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O.K. You're on Larry King Live as part
of a panel that includes a variety of religious
representatives including an Imam, a Rabbi, a Priest and
various Protestants. As he inevitably does on such
occasions, Larry turns to the issue of Jesus' exclusivity.
After the entire panel including your professing brothers in
Christ either shoot flaming arrows or hide behind the skirts
of political correctness, he turns to you, points his bony
finger across the desk and asks: "Do you R-E-A-L-L-Y
believe that Jesus is the O-N-L-Y way to God -- that A-L-L
other religions are damned? Are you T-H-A-T narrow?"
What do you say?
From the pressure-free environment of
my padded armchair, how about this: "Larry, I am a
Christ-follower so I endeavor to listen to Him, and of
Himself Jesus flatly stated: 'I am the way, the truth and
the life; no one comes to the Father except by Me.' He
leaves us no choice, Larry. He didn't intend to."
Larry fires back: "So you're telling us
that this Rabbi, this Imam, this Hindu and all good
religious people everywhere that do not call themselves
Christian are damned!"
"Well, Larry, I believe that all good
men and women in all places, times and cultures aren't
damned and don't need Christ. The trouble is, there are
none. As Jesus Himself stated, all of us are already
condemned. We are stubbornly blind to the chasm between
God's holiness and our sinfulness. We need a Savior. We
need a Redeemer.
We need a sin-bearer. We need God's
wrath against our sin satisfied. We need a perfect
righteousness outside of ourselves. And God has provided all
that we need in Jesus. Larry, the audacious question is not
'Why is there only one way?,' but, 'Why would God sacrifice
Himself to provide the one and only possible way that
satisfies both His love and His justice?' That is the
marvel. That is the question that should leave us aghast.
That is the question that drives us to the foot of the cross
of Christ. Now T-H-A-T is Love."
Why don't the Christian superstars say
that to Larry? I have seen several on his show whose names
and bank accounts we all know about. With the exception of
John MacArthur, each one whimped-out at the first verbal
speed-bump. Could it be that in trying to accommodate the
sensitivities of the unbeliever we have let the unbelieving
world emasculate our theology, and thus the very substance
and power of the pure Gospel of Christ?
Just a thought.
In the name of Lion of Judah,
Lucky R. |
