“Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.” (1 John 2:22-23 ESV)
Inclusivity carries significant connotations in our modern vocabulary. It supposedly communicates openness, love for others, and active rejection of bigotry. Telling someone else that his or her view of something is considered wrong, and withholding a relationship or removing someone from fellowship for such differences is culturally unthinkable. We are expected to welcome everyone with no questions asked.
The problem with such a view is that it is not only incompatible with the teaching of Scripture but with the laws of logic as well. Two contradictory doctrines cannot both be true. The god of Islam is diametrically opposed to the God of Scripture. In fact, they are mutually exclusive. Hinduism, Buddhism, atheism, selfism, and all the other means man has created to worship his own idols cannot be inclusive to one another without simultaneously denying the pillars of their own ideology.
The exclusivity of Christ is not an oppressive message thrust on an otherwise carefree world. It is an affirmation that we need a Savior and that God has provided a Savior, but he has provided only one. While Christians are publicly condemned for preaching that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12), that is the most loving message any person could ever give to another.
To allow an idol worshipper to continue in his eternally self-destructive pattern in the name of love and inclusivity would expose utter indifference toward his eternal destiny. It would, to use the language of John, allow him to continue believing and spreading a lie. All lies are sinful, and all lies have consequences, but lies regarding the person and work of Christ are damnable.
John’s warning is not only that his readers ought never to leave Christ for a false god but also that they cannot allow false gods to coexist with Christ. If Christians abandon the exclusivity of Christ, they abandon the gospel. Christ is not merely a way to salvation; he is the way to salvation. Anyone who says otherwise is, in the Spirit-inspired words of John, an antichrist.
This is so important in missions because it removes any grounds to soft-pedal the proclamation of the gospel. The gospel is not to be whispered in a corner room to ears that are unoffended; it is to be screamed from the rooftop of every town in every country of the world. Since Christ is Lord, that means no other being is or can be Lord. He is the eternal, divine sovereign who reigns over all things and is subjecting all things to himself, which will be fully consummated at his return. We do not just say that Jesus is the Christ but also that Allah is not the Christ and Buddha is not the Christ. For doctrinal affirmations to carry their full weight, they must be attended by doctrinal denials. Thus, John says, Jesus is the Christ, and if anyone says otherwise, he is wrong.
Telling someone that he or she is wrong can be difficult, especially when so much social standing is on the line. But if our concern over our social position eclipses our concern to preach Christ so the lost may be saved, our concerns are disordered.
John is offering both a warning to those who would hold back from affirming the exclusivity of Christ and an encouragement to those who faithfully proclaim that message, despite the difficulties that attend it.
As a believer, John is exhorting you to know the gospel, love the gospel, protect the gospel, and preach the gospel. To do otherwise is to stand in opposition to Christ.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
It is an indescribable mercy that you have provided a way for us to be reconciled to you through your Son. May we be diligent to proclaim only what is true, to deny all the gods of this world who seek to usurp Christ’s throne, and faithfully proclaim Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.
In his name, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray for missionaries reaching the unreached in Toronto.
- Wednesday: Pray for missionaries using fitness to share the gospel in Thailand.
- Thursday: Pray for the ministry of Hope Radio in Togo.
- Friday: Pray for the ABWE missionary candidates who will attend Missionary Orientation this week.
- Saturday: Pray for the Sports Event Evangelism teams as they reach people for Christ.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries serving in Italy.
- Monday: Pray for missionaries serving through counseling.
Featured Opportunity to Serve:
Operating Room Manager
Location: Togo
We are looking for a registered nurse with at least two years of operating room experience to manage the operating room at the Hospital of Hope in Togo, Africa.
