my ear, 'When I speak about Christ, I'm not talking about Jesus of Nazareth!.'"

Erwin W. Lutzer
Christ Among Other gods
Moody Publishers  1994
p.115

Seriously, who'd have thought!?

Lutzer knew of this woman and her beliefs; that's why he pushed a bit in this conversation. But how many of us would have thought we were talking to another Christian? And frankly, what disturbs me is that she leaned over and "whispered." In other words, she was well aware that her words were deceptive. That while she said one thing, she meant quite another.

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God . . . " 1 John 4: 1-3

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
Acts 4:12 NIV

(all emphasis mine)

Thank you, Erwin Lutzer, for allowing us to eavesdrop on your conversation; for showing us the need to "test the spirits" and showing us how to do so, according to God's Word.

EverGrowing,
Lonnie