October 18th~The Only Door

John 10:1-42

Luke 13:22-14:24

We encountered one of the most controversial doctrines of Christianity, that of the exclusivity of Christ. Several times throughout His ministry, Jesus said of Himself that He was the only way to be saved from sin, that there is salvation in no one but Him. For example, He said, “I am the gate for the sheep... Those who come through Me will be saved” (John 10:7, 9; 14:6).

It is with this exclusivity that many people balk, claiming that it is unfair, narrow-minded, and bigoted. Our society’s love affair with tolerance, religious pluralism, and co-existence contradicts Jesus’ claims. The world would rather believe that Jesus is one way among many paths to God. It is prideful and selfish, it says, to claim that any one way is right and the others are wrong, that this is not loving at all.

These excuses are simply smokescreens laid down by the enemy, to keep people in a fog of confusion. The truth is that Christianity is not alone in its exclusive claims. Every religion is exclusive of the others, meaning that every religion has its prescribed means to salvation. The enemy only wants us to believe that it is Christianity that is narrow-minded.

The reality of modern tolerance (all religions are valid), pluralism (there are many paths to God) and co-existence (why do we need to choose one over the other) is that all religions cannot be right. Some religions claim Jesus was only a man, others a prophet, and still others a devil. But Jesus said of Himself that He was the Messiah, the Savior of the world, and the only way to have right standing before God. How, then, can they all be right?

So then, what are Jesus’ credentials? Why does He claim that He is the only way to have salvation? He is the only person to have lived a sinless life; and, He is the only person who not only “laid down His life for the sheep but who took it up again.” Everyone else who comes at the sheep “sneaks over the wall of the sheepfold.” They are thieves and robbers who come only to steal, kill, and destroy. “The Shepherd came to give life and to give it in all its fullness.” Furthermore, every other religion in the world is works-based, men trying to achieve perfection their own way, which is impossible since they are fallen and corrupt. Christ is the only one to offer salvation as a free gift of God because of His sacrifice on our behalf.

Daily Reflection

If man could achieve his own salvation, what would be the ramifications?

How would you refute the idea that the exclusivity of Christianity is unloving?

If Christ is the only way to be saved from sin, then what should that motivate you to do?

BiAY.org | Day 291 — 74 Days to Go