Salvation:
In Jesus' Name or My Name?
"There is salvation in
no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among
men by which we must be saved." (Acts
4:12)
In a
pluralistic culture like ours, a popular sentiment that has been gaining steam is the "Coexist"
mindset -- an attempt to paint all religions on the same canvas (or depict them
on the same bumper sticker) and equate them as all basically the same. Mahatma
Gandhi captured the sentiment perfectly with the roads analogy: "Religions are
different roads converging to the same point." Now, certainly I would agree
with Gandhi that all religions do contain some truth. Gandhi had a great
respect for Jesus as a teacher of love and humility. And we need to recognize
where other worldviews are correct, or at least on the right track. You can
argue that Jesus is not completely unique in terms of WISDOM. Others throughout
history were never wisdom incarnate (as 1
Corinthians 1:30 claims about Jesus), but they have offered some valuable nuggets
of truth or advice from which we can benefit. You might even try to argue that
Jesus is not completely unique in terms of goodness. Others have made a major
impact on their neighbors through works of love (although no one else could be
called the righteousness of God incarnate...also from 1 Corinthians 1:30).
But
where the uniqueness of Jesus stands at its peak, a mountain towering alone
among crumbling hills, is in terms of SALVATION. Other religions all
acknowledge the root of humanity's problem. They all have some concept of SIN
or SELFISHNESS as what must be overcome. But the difference lies in the method.
Either you must overcome the problem yourself, or it will not be overcome. And
here's where Jesus comes in and offers what no one else can. He is the ONLY ONE
WHO HAS OVERCOME. Through His righteous performance, He has done what all of us
have tried to do and have failed miserably. And so the choice for salvation
from sin ultimately boils down to 2 options -- IN HIS NAME or IN MY NAME? We
have each experience where "in my name" gets me -- not far at all. And so, Jesus
reminds stands through the ages reminding us of what He alone can offer.
"I am
the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through
Me." (John 14:6)
To His Glory,
Caleb
