United by Love

An individual’s religious world view is a culmination of external and internal sources. Their environment, culture, and family heritage affects their perspective as well as the life experiences they encounter. There are differing views amongst religions concerning God and even more varying ideas of religious world views between specific denominations within the Christian Faith. There are essential tenants of faith that are necessary core beliefs of every Christian believer. These fundamental doctrines are vital in bringing proselytes together as in Ephesians 4:13, which says, ’’until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ’’. Such foundational teachings include, Jesus as the way, His death, burial and resurrection and the unmerited grace of God. There are also nonessential beliefs that do not encumber one’s spiritual fate or spiritual growth. Some of the non-imperative subjects are baptism, the rapture, and predestination.

Some people believe there are many roads that lead to heaven. Oprah Winfrey was quoted as saying, “One of the mistakes that human beings make is believing that there is only one way to live,” she said. Instead, “there are many paths to what you call God” (Rabey). The teaching of Universalism is the belief that there are many ways to get into heaven. This is an absolute contradiction according to the Bible and what Christianity teaches. John 14:6 states, “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. Jesus is the only way to heaven. He became the mediator between God and humankind through His sacrificial atonement on the cross by His ...

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... human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ”. The religious world view of each individual should be based upon the word of God. The Apostle Paul encourages readers by saying, “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought”. Despite the differences people may have concerning their religious world views, unity is always the heart of God towards all people. Unity is mandatory among His people. This is attained through focusing their attention on the issues they can agree on and not worrying about the minor differences of opinion they may have. Religious world views may differ among Christians, but love is the bond which binds all together in perfect unity.