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Survey: Two-Thirds of Evangelicals Doubt Jesus' Words Regarding Salvation Thru Him Alone

by Fred Jackson
August 23, 2005

(AgapePress) - There's a new poll out which points to a growing rejection among Evangelicals that Jesus is the only way of salvation.

For years, most evangelical Christians have been taught and accepted the words of Jesus in John 14:6, where He states, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but my Me." But now a new Newsweek/Beliefnet poll is showing a shocking number of people who call themselves evangelical and born-again have come to reject those words.

The question in the poll read: "Can a good person who isn't of your religious faith go to heaven or attain salvation, or not?"

According to the poll results of more than 1,000 adults 18 years of age and older, 68 percent of evangelical Christians believe "good" people of other faiths can also go to heaven. Nationally, 79 percent of those surveyed said the same thing, with an "astounding" 91 percent agreement among Catholics, notes Beliefnet. Beliefnet spokesman Steven Waldman calls the results "pretty amazing."

"Evangelicals are among the most churchgoing and religiously attentive people in the United States," Waldman writes, "and one of the ideas they're most likely to hear from the minister at church on a given Sunday is that the path to salvation is through Jesus."

In light of that, how -- he asks -- could so many Americans toss aside such a central element of theology?

Waldman believes the best explanation is found in the Newsweek cover story that grew out of the survey. The conclusion it draws is that Americans have become so focused on a very personal style of worship -- that is, forging a direct relationship with God -- that spiritual experience has begun to supplant dogma, or teaching based on the authority of the Bible.
Fred Jackson, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is news director for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.

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(My Note:  If this survey is true, very few people are spending any time with their Bibles, so we have a large number of baby Christians and a big problem for the future.)

Hello Phil121,

Stories like this concern me greatly. We obviously have need of pastors who are grounded firmly in God's Word. YET, we have many recent examples of pastors who apparently know little or nothing about the Holy Bible. As an example, I never dreamed we would have churches who actually voted on whether Jesus Christ is God or not. This was in the news recently, and I don't know what the result of the vote was.

We also have an obvious need for many Christians who are firmly grounded in God's Word. If nothing else, they are needed to determine if their pastor is worthy to be standing at the pulpit in front of the congregation. However, there is a huge list of reasons why we need mature Christians. They have one on one daily contact with hosts of people, and they can also serve as mentors and examples to those who are new Christians. I would quickly say that Bible study is an absolute must. In fact, a lifetime of Bible study is needed to thoroughly furnish a mature Christian. Without it, the baby Christian is vulnerable to just about every false doctrine and teaching that comes his or her way. This may also explain why there are so many new groups and organizations popping up every day with teaching that doesn't resemble the Holy Bible at all.

This is a time for much prayer by every Christian. God won't force us to study our Bibles and become unashamed workmen. Studying our Bibles should be a matter of joy.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Colossians 2:9-10 NASB  For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;