My navigation apps give me many possible options for my travel plans. As it turns out, there are so many paths to get from here to Timbuktu! But what about plans of salvation? How many are there, anyway? The pluralistic view of the world would say, well Hindus are saved by being good Hindus, likewise Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and other religious preferences. I went to a funeral where the preacher cut off the reading in John 14 before he got to the part about Jesus saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. I asked why. “Controversial,” came the explanation, “We can’t be so exclusive.”
The question of interpreting scripture is not what makes me feel good, but what does it actually say? Peter was very clear in his assertion about the sources of salvation. “There is salvation in no one else.” In other words, there is only one plane leaving the airport that gets us to God. Jesus is that plane. What about the other religions? The people must come to God through Christ. But there are so many other religious leaders in history! Let’s listen to Peter again, “There is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Only one name: Jesus. We must be saved through Jesus or not at all. Peter spoke this to Jews who were waiting for a Messiah to save them. He told them to trust in Jesus as the only Messiah.
I understand that this is not a common view, even among Christians. Why shouldn’t people be able to get saved on many different paths? One pastor went to a conference claiming to be a Christo-centrist, meaning salvation is centered in Christ. Then he heard another speaker explain that all religions, sincerely practiced, lead to right relationship with God. Afterward, he said, “I am a Christo-exclusivist. I believe Jesus is the only way.” If Peter was right, and I believe he was, we are not being compassionate to others if we offer them the possibility of salvation through some source other than Jesus. We are telling them to stay on an airplane that will never go anywhere. But if we come to Jesus, he will get us home to God. He is the only one who can. Come to Jesus.
