What Does The Bible Say About Believing In Many Gods?

Since our postmodern culture denies absolute truth and biblical authority, claiming that tolerance is the highest value, we can see why tolerating all religions as equally valid (or invalid) would be popular.

According to Pew Research Center, 65 percent of Americans say that "many religions can lead to eternal life." 

Unfortunately, the same percentage of religiously affiliated Americans say the same. Eighty-four percent of white Catholics and 82 percent of white mainline Protestants agree. 

What does the Bible say about such "tolerance"?

The Old Testament

The Old Testament strongly warns us against such heresy. Here are just a few examples:

• "Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD must be destroyed" (Exodus 22:20).
• "Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips" (Exodus 23:13).
• "Do not make a covenant with [the Canaanites] or with their gods" (Exodus 23:32).
• Speaking of the Jewish people, Moses declared: "They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God—gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear. . . . The LORD saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters" (Deuteronomy 32:17, 19).
• "Fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:14).
• "Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods" (2 Kings 17:38).

The New Testament

The New Testament is equally adamant that Jesus is the only way to the Father:

• Jesus said to his followers, "Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me" (Luke 10:16).
• Our Lord warned the crowds, "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters" (Luke 11:23).
• He also stated, "Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him" (John 5:23).
• "Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God" (1 John 4:2–3).

According to the Word of God, only one religion can lead to eternal life: Christianity.