In our age, we like to have choices. Go to Consumer Reports Auto Edition, and you will find dozens and dozens of new cars; all will take you to where you want to go. Look in the grocery store, and you will find over 100 varieties of bread; all will satisfy your hunger for bread. Check out the video store, and you will find thousands of movies, all designed to entertain you.
It’s disturbing when a person says that this is the only bread that will satisfy you, or that this is the only car that will take you where you want to go, or that this is the only movie you should watch.
In our age, we do not like it when people say that they have the exclusive way. We call it bigoted, closed-minded, judgmental, discriminatory, prejudicial, narrow-minded. In our age, these, in fact, are the worst charges that can be thrown at someone. But is it always wrong to be closed-minded, judgmental, discriminatory, prejudicial, and narrow-minded? Think about these situations:
Suppose that you wanted to reach the Pastor by phone at his church, and he told you, “Just pick any seven digit number, all phone numbers lead to my church. We’re not prejudicial here.”
Suppose you go to the doctor with a bad infection, and the doctor tells you, “Take any pill you want for eight days, we are very open-minded about this.”
Suppose you examine a restaurant menu which includes “Baked Rocks,” “Boiled Plastic,” “Fried Sole of Sneaker,” and “Broiled Wood Chips.” The waiter tells you, “We are not like those other bigoted and judgmental restaurants that offer food exclusively.”
Suppose your bank deposit receipt had this note printed on the bottom: THIS BANK DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANY PERSONS. ALL ACCOUNTS ARE OPEN FOR DEPOSITS AND WITHDRAWALS BY ANY PERSON.
Suppose your fiancé tells you, “I am not narrow-minded or prejudicial, and I despise exclusivism. I will take other lovers in a non-discriminatory fashion.”
Yes, in a variety of good and important ways we all are closed-minded, judgmental, prejudicial, discriminatory, and narrow-minded.
The Exclusiveness of God: God designed the world in way that is also closed-minded, judgmental, prejudicial, discriminatory and narrow-minded. We must have oxygen – carbon monoxide or hydrogen or any other gas will not work. We must have water in some form – oil or mercury or any other fluid will not work. Our body temperature must be maintained within a very narrow range – if your temperature is below 90° or above 104°, you are in bad shape.
So, God’s plan of salvation may seem narrow. But remember, sin and death are our problem. Going to a religious center will not cure it. Doing good deeds will not remedy it. All the prayers in the world will not deliver us from it. All human efforts will not spare us. We need one thing: A Savior. God sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ. Moses, Mohammed, and Buddha are not, and never claimed to be saviors. Jesus is the only Savior that God sent. And Jesus is the only Savior that we need.
You can protest all you want that God is being prejudicial and discriminatory. Or you can get on your knees and thank Him that He sent such a Savior. You can praise Him because He died on the cross and rose from the dead for your forgiveness and salvation. You can rejoice that you know the way. You can tell others that there is a way of salvation.
The Inclusiveness of God: In a very real way, God’s plan of salvation is completely inclusive. Take a look at the most famous verse in the Bible which succinctly describes God’s plan of salvation (John 3:16):
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
world – God loves each and every person in the world. Inclusive, you would have to agree!
whoever – open to anyone regardless of age, race, mental status, social status, financial status, spiritual status.
believes – so simple, anyone can believe, regardless of condition of life. No education, no money, no power, no moral purity required.
God sent one Exclusive Savior, so he could make this one Inclusive Offer of salvation to all.
So here are our choices:
We can complain that God is narrow-minded and discriminatory because He did
not send multiple saviors, nor did He give multiple ways of salvation.
OR
We can thank Him that He loves each person so much, that He gave his only Son, Jesus, as the Savior to die and rise again for our eternal salvation.
What will your choice be?
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