Topic Notes
Jesus is exclusive
Acts 4:12
Psalm 118:1, 5, 8, 17-24
Particularly, look at Psalm 118:20
“This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.”
Jesus is that gate
…and Psalm 118:22-23
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Jesus is that stone
Peter confirms this in Acts 4:8-12
PROBLEM: Peter declares that “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” But isn’t this a narrow exclusivism? What about the sincere pagan or Buddhist? Is God going to send them to hell?
SOLUTION: Several observations are relevant to this question.
First of all, sincerity is not a good test of truth. Many people can and have been sincerely wrong about many things (Prov. 14:12).
Second, all truth is exclusive. The truth that “two plus three equals five” is very exclusive too. It does not allow for any other conclusion. The same is true of value statements, such as “Racism is wrong” and “People should not be cruel.” These views do not tolerate any alternatives.
Third, all truth claims are exclusive. For example, if humanism is true, then all non-humanisms are false. If atheism is true, then all who believe in God are wrong. Every truth claim excludes its opposite. Hence, if Jesus is the only way to God, then there are no other ways. This is no more exclusive than any other truth claim. The question is whether the claim is true.
Fourth, Jesus and the NT clearly and repeatedly emphasize that Jesus is the only way of salvation.
- Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
- Jesus also claimed He was the door (John 10:9), insisting that “he who does not enter the sheepfold by the Door … the same is a thief and a robber” (v. 1).
- The Apostle Peter added, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
- And Paul contended that “there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).
But don’t all religions lead to God?
That sounds very nice, but scrutiny of all religions will find competing and contradicting claims in each.
The Roman Road:
- Romans 3:10 – none righteous – “There is no one righteous, not even one”
- Romans 3:23 – all have sinned -“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
- Romans 6:23 – wages of sin is death; gift of God is life – ” the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Romans 5:8 – while we sin, Christ died – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”
- Romans 10:9,10 – Confess and believe – “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
- Romans 10:17 – faith; study the word – “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”
Bible Contradiction
via thinkingatheist.com
From where did Jesus ascend to heaven?
Mark 19:20 vs Luke 24:50-51
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