How Exclusive is Jesus?

Q: Why do some religions, including some Christians, seem to think that theirs is the only path to God? I have heard some people say that only by accepting Jesus, for instance, can one get into heaven. But that leaves out a lot of good-hearted people, many of whom do worship God.

A: This is great question to start my blog. Our world is filled with tension and deadly strife, and at times religion is at the heart of the problem. Religion is suppose to be the answer, so why the fighting?

Members of a religion think they have truth—a correct understanding of spirituality—but does that mean everyone else’s views are wrong? Some feel this way. It seems the more orthodox or fundamental a person is, the more extreme exclusivity they claim. This can be true in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism. Yet most (the majority) in these established faiths hold their views in a spirit of toleration.

In her book, The Mighty and the Almighty, Madeline Albright, former Secretary of State recounts that when she was in training for the diplomatic corps she was told that religion should not be part of the discussion. But today she feels it is best to include it, because it can be very divisive if a mutual understanding isn’t reached. For instance Judaism, Islam and Christianity have the same roots in the Jewish scriptures, and Abraham and Sarah are the founders of the three monotheistic religions. These three faiths have much in common and these commonalities could be used in a diplomatic context to foster peace.

So why do some Christians say that you can only come to God and go to heaven through faith in Jesus, and from that statement seem to be saying that all other people are lost? There is a verse in the Bible (John 14:6) where Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the father except through me.” Does this mean that everyone is lost except Christians? What about the believers in the Jewish scriptures prior to Jesus’ coming—are they lost? The text of Jesus’ words needs to be understood in the fuller context of God’s plan for humanity.

Many Christians today hold the view that people who believed in Jewish scriptures before Jesus’ arrival can be considered potential believers in Jesus. Likewise, people who lived and died before Christianity reached them are considered to be received by God, if they accept and believe whatever light and understanding of God they have within them. These views are reinforced by the Bible’s many teachings about the inclusive nature of God’s love for all people. For example I John 2:1 says, “Christ died for our sins, but not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world.”

Jesus used stories from the Old Testament to teach the people of his day that God had spoken to people beyond the borders of their faith community, namely Israel, and beyond the borders of their understanding. God sent Jonah to preach to the unbelieving people of Nineveh, and they believed. Naaman the great Syrian general came to the prophet Elisha, and he believed and was healed of his leprosy. In the New Testament, we meet Cornelius, a Roman centurion who believed before he knew of Jesus. And Jesus commended Samaritans for their faithful living, even though the Samaritans did not have good theology.

None of these people were part of the official community of faith, but God was still at work in their lives. He let his followers know that they were privileged to have their understanding of God, but that they did not have an exclusive on God—that he had other sheep not of the fold of Israel, and that he planned to reach them. From Jesus’ perspective, the only people who were in danger of losing their spiritual life were those who claimed exclusive knowledge—particularly the Pharisees and Sadducees.

As a Christian I believe Jesus is the best source of revelation about God, but this does not mean that Christians know everything. In any case, no one is saved because they have good theology; rather we are saved by God, because the Lord is merciful and loving, and if we are humble and open to him, he hears our prayers and will save us.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my website, Ask the Pastor.

Last year I retired after 34 years of pastoral work, but my mind did not retire. I thought this type of website would keep my mind engaged in the discussion of life. After many years of helping all kinds of people, as a pastor and as a professional counselor in a multicultural, urban setting, I feel I have some useful perspectives to share with others.

As a person of faith, I believe that we can each draw on our spiritual nature to help us find the energy we need to resolve inner conflicts. Our spiritual life gives hope, but we still need to find the right way to solve problems. There is no one solution for all problems; no Bible verse that can fix us; no church, synagogue, or mosque that can give us all the answers. God has made us to engage in life by thinking and wrestling with the issues. This is why we have teachers, preachers, pastors, rabbis, imams and counselors to help us in our quest. So ask me a question, and I will try to be of help to you.

Yours truly,

Pastor Carl