“No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.” – 1 John 2:23

It’s very popular in our wonderfully diverse and pluralistic culture to say there are many paths to God. This view is becoming increasingly popular among American Christians. Why? Because it feels nice. Nobody’s feelings get hurt. Nobody gets offended. Moreover, if true, it relieves us of the heavy, life-changing obligation to be deeply concerned for the spiritual wellbeing of those who don’t know Jesus. Saying there are many paths to God makes us sound understanding, open-minded, and sophisticated. If we say this, then nobody around us will get too mad at us for our faith.

Unfortunately, the claim there are many paths to God is completely false and utterly contrary to the plain teaching of Jesus! There’s only one way to God the Father and that’s through God the Son, Jesus the Christ. If you like Jesus and claim to like and care about what He said, then you are indeed burdened with obligation by this truth. Jesus was quite clear and Scripture is consistent: to know Jesus Christ is to know God and to deny Christ is to remain separated from God.

This will offend many in our world today. It will offend modern sensibilities and sincerely held religious beliefs. It will sound close-minded and make us less popular. Too bad! The stakes in this matter are eternal. Because Scripture is clear, Christians must shoulder the burden of concern for the eternal destination of those around us who don’t know Christ. Our obligation to go, baptize, and teach people to follow Jesus remains while all around us are billions of people who face an eternity separated from God (by their own sin) unless they experience the gracious reconciliation that’s only offered through faith in Jesus.

“Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” – Daniel 6:23

Already an old man and a faithful servant and advisor to many kings, Daniel once again was tested in his faith. His enemies sought to bring him down by making it illegal to worship any other god. So what did Daniel do? He continued to worship God. Three times each day he prayed to the Lord and for that he was arrested and thrown into a den of hungry lions.

When the law was made, Daniel didn’t make a big deal about it. He didn’t protest it. He didn’t flee it. He wasn’t disrespectful or defiant. He also didn’t submit to it. Daniel quietly obeyed God and disobeyed the law. The law changed nothing about how Daniel praised, prayed, and worshiped God. This is a powerful example to each of us! Daniel had absolutely no interest in compromising his faith or disobeying God simply to obey an earthly law, even though it could cost him his life. Daniel was a smart man who understood the consequences and chose God’s approval over that of powerful people.

Because of his quiet, steadfast faith Daniel was once again rescued by God, this time from the jaws of hungry lions. God was revealed to a pagan king through Daniel’s willingness to quietly die for his faith. God’s power, God’s faithfulness, and God’s kindness were made publicly visible, because Daniel trusted in his God.

We won’t all have a “Daniel” moment in our lives, but we should all be prepared for one. We should be prepared to suffer consequences for our faith and to do so with grace and love toward our enemies, just as Christ commanded and demonstrated. We won’t all receive a “Daniel” rescue here on earth, but we should trust that God can absolutely provide such rescue. We should also remember that our ultimate rescue will never be on earth, but will be into the eternal love and presence of Christ our Savior.

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:8-9

Many of us will struggle at times with God’s sense of timing. Why is He so slow to act? Why are things suddenly moving so quickly? When will things get better instead of worse? When will it become clear what God is doing? These questions and frustrations are certainly natural, but they generally reflect our foolishness in applying a human perception of time on the God Who stands astride time itself.

Just as God’s ways aren’t our ways (His are higher and better) and God’s thoughts aren’t our thoughts (His are higher and better), likewise, God’s understanding of time and timing aren’t our understanding of these things (His is higher and better). God sees and knows what’s absolutely best across all of time. Therefore, He is able to act not when we FEEL like He should, but when He KNOWS He should.

Similarly, God’s purpose in acting isn’t generally the same as ours. We usually want God to act on our timetable for our comfort and convenience. That isn’t God’s priority. His priority is the salvation of as many people as possible. God will use extended times of hardship, stress, and sorrow to save people from their deepest problem (sin). Therefore He will work on the timetable that guides the most into repentance. That usually won’t be the timetable we’d prefer. Nonetheless out of faith in God and love for those who need to repent, we must discipline ourselves to be patient and trust the Lord.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” – 1 Peter 5:10

The Bible is clear – suffering is an expected part of every life. In this fallen world, we will experience things like sickness, injury, loneliness, loss, hardship, disaster, and death. This suffering isn’t spread evenly across all people – some experience far more than others, but all come to know some heartache and pain. Likewise, suffering isn’t spread evenly across all the years of our lives – there will be seasons of greater suffering and seasons with little to no suffering.

The important things to know is that there is a confident hope that’s infinitely greater than all our suffering. For those who are in Christ, there is a wonderful, glorious, perfect future that stretches on endlessly before us. To encourage and strengthen us during the hard times, God has given the promise Peter proclaims in this verse. In Christ, God will restore us, confirm us, strengthen us, and establish us.

This promise is utterly beyond our ability to fully imagine. God will personally wipe away every tear and comfort us. All prior pain and grief will fade in the light of God’s glorious presence. Suffering and death will be no more. While our past, present, or near future may be troubled, sorrowful, or agonizing, our forever future is amazing, beautiful, glorious, delightful, joyful, and full of awe and wonder. Rejoice and take heart!