Date post: | 14-Apr-2017 |
Category: |
Spiritual |
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IS CHRISTIANITY TOO NARROW?
As a Christ-follower I’m faced with the challenge that Christianity is not
presented as just another subjective, religious
philosophy.
Christians see the claims of Jesus as objectively true
—true in the sense that gravity
is true. And if the gospel of Jesus Christ is truth,
then it is absolute and true for
all people.
The problem is, there are so many knotty and
untenable implications with that position.
At first blush Christ’s claims seem to smack of arrogance, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.
(Ed Gungor)
THE NATURE OF NARROW
There are two paths before you; you may take only one
path. One doorway is narrow. And one door is
wide. Go through the narrow door. For the wide door leads to a wide path, and the wide
path is broad; the wide,
broad path is easy, and the wide, broad, easy path has many, many people on it; but the wide, broad, easy,
crowded path leads to death. Now then that narrow door
leads to a narrow road that in turn leads to life.
It is hard to find that road. Not many people manage it. (Matthew 7:13-14 – Voice)
I am the only God! There are no others. I have the power to save. I invite the whole
world to turn to me and be saved. I alone am God! No others are real. (Isaiah 45:21-22 – Contemporary English Version)
Narrowness doesn’t make
something wrong!
Sincerity doesn’t make
something right!
Beliefdoesn’t make
something true!
If something is true, it by definition excludes
everything else that is false.
THE EXCLUSIVITY OF JESUS
THE NARROWNESS OF OUR FAITH
And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no
other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be
saved
[for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation]. (Acts 4:12 –
Amplified Bible)
Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the
[real] Truth and the [real] Life;
no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
(John 14:6 – Amplified Bible)
He wants all people to be saved and to know what is
true. There is one God. There is also only one man
who can open the way between God and all people.
That man is Christ Jesus. He gave his life to set all men free. (1 Timothy 2:4-6 – World
English Bible)
Jesus is exclusive in His person
The Word (Christ) was in the beginning. The Word was with God. The Word was
God. He was with God in the beginning. He made all
things. Nothing was made without Him making it. (John
1:1-3 – New Live Version)
The Father and I are one. (John 10:30 – Lexham English
Bible)
Jesus said to them, “My Father is still working all the time so I am working also.” The Jews tried all the more
to kill Him, not only because He had worked on the Day of
Rest,
but because He had also called God His Own Father. This made Him the same as
God. (John 5:17-18 – New Life
Version)
Jesus alone claimed to be God
Jesus is exclusive in His purpose
Jesus Christ rescued us from this evil world we’re in
by offering himself as a sacrifice
for our sins. God’s plan is that we all experience that
rescue. (Galatians 1:4 – The Message)
He was born a baby. And when he was a man, he was humble. He was even willing
to die, yes, to die on a cross.
(Philippians 2:7-8 – World English Bible)
It was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on
himself, that God was punishing him for his
own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our
sins! He took the punishment, and that made
us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed . . . And GOD has
piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him,
on him. (Isaiah 53:4-5 – The Message)
Jesus alone gave his life for others
Jesus is exclusive in His provision
God already planned to have us as His own children. This was done by Jesus Christ. In
His plan God wanted this done. We thank God for His
loving-favor to us.
He gave this loving-favor to us through His much-loved
Son. Because of the blood of Christ, we are bought and
made free from the punishment of sin.
And because of His blood, our sins are forgiven. His loving-favor to us is so
rich . . .
For by His loving-favor you have been saved from the punishment of sin through faith. It is not by anything
you have done. It is a gift of God.
(Ephesians 1:5-7, 2:8 – New Life Version)
Jesus alone offers salvation to everyone
Jesus is exclusive in His promise
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never
sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to
God. (1 Peter 3:18 – New Living
Translation)
For God so loved the world that he gave his only and
unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him
may have eternal life, instead of being utterly
destroyed. (John 3:16 – Complete Jewish
Bible)
Jesus alone can bring us to God
IS CHRISTIANITY TOO NARROW?
Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the
[real] Truth and the [real] Life;
no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
(John 14:6 – Amplified Bible)
He is the WAY to bring you home!
He is the TRUTHto set you free!
He is the LIFEto give you hope!
Liar, Lunatic, Legend or Lord
Jesus Christ
I am the Door. Anyone who goes in through Me will be
saved from the punishment of sin . . . The robber comes only
to steal and to kill and to destroy. I came so they might
have life, a great full life. (John 10:9-10 – New Life Version)
Let’s Pray