J. Gresham Machen has famously said:
“A Christianity tolerant of other religions is just no Christianity at all.”
There is a tolerance Jesus will not tolerate. The world preaches tolerance of many viewpoints, but we assert absolute truth that is exclusive. If Jesus is not the ONLY way to heaven, then He is NO way to heaven. The risen Lord possesses an EXCLUSIVE monopoly on the SOLE access to the Father.
We pray today’s blog reminds and encourages you about the exclusivity and inclusivity of our great God.
1. Heaven is a real place, far more glorious than we can even imagine…BUT exclusively reserved for those who love Christ.
2. There is a zero-tolerance policy for any tampering with the gospel. There is not one drop of saving grace outside of Jesus Christ. He has an exclusive monopoly on all grace—and gets to define what the Gospel is (and he has!).
3. No one in the history of the world has been more inclusive of repentant sinners than Jesus and no one has been more intolerant of sin. Though the world balks at Christ's exclusive claims, we spread the inclusive news that He is Savior for all the world. All are welcome who repent and believe in the risen Lord by faith alone in his grace alone.
4. To follow Christ truly is to follow Him exclusively. To be reconciled to God, we must forsake all other confidences and place our trust exclusively in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
5. We believe every religion should be open and inclusive, but not open and inclusive enough for a Jesus who claims to be Lord of all. Christ is the exclusive door who gives believers entrance into the kingdom and, yet, blocks access to all who come on their own terms.
6. Jesus taught exclusive truth claims, and inclusive love aims. As Christians, we need to model the same.
7. The world preaches tolerance of many viewpoints, but we assert absolute truth that is exclusive. Jesus Christ has an exclusive monopoly on the truth. Whatever truth you will have, you will have to do business with Him.
8. Early Christians confessed Jesus as Lord. The world reacted with fury against the Christian’s intolerable intolerance to tolerance.
9. The gospel will always be more inclusive than I normally choose, and exact a costlier love than I readily give. Early Christians confessed Jesus as Lord. The world reacted with fury against the Christian’s intolerable intolerance to tolerance. For the unbeliever, Christ is the epitome of arrogance & intolerance: "How dare He stand before the world & claim to be its only Savior!”
10. We as Christians are called to much more than tolerance. God calls us to positively love our enemies.
