Almost an exact year ago, Carl Lentz was on Ophra’s Super Soul Sunday where he was asked by Oprah, “Do you believe that only Christians can be in relationship with God?”. Carl’s responses was: “No, I believe that when Jesus said that “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” the way I read that, Jesus said that he is the road marker, he is the map, so I think that God loves people so much, that whether they accept or reject him, he’s still gracious, and he’s still moving, and he’s still giving you massive red blinking lights, for chances to take a right turn when maybe you’d take a left, but I believe God loves people, and that’s what this whole gospel is based on, it’s love….”
To say “no” is to deny the heart of the Gospel, which is that Jesus alone is the sacrifice for human sin and the only way to be restored to the Father. Jesus says that nobody comes to the Father except through him, because Jesus gave his life to pay the penalty for the sins you and I committed. If we reject Jesus, we are still in our sins and alienated from God. This is the harsh reality of our condition and the glory of the work of Jesus.
Carl went on to correct himself, saying that he meant that that anyone can potentially be in a relationship with God if they believe on the Lord, not only those who currently identify as being Christian. In my opinion, that clarification doesn’t fit Oprah’s question. The answer to her question is still yes, only Christians can be in relationship. All those who can potentially have a relationship with God must first become Christians who are saved by faith.
What is the harm in being clear about what the Bible teaches? Christian’s want the truth, and the unsaved need the truth.
In this article we are going to look at an interview Carl Lentz did recently on The View where he would not come out and say that abortion is a sin. And yes, it is Biblical to address public figures in the Christianity community by name when they fail (dramatically) to uphold the word of God and their position of authority as Paul called out people by name in 2 Timothy.
Read the details here.