Is this bible verse intolerant?
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| English: Jesus Christ - detail from Deesis mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
This passage exhibits the kind of intolerance so despised in today's culture. It says there is only way to be saved: through faith in the one true God (and, in the course of this prophecy’s fulfillment, in Jesus Christ). All other paths are to be shunned as worthless and trivial, for Jehovah alone is the Creator of all things, and He alone is the Savior of His people. Not all paths bring us to the same destination. Not all paths lead to God. The testimonies of all men are not equally valid. And all opinions are not necessarily true. There is one God, the great I AM. There is one Redeemer, Jesus Christ our Lord. And there is one way to be saved, through faith in God’s only Son.
God commanded the nations that worshiped other gods to bring forth their witnesses concerning the veracity and power of their deities. He dared them to stand against the testimonies of His power. He called forth His own people as His witnesses to testify to the truth of His salvation. The prophet could relay such a message with confidence because he knew the truth. He did not believe all things were relative. He didn’t fall for the trap that everyone has a right to an opinion. He didn’t believe for a minute that anyone can worship God in any way he or she chooses. He knew that there is one way, one path, one God, and one redemption.
Jesus said that “no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). That was true then and it is still true today. Redemption comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and all who have been saved by the power of God can testify to this salvation. We are witnesses to His power and grace in our lives.
This testimony should not be concealed from the world, but it should be proclaimed with confidence. The church is the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15), not because it is the source of all truth, but because it testifies to the truth. The truth is at work in the lives of believers, and this truth should not be hidden, but should shine for everyone to see. It is the duty of the church to proclaim to a world that believes in idols, touts tolerance, and extols relativity that there is no other way to be saved than by Jesus Christ alone. We are God’s witnesses to this fact; we are light in the darkness. Let us not be silent but declare the salvation of the Lord to a dark and hostile world. Do you believe that there is only one way to be saved, and that it is by faith in Jesus Christ? Spend some time today writing down your testimony. How can you be a witness to the Lord’s power and grace in your own life? Keep this written testimony on hand to review periodically so you can be more confident to tell others about the Lord.
