THE EXCLUSIVITY OF CHRIST
ACTS 4:12
Introduction: We are living in a significantly different culture in America from when we were young, and from what our grandparents or even our parents encountered. No longer can we think and speak in terms of a America as having Christian or Judeo-Christian culture. The United States has become a multi-religious culture. Our world has changed. One main reason for the change in the US is immigration. As of the latest population survey in March 2000, the numbers of foreign-born have risen dramatically-from 9.6 million in 1970 to 28.4 million in 2000, effectively tripling the immigrant population. If you combine those numbers with the first-generation U.S. residents, then you have the highest combined number—56 million, or a ratio of 1-in-5 of the U.S. population is either a foreign-born or first-generation resident. While America has always been a nation of immigrants, previously the major immigration was from Europe and other areas with a Christian based culture. Today more than ever, immigrants come from culturally non-Christian nations bringing with them the religions of the world. Islam will replace Judaism as America’s second-largest religion in about 10 years. There are more than 4.1 million Muslims, 2.4 million Buddhists, and 1 million Hindus living in America. In the past 10 years Islam has increased by 109%, Buddhism by 170%, Hinduism by 237%, Baha’i Faith by 200%. In light of these trends, it has become fashionable and politically correct to say that it doesn’t really matter what one believes about God and one’s religion as long as he or she is sincere. Just as the old saying "All roads lead to Rome" likewise "All religions lead to Heaven". This attitude is illustrated by Pope John Paul II in one of his weekly general audiences in late May of 1999, in which he addressed Muslims in a series discussing "interreligious dialog." He quotes from the 1994 Catechism of the Catholic Church n. 841 which states, "... together with us they (Muslims) adore the one, merciful, God." Today there is a misconception as to who God is and how we can come to Him. This morning I want you to consider the exclusivity of Christ.
I. Three Popular Misconceptions
A. We all worship the same God.
1. Isaiah 43:10-11 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior."
2. Allah is not God and God is not Allah
a. Allah is non-personal and unknowable – God is personal and knowable. (John 17:3)
b. Allah is non-spirit – God is a Spirit. (John 4:24)
c. Allah is Unitarian – God is Triune (I John 5:7)
d. Allah is unloving – God is love (I John 4:8)
B. It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere.
1. Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
2. You can be sincere, but you can be sincerely wrong.
3. What aman believes, however sincerely, does not mean it is true even if there are millions who believe it. Sincerity is an evidence of conviction but is it a conviction based on Truth?
4. John 14:6 "Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
5. Sincerity, or the lack of it, has nothing to do with determining truth or destiny. We can be sincerely right or sincerely wrong. For example, during a football game, a quarterback sincerely throws the ball to someone who appears to be one of his receivers. His sincerity did not change the fact that he threw an interception.
6. The devil is sincere, but he is sincerely wrong. - Billy Graham (1918- )
7. Some people, however, think that there is no harm in having misguided beliefs, so long as they are sincere held.
8. A fireman rushes into a burning building, grabs a blanketed little baby out of the crib and come down only to find that in the blanket is a doll. He was sincere, but sincerely wrong.
9. No one is pure enough in their intentions. Faith in Christ alone is what God accepts.
C. Live and let live, as long as you live by the "golden rule" you’ll be ok.
1. If we believe we’ll get to heaven because we’ve been a "good" person, "How good is really good enough to get to heaven?"
2. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man boast."
3. "Henry," asked the elder of two men, of whom the younger had been helping the other in some religious work, "do you know what became of Noah’s carpenters?" "Noah’s carpenters!" exclaimed Henry; "I didn’t know that Noah had any carpenters." "Certainly, he must have had help in building one of the largest and best-proportioned ships ever put upon the stocks. There must have been many ship-carpenters at work for a long time to have constructed such a vessel in such an age. What became of them, think you, when all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened?" "What do you mean by such a queer question?" Henry asked. "No matter what, just now. Please answer the inquiry, and you may also tell me, if you will, what you would have done in that dreadful hour, when the storm came in its fury, and Noah’s prophecies were all fulfilled and all but the family of the preacher of righteousness were ready to be engulfed in those black waters?" "I don’t know," said Henry, in a half-thoughtful, half-trifling manner, "perhaps I should have got on the rudder." "This is human nature exactly, Henry. It would climb up some way rather than enter the fold by the only door. It would ’get on the rudder,’ in its pride and short-sightedness, rather than go into the ark of safety. It would ’save itself,’ by hanging on at the hazard of being swept away into the gulf of despair, instead of being saved by the provision of infinite love." -- R. S. Cook. by J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."
II. The Exclusivity of Christ.
A. Jesus said He was the only way to God.
1. John 14:6 "Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME."
2. He is not merely A way among many others. He is THE way. Buddha was reported to have said, "Find the way and follow it." Jesus declared "Follow Me!"
B. Jesus said He was the only door to Heaven
1. John 10:9, Jesus said, "I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he shall be saved, and will go in…"
2. In Matthew 7, Christ spoke of two gates and two ways. One way was broad and the gate wide leading to destruction. The other gate and way were narrow and constricted leading to eternal life. Jesus Christ is that gate.
C. Jesus is the Only Name.
1. Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is NONE OTHER NAME under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
2. No other name – not Mary, not Joseph, not any saint, not Buddha, not Confucius, not Allah, not Mohammed, not Methodist, not Pope or Priest, not Baptist, ONLY JESUS!
D. Jesus is the Only Mediator
1. 1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
2. Mediator is translated from the Greek, "mesites," which means a go between, intercessor, a reconciler, a mediator. Basically, one who intervenes between two parties. To be effective, a mediator must understand both sides that he is intervening between.
3. A man had a friend who had trained as a lawyer in Sydney and went to work in England just at the time that the Soviet Union was opening up. There were plenty of European companies to looking to invest and start businesses in Russia. Normally the European companies would need a team of Lawyers and a translators to go over and negotiate. The negotiations would take a long time and would be difficult because the translators may have understood the Russian but didn’t really understand the legal issues involved. The Lawyers understood the Law but not the Russian. The friend became one of the most sought-after Lawyers in London because she spoke fluent Russian. She had Russian parents and had been brought up speaking Russian. When she was involved in the negotiations it would all happen a lot more smoothly and quickly. She not only understood the law she also understood the Russian. In a similar way that is what makes Jesus a perfect High Priest. If we want someone who can be a mediator between God and Man then who could possibly be better suited for the job than Jesus. He is MAN and He is GOD. - Perspective Vol7 No2 © Pearl Beach Press 1999
Conclusion: Jesus Christ alone is the way to God, the door to heaven, the key to eternal life. Have you established a relationship with Him as your Lord and Savior?
