I talk with lots of Christians who get hung on what I call the "African
tribesman" question, who ask how God deals with the man in the jungle
who's never heard of Jesus, or the man in a Muslim family who's never
had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't have
the absolute answer to that question, I think it all ends up in God's
hands ultimately, and there is no way you can craft a formula to
satisfy anyone asking that question. You have to trust God with that
one.
That being said, the conversation often turns to a discussion that
starts moving in the direction that there must be more than just one
way to God than Jesus. But it's hit me -- if there's more than one way
to God, and Jesus is only one of the ways, why would anyone choose
Jesus of their own volition? Jesus' path of dying to self and taking
up your cross daily is a difficult one to follow compared to the
imaginery proverbial tribesman who lives his life doing decent things,
maybe worships some nature object (if that), and then dies. So if you
think he's going to heaven somehow, why not follow his path instead of
the path to the cross?
So, to the Christian who can't get past the "African tribesman"
question, I have to ask: Why are you even following Jesus if there a
different, simpler way to God?
