No one comes to the Father except by Jesus or perhaps more accurately thru what Jesus is, namely grace, truth and love. It is my belief that upon each individual's death a moment of clarity (like near the death experiences) is given to all those who haven't had an adequate hearing of the gospel (and that includes most everyone- we Christians haven't given the best account of ourselves)Jesus himself allows us to humbly choose Him or to willfully and clearly reject him.The way to salvation was taught us by Jesus in the parable of the Pharisee (of whom a great deal are Christians today) and the Publican (Who can be just about anyone).
This is a doctrine that Evangelicals have wrong. Our false interpretation of exclusivity placed on an inclusivist Saviour has done damage to our cause and has contributed to making the church a backwater and not a headwater in God's work in the world.
Any thoughts on this subject will be entertained and appreciated?
John 14:6 (English Standard Version)
6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me
LH
2 comments:
This is in blatant contrast with too many other passages in the Bible.
First of all, what do you believe about the Bible?
Do you agree with 2 Timothy 3:16?:
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness."
If you take away the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the literal way, truth, and the life, you must account for the just wrath of a holy, perfect, and just God.
We are all sinners in need of reconciliation with a perfect God. Jesus is not just exclusive because we say so. He is exclusive because His death on the cross satisfied God's wrath, which we all deserve as sinners and must be satisfied before it is possible for us to be reconciled with God. The Bible does give a way to get to heaven without going through Jesus, but you and I can't take that way:
"You are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." -Matthew 5:48
and
"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 5:20
We don't have perfection apart from the adopted perfection of Jesus Christ, and we don't have righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees apart from the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The only way that we can have that perfection and righteousness is through Jesus Christ. Evangelicals do not require exclusive faith in Jesus Christ for the heck of it. On the cross He made His perfection and His righteousness available to all those who are willing to come to the Father, through faith in the Son.
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