What Gives Christianity the Right to Exclusiveness?
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Written by Jimmie Burroughs 
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With hundreds of religions in the world, what gives Christianity the right to exclusiveness? When the rest of the world leans toward universalism, why is Christianity still insisting that Christianity is the only true religion? Isn’t that kind of unfair to all the well meaning people in the world who truly worship God in their own way according to their own traditions and convictions? Who gave Christians the right to say that the only way to go to heaven is by believing in Jesus? What about other religions who have their own prophets? Why aren’t their prophets just as good as Jesus?
Those are all good questions which deserve an answer. First let’s consider the subject of God. Who is God? All would agree that God is supernatural. That means he is not what we view as the natural but is far above it. We agree that God has no sin and is perfect in all things. He is all knowing and all powerful. Since God is perfect and knows no sins, it stands to reason that God would never allow sin in his presence. Heaven would not be heaven if sin was allowed. If sin was allowed, heaven would be no different than earth. There would be killings and murders, stealing and all the rest of the things we see on earth.
So God being God saw it necessary to provide a way for his creation, the human race, to be pardoned of their sins and made new in order to come to his heaven. He declared “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) The Bible also says, “For the wages of sin is death”. (Romans 6:23)
Death means separation and in this instance is separation from God. If death which is a separation from God is the penalty for sin, how could God hold true to his justice and still provide a way to pardon sinful man? Since the penalty of sin was so great to satisfy God’s justice, there was only one solution and that is a perfect person without sin must pay the penalty of sin by dying for all. What person could that be since all have sinned? There was only one who could fill that purpose and that was God, for he was the only perfect one.
Therefore God himself took on the form of man in the person of his own son, Jesus Christ. He was immaculately conceived and born as 100% man but at the same time 100% God. Jesus lived a normal life like everyone else with the exception that he never knew sin. He taught others concerning his mission as to who he was and why he was sent of the Father. His purpose was to die on a cross, which was the mode of execution in that day, for the atonement of sin. For an instant, God turned his back on his Son to complete the full separation that the penalty of death requires. Now whoever accepts him will be forgiven and allowed to go to God’s heaven, having been forgiven and ultimately freed of any sin on his entry into heaven. The death of Jesus and his resurrection is the gospel, the good news, that God has provided a way for sinful man to be pardoned of his sin.
No other religion in the world makes such a claim and no other prophet died and rose from the grave to offer man’s forgiveness except Jesus alone. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no man cometh to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6)
That is why Christianity is the exclusive way to come to God. It offers the only means of forgiveness and atonement. If there were any number of ways to go to heaven, why would it have been necessary for Jesus to die in agony on a cross? If a person commits first degree murder, in many places it requires the death sentence to satisfy the penalty of the crime. The penalty of a sinful life is death and only Jesus was qualified to offer to pay that penalty for all who would accept him as their redeemer.
According to the Bible there is only one way to go to heaven. Jesus reveals it: He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no man cometh to the Father but by me”. (John 14:6)
While God’s plan of salvation is simple, it does require understanding three things: Our sinful condition; God’s provision for forgiveness and our responsibility.
Understanding our sinful condition: First, we must understand that we are separated from God because of our sin. This is an inherited condition from birth. The Bible is clear on this: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Bible also says, “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23). Death means separation, thus our sins separated us from birth from any relationship with God. Therefore, the very first thing that we must acknowledge is that we are lost and our sins have alienated from God and we need a redeemer, Christ the Lord, and only then can we come to the point of forgivness.
God’s provision for forgiveness: Second, we must understand clearly who Jesus is and what he did for us. First of all Jesus is the son of God equal to the Father and is far more than a rabbi (teacher), a prophet or just a good person. He was virgin born; he lived a life completely free from sin; he was crucified and was buried and rose again on the third day. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. He paid in full the penalty for our sins; He is our redeemer who reconciles us to the Father. Jesus died for us on the cross: “Christ also hath once suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3-18). Because of our sin, there is a great gulf fixed between us and God and we can’t cross it on our own. We can never be good enough; we can never buy our way through charitable giving, neither is there any other way. Jesus is the only way. It is only by his cross that we are able to span the gulf that separates us from God.
Jesus is the only provision for our sin, had there been an easier or better way, God would not have sacrificed his son. The penalty for sin is great therefore the price was great; it required the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus to meet God’s requirement for forgiveness.
Our responsibility: The only response on our part that will be acceptable to God is to repent and trust in Jesus as savior.
This is vital and must not be omitted. Personal repentance is absolutely necessary. The word from whence our word “repentance” comes is a military term which means about face and that is a clear definition of what repentance is: it is a willingness on our part to turn away from our former sinful life and turn to Christ to follow his new way. It is to be sorry for our past sins and to desire God’s forgiveness and to make a complete and permanent change in the way we live.
Experiences differ when we come to this commitment in life. Some will feel a sense of cleansing for a lifetime of sins while others may feel a peace that passes all understanding, the like of which they never experienced before. Regardless of what we may feel or not feel, it is certain that when we repent that God does forgive us and receives us as his own. While feelings may be important, we need to remember that salvation is based on God’s promise and nothing more.
The work God has done cannot be added to; it is all sufficient: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of ourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8). GRACE is God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. This is how we become the children of God as we read in John’s gospel: “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
THREE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
* Does what you have read make sense to you?
* Is there reason why you should not receive the gift of eternal life?
* Are you willing to turn from your sins and trust in Jesus right now?
The Bible says that,” Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
I don’t want to mislead you here; trusting in Jesus is more than a simple carefully worded prayer asking Jesus to come into your heart or walking down a church isle and signing a card. It is forsaking all to follow him; it is turning from your sin and desiring him more than all the world has to offer. His Word, the Bible, becomes your guide book for life. You seek to know him better and to please him in your every action. When that is your purpose and only then are we prepared to call on his name.
Read the prayer below and see if this is what you would like to say to God. Remember that it is not a prayer that saves but it is our faith and trust in him as savior that reconciles us to God. “That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). The prayer confirms what we already believe in our heart.
“Jesus, I repent of my sins and trust in you with all of my heart to come into my life and to be my savior and to forgive me of my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross in my place. I believe that you are the son of God and I want to commit my life to follow you forever”.
Did you sincerely pray this prayer and are you willing to follow through? If so, WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. You have just made the greatest decision of your life. According to God’s promises and the desire of your heart, you can be sure that God has saved you and that you will spend eternity with him in heaven. However, this is only the starting place; be sure to go now to www.otobefree.com to follow through and read each article on the navigational bar from left to right. They will direct your next steps.
Website Divisions: (Over 600 articles to help you to grow in every facet of your life)
I have great confidence in the progress you are going to make.
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“With patience and ease, in an unselfish and purposeful way, over a time period undetermined, and for a good that includes others, I intend for $1,000,000 to come to me and to others who join me in holding to this objective.” Jimmie Burroughs
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Jimmie Burroughs is the author of JimmieBurroughs.com ; get more tips on personal development: www.JimmieBurroughs.com
JimmieBurroughs.com is founded and maintained by Jimmie Burroughs Nashville, Tennessee. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ © 2011 Jimmie Burroughs. All rights reserved