Charles Blow celebrates this transformation of theology into etiquette.  Doctrine is cheerfully replaced with public relations.  The words of Jesus are rejected in favor of a more "inclusive" message.

Those who are concerned about the integrity of the Gospel will respond to these developments with a very different attitude.  We are witnessing the virtual transformation of biblical Christianity into a new faith -- a false gospel.  This new faith wins the approval of Charles Blow and The New York Times, but it is precisely the kind of false gospel that the church is warned in the New Testament to detect and reject with clarity and courage.

Mr. Blow's column is truly helpful in crystallizing this issue.  Those who believe that the gospel of Christ is just a variant of "the American way" will find that the Bible presents a very different Gospel.  Those who reject biblical authority will feel free to replace biblical Christianity with a new religion, but they should demonstrate enough honesty to admit that this is indeed what they are doing.  Those who are convinced that social respectability determines doctrine will soon find themselves to be socially respectable pagans.

Of course, the great question missing from Charles Blow's column is this:  What if Jesus really is the only way of salvation?  If so, and Jesus clearly said that it is so, then public relations and etiquette are quickly revealed to be rather frivolous concerns -- indeed, these concerns are revealed to be both deadly and delusional.

If we really believe that Jesus is the only Savior and that the Bible truthfully reveals the only Gospel that saves, then we had better make our confidence clear.  The inevitable result of this confidence should be a resurgence in concern for the evangelization of those who do not yet know Christ . . . for goodness sake.

See my previous article, "Many Paths to Heaven?," December 18, 2008.  See also coverage by Cathy Lynn Grossman of USA Today here and here.

In addition to being one of Salem’s nationally syndicated radio talk show hosts, R. Albert Mohler, Jr. is the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and recognized as one of America’s leading theologians and cultural commentators. Contact Dr. Mohler at mail@albertmohler.com.