Creator, Father, King #224

There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.

OVER THE LAST THREE days, we’ve been studying how Jesus is the only way of salvation. For Christians, this is a bedrock truth. But for many others, the exclusivity of Jesus’ claim in John 14:6 (and hence, Christianity’s assertion of being the world’s only true faith) is offensive.

“How,” they ask, “can Christians say they’re right and billions of others are wrong? How can they be so arrogant?”

Those who take offense at the gospel often ask a second question: “If Christianity is true, how can a loving God send billions of people who don’t trust in Jesus to hell forever?”

These are both important, but loaded, questions. Each is based on very misguided presumptions, exalting humanistic reasoning above scriptural truth.

Let’s look at each through a biblical lens.

What’s It Mean?

To the first question, we must say this: public opinion is not the judge of truth. Just because billions of people don’t believe in Jesus doesn’t mean he is not the way of salvation. Remember, “the highway to hell is broad” but “the gateway to life is very narrow” (see the July 5 devotion and Matthew 7:13-14).

What’s more, it’s not a sign of arrogance for Christians to believe they’ve found the only way to heaven. If anything, Scripture teaches this is cause for great rejoicing (Matthew 13:44-46; Luke 15).

Regarding the second question (“How can a loving God send people to hell?”), this assumes far too much—namely that humans don’t deserve God’s righteous judgment. But Scripture is quite clear: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, ESV).

God doesn’t owe us anything. All humanity has egregiously broken his laws. We are guilty as charged, deserving eternal wrath. So the question is not, “How can a loving God send people to hell?” The far better question is, “Why would a holy God save anyone at all?” Thankfully, God is both a righteous Judge who must punish sin and a loving Father who is pleased to save.

Yes, Jesus claims to be the only way to God, which is the basis of the Christian faith (see today’s verse). Our posture should never be to take offense at this, but to marvel that the Lord God Almighty has offered salvation to those who have greatly offended him.

Now What?

Do you know someone who is offended by the gospel? Pray that God’s Spirit would soften their heart to the truth.

Did You Know?

According to 1 Peter 2:7-8, Jesus is both the “cornerstone” that Christians build their faith on and “a rock of offense” (ESV) for unbelievers.