There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” vs. 12
Acts 4:5-12
According to Luke, all the leaders of the Jerusalem hierarchy were present at the trial of Peter and John. And when Peter is questioned about his authority, unlike Jesus, he does not remain silent before his accusers. Instead, he doubles down and makes an assertion so audacious that many contemporary followers of Jesus are embarrassed. We really don’t like to make exclusive claims about the way of salvation, and are much more likely to say that there are many paths to God, and that Christianity is just one of them. There is much good that can be said about our current efforts to be seen as inclusive in this diverse and multicultural world–we’ve seen how mean-spirited and unloving the exclusive approach can be. And it’s freeing to have conversations with our Buddhist friends while keeping quiet about Jesus. And it’s nice to say to our children when they leave our homes, “Go ahead and experiment, Honey, after all it really doesn’t make any difference what you believe.” But some are wondering! What do we lose when we stop seeing Jesus as the Way of salvation for all people? Is it possible that we’ve watered down our faith to the point where all the passion has disappeared? Can we be on fire for Jesus and inclusive at the same time?
Thought for the Day: What does my passion for Jesus look like?
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