Exclusive

Sunday Sermons

Mark Dunagan
05/13/18 - Sunday Evening

Exclusive

One of the complaints that is frequently leveled against Christianity in our times is that it is too exclusive, that is, some people do not like the idea of Jesus being the only way to the Father (John 14:6), or that the path to life is a narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14). The first thing I would like to point out is that Christians on their own authority are not claiming that Jesus is the only way or that the path to life is narrow and few find it. Rather, those are statements from the very lips of Jesus, those are His own words.

Should One Way Surprise Us?

“One reason Jesus’ exclusively claim is so controversial is because it contradicts the popularly held viewpoint that all religions are basically the same. In other words, there are a variety of paths that people can take in their spiritual journey, and they all eventually lead to the same God. When you strip them down to their essential beliefs, every religion is similar, although they may use different languages and rituals in teaching God’s universal nature” (God’s Outrageous Claims, Lee Strobel, p. 222).

Yet Jesus’ words, that He is the way and that no one comes to the Father but through Him (John 14:6), clearly contradict the idea that all paths eventually lead to God. In fact, Jesus, whom most would regard as the expert when it comes to spiritually and God, flatly denies the idea that every religion is the same and that all paths lead to God.
“Second, why is it deemed unacceptable to argue that if God is perfect (which includes being consistent – cf. 1 Corinthians 14:33), then there is a right way of serving him, which excludes other ways? Truth, from the very nature of the case, is exclusive. The truth that two plus two equals four is exclusive. One may choose to deny it, but it is true regardless. Water freezes at thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit – not twenty-five degrees, nor forty-five degrees. Characterize that as bigotry if you must, but that’s the exclusive truth of the matter. Why is it so difficult to see that there also is such a thing as spiritual truth – revealed, inflexible, exclusive truth? For some, the only “exclusive truth” is: “There is no exclusive truth” (Christian Courier, “Is God Exclusive”, Wayne Jackson). Mr. Jackson makes a good point that many don’t consider. If God is perfect, then would He not design the perfect path to salvation?
The issue of supposed different paths actually comes up in Scripture. Before His death, Jesus is praying in the Garden and is under a tremendous amount of strain. He prays, “If You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). If there were other paths to God besides through a crucified and risen Savior, then the Father should have removed the cup of suffering from His Son. Seeing that the cup was not removed, the clear inference is that if mankind is going to have any hope of salvation, then Jesus must die for our sins. The Father would not have allowed His Son to suffer and die if there were many other paths that were just as good as the path through His Son.
Finally, if God is the real source behind all the various religions in the world, and He whispers one truth to one group of people or another different truth to another group, then God Himself is the author of confusion and needless division. In contrast, I find that God has spoken clearly (Hebrews 1:1-2) and has given us a definite set of guidelines when it comes to truth (Ephesians 4:4-6) and that He desires unity and not division (John 17:20-21) among His people.

We Are Worshipping Him… Right?

When it comes to the whole exclusive thing I believe many people miss a very important, front and center consideration. The whole purpose of a path to God is to glorify Him, right? Which means that we honor what He desires.

So if we are going to worship Him, then we offer Him the worship that He has prescribed, and not what we tend to like or our culture likes (1 Samuel 15:22-23).
If we are going to follow precepts, rules or commands, and every group of people on the planet, both the religious and non-religious have rules. So since everyone follows a set of rules, the rules that we should be following, would be His set of commands, right? Jesus said that if we really do love Him, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15).
In fact, the Bible makes the point that often new religions start when people stop listening to the true God and start following their own ideas (Romans 1:21-22; 2 Timothy 4:3).

He is Exclusive When He Has To Be

God takes no pleasure in seeing people end up lost (2 Peter 3:9; Ezekiel 18:32), and He does not play favorites, rather, He equally wants all to be saved (Romans 2:11). Therefore, when God restricts or forbids a practice it must be because the practice is absolutely wrong and extremely hurtful for us and others. The list of things mentioned as off-limits in the Bible is not an exhaustive list, and there is good reason why each one of them is forbidden. Take a look for yourself:

“Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
“But for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching” (1 Timothy 1:9-10).

Others Can Be More Exclusive

The Christian life has an incredible amount of freedom that people often miss.

God does not put me on a restrictive diet. God has created foods to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth (1 Timothy 4:3). I can eat meat if I want, or I can be a vegetarian. One choice is not superior to the other and neither will bring us any closer to God. They are simply options God has given to us (1 Corinthians 8:8).
God does not tell me what kind of job I am supposed to have. I can work with my hands, I can work with my head, I have options. I am just expected to be a good worker no matter what I do (Colossians 3:23).
I can marry or remain single, I have that option (1 Corinthians 7:8-9). God does not tell me specifically who to marry or how many children to have. Those are choices. Neither does God tell me where to live.
Anyone can be a Christian no matter who they are. The same plan of salvation applies to all cultures and social groups (Galatians 3:26-28; Mark 16:16).
He is given us a lot of freedom when it comes to serving and worshipping Him. There are specifics, such as meeting on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), yet how many songs we sing, which songs (Ephesians 5:19), how much time we spend on communion or the precise order or time of the service is up to us.
No one has to wait for a set day or time to be baptized. No one has to wait for the “official person” to do the baptizing.
There is no earthly headquarters for the church in Scripture which moves preachers around, or directs the affairs of each congregation. Each congregation is simply to have its own elders (1 Peter 5:2).

His Laws Bring Freedom

“You shall walk in all the way which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:33).
“So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statues, to fear the Lord our God or our good always and for our survival” (Deuteronomy 6:24).

It is easy to forget that a narrow path keeps me from harm and prevents me from wasting my life. It keeps us focused on what is really important, especially what is eternally important.

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.com
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net