We live in a pluralistic society where tolerance is encouraged, even mandated.
The popular rhetoric in the New Age is 'you follow your way, I follow mine. Its all the same in the end'.
Or is it?
In contrast to the New Age,Jesus claimed and taught exclusivity. In one of the boldest claims ever made, Jesus said no one comes to God expect through Him (Jesus).
Needless to say,such a claim does not square with inclusiveness and tolerance.
Some people would like to 'soften' Christ's claim by saying Jesus probably 'didn't mean that'. I've not found a plausible alternative meaning.
Evidently, the apostles understood full well what Jesus claimed. When the High Priest ordered Peter and John not to preach in Jesus' Name, the response he got from the former fishermen was: there is no other Name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved...we cannot help speaking about the things we've seen and heard (Acts 4)
The mammoth question remains; what about those who've not heard about Christ? Those to whom the gospel never reached, and to no fault of their own die without hearing of the only way to the Father?
The popular rhetoric in the New Age is 'you follow your way, I follow mine. Its all the same in the end'.
Or is it?
In contrast to the New Age,Jesus claimed and taught exclusivity. In one of the boldest claims ever made, Jesus said no one comes to God expect through Him (Jesus).
Needless to say,such a claim does not square with inclusiveness and tolerance.
Some people would like to 'soften' Christ's claim by saying Jesus probably 'didn't mean that'. I've not found a plausible alternative meaning.
Evidently, the apostles understood full well what Jesus claimed. When the High Priest ordered Peter and John not to preach in Jesus' Name, the response he got from the former fishermen was: there is no other Name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved...we cannot help speaking about the things we've seen and heard (Acts 4)
The mammoth question remains; what about those who've not heard about Christ? Those to whom the gospel never reached, and to no fault of their own die without hearing of the only way to the Father?