Sunday Dispatch.682

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.682

Q. Isn’t it elitist to say that people must be followers of Jesus in order to get into heaven?

A. It can certainly sound that way – and unfortunately some Christians project an air of arrogance and exclusivity in how they live out their faith and then communicate it to others. But authentic Christianity is anything but arrogant or exclusive. Let me illustrate.

Imagine two country clubs. The first has a strict set of rules and only allows people in who have earned their membership. They have to accomplish something, obtain superior wisdom, or fulfill a long list of demands and requirements in order to qualify for acceptance. And despite their best efforts, lots of people just won’t make the grade and will therefore be excluded. In effect, this is what other religious systems are like.

The second country club throws its doors wide open and says, “Anybody who wants membership is invited inside. Rich or poor, black or white, regardless of your ethnic heritage or where you live, we would love to include you. Entry will be based not on your qualifications or efforts but only on accepting this invitation. Jesus already paid for your membership. So we’ll leave the matter up to you. You decide. But we will never turn you away if you sincerely and humbly seek admittance.” That’s what Christianity is like.

Which country club is being snobbish? Christians aren’t being exclusive; they’re being inclusive. They’re not being haughty; they’re being hospitable. They’re not pretending to be better or more accomplished than anyone else. Instead, they admit their own weakness and invite others who feel weak or needy to join them in order to find the help that they’ve found through Christ.

Preacher D. T. Niles summed up genuine Christianity well when he explained that we are simply “one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.”

Says Revelation 22:17: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”

~selected from Investigating Faith with Lee Strobel