Why do people choose the substitute over God himself? Probably the most important reason is that it obviates accountability to God. We can meet idols on our own terms because they are our own creations. David Wells, God in the Wasteland

One of the greatest challenges to a Christian worldview today is any claim that salvation comes through Christ alone. I have had many discussions about the salvation. The discussions take on many shapes and forms, but the end result is still the same. Do Christians claim that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life? Yes. Why does this matter? Because Jesus is not an object to be worshipped. He is alive. Any true, pure relationship with Jesus is personal. Once we grasp that fact, it changes the conversation completely. We can no longer speak of Jesus as if He wasn't in the room. It's more than an issue of accountability. It is a personal relationship with the Sovereign ruler of the universe.