Are all religions as certain as 'Christians'?

“I wonder if all religions are as certain of what they believe as Christianity is?”

My daughter asked that question of me a while back. The answer was elusive and easy at the same time. Everyone believes in whatever belief they hold, be it religious or otherwise, and yet…

Here, was where I found answering her both easy and hard. I gave her an answer I have heard my husband say many times… “Everyone, no matter what they believe, believes they are going to heaven.” That part was easy. I assume there may be some people out there that will tell you they’re going to hell when they die…devil worshipers…satanic cults…maybe??...but truthfully I don’t know. Still I gave her the easy answer, one I’ve heard many times, because it was what came to mind, because I know this daughter backs off if the conversation gets too deep into Biblical talk.

So…everyone believes they’re going to heaven…easy answer. But my daughter stayed and the conversation continued. Years ago I wondered those same things, even went so far for a very brief time to wonder what if they’re right and I’m wrong. After all, different religions believe in totally opposite things and yet both claim to be going to heaven…or their version of it. So I understand her questions, understand the thoughts behind them, but giving her an answer to them becomes harder.

Is everyone in other religions as sure of their belief as Christians are? That was her original question but the answer isn’t easy. Even ‘Christians’ aren’t sure of their beliefs. At least the many professing ‘Christians’ aren’t. All it takes is a look at all the different types of ‘Christianity’ to see that. Some are firm in their belief in creation, some don’t believe in Genesis at all, some speak in tongues, others think speaking in tongues is from the devil. Some think musical instruments are wrong, others have no problems with complete bands.

Even salvation, or rather how a person comes to salvation, isn’t agreed upon by ‘Christians.’ I grew up in and out of Baptist ‘Churches’. They strongly advocate the sinners prayer. A while back I went to a Church of Christ ‘Church’. When it came time for the alter call there was no talk of saying any kind of prayer instead they spoke of baptism in the way I have always heard the sinners prayer used. My understanding was that in their ‘church’ to be saved you got baptized, you didn’t say a prayer.

There are so many different things that aren’t agreed upon by ‘Christians’, even their very salvation.

What I didn’t discuss with my daughter was where this certainty came from and how they came to be so certain. Those Baptist ‘Churches’ I grew up in assured everyone that if ever they had said ‘the prayer’ than they were saved. No questions. No doubts. They were certain you were saved and going to heaven.

My grandmother was the daughter of a Baptist preacher. She spent her entire life assured of her salvation because she had said the prayer. She was assured of my salvation because I said it when I was six. Not only did she take comfort in her salvation but she rejoiced when her grandchildren were ‘saved’. There was no need to worry about that grandchild’s salvation anymore. They were going to heaven. It didn’t matter if they were 30 when they said the prayer or 3. The prayer secured their place in eternity and she could rest easy.

I’m glad that she found that much comfort in it, especially in her later years, but it hurts that she spent her life secure in a belief that held no merit, that wasn’t Biblical. I’m sure there are a lot of Christians that at some point in their life said the prayer. The Lord has most likely saved many people not because they said the prayer but in spite of it. But many ‘Christians’ place their very lives on something that has no Biblical truth to it. They gamble their eternity on a prayer that isn’t in the Bible.

But they’re sure of their salvation.

They’re going to heaven.

It’s guaranteed.

And they live from that day, whatever day it is, forward, so sure that they will spend eternity in heaven. They saved themselves from hell and they can continue on in their lives secure that when their day comes they will go to heaven. They’re secure. Their insurance is paid, the premiums are up to date.

I deliberately choose to know little about other religions. I don’t feel the need to know what anyone else believes. My focus is on my Lord and Him alone. I don’t want even little bits of knowledge interfering with that.

When my daughter asked me if everyone was as sure in what they believed as Christians are that decision made answering her difficult because I don’t know enough about other religions to be able to answer for what they believe. All I could tell her was what my husband has told me many times…everyone is sure they’re going to heaven.

But the thought lingered with me…’Christians’ for all their certainty in their salvation can’t even agree on how to be ‘Christians’. If they can’t agree on how to be a ‘Christian’ how can they be sure of their salvation?

Most of them are basing their beliefs on a mix of half-truths, misunderstandings, and outright lies. If they come across something from Scripture that goes against their security they disregard it and often get angry that someone or something dared suggest that their salvation, their security, may not be as sure as they think it is.

And now, weeks after that conversation with my daughter, I still can’t answer her question…are they all as sure in what they believe as ‘Christians’ are? Are they? It would seem that they are, if for no other reason than the simple fact that ‘Christians’ aren’t even sure of how to be ‘christians’. If they can’t decide how to be ‘Christians’, how can they be sure of their belief in what they believe?

I’ve heard that many ‘Christians’ can’t even explain why they believe what they believe when someone asks them.

How can anyone be certain of anything if they can’t explain what it is they believe? And for those that can explain what they believe…what makes their brand of ‘Christianity’ the right one? If their brand is the ‘right’ brand and the person sitting next to them believes in a different brand of Christianity…which brand is the right one?

Which one bases their belief on Scripture and nothing but Scripture?