Exclusivity of Jesus Christ
(John 10:9-10)
"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
~ Jesus Christ (John 10:9-10)
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
~ Jesus Christ (John 10:9-10)
We live in a pluralistic society. We live in a world where anything goes intellectually, and where all opinions are considered equally valid -- unless, of course, you violate the sacred cows of tolerance and equality. All too often, this way of thinking produces a Christ-less Christianity -- or at the very least, a false version of Christ that cannot be supported by the Biblical record.
Stacked up against our pluralistic society is a very exclusive message revealed to us through Scripture -- the message that Jesus Christ is the exclusive way to a right relationship with the Father, and the exclusive way to an eternity in heaven. A message clearly stating that Jesus Christ is the only Way back to God -- and not only that, but that Jesus Christ is God Himself.
To many in our country, and even within our "churches," this exclusive message being given by committed Christians comes across as unloving, closed-minded, and even bigoted. After all, who are we to judge?
So we must ask, which group has it right? Which group has the correct, Biblical view of Jesus Christ -- the pluralists, or the exclusivists?
To answer those questions, let us look at what Jesus Christ said about Himself, starting with His words recorded in the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John, verses 9 and 10, where Jesus once again makes use of His well known sheep and shepherd analogies: "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
Stacked up against our pluralistic society is a very exclusive message revealed to us through Scripture -- the message that Jesus Christ is the exclusive way to a right relationship with the Father, and the exclusive way to an eternity in heaven. A message clearly stating that Jesus Christ is the only Way back to God -- and not only that, but that Jesus Christ is God Himself.
To many in our country, and even within our "churches," this exclusive message being given by committed Christians comes across as unloving, closed-minded, and even bigoted. After all, who are we to judge?
So we must ask, which group has it right? Which group has the correct, Biblical view of Jesus Christ -- the pluralists, or the exclusivists?
To answer those questions, let us look at what Jesus Christ said about Himself, starting with His words recorded in the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John, verses 9 and 10, where Jesus once again makes use of His well known sheep and shepherd analogies: "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."