11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And 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 4:11,12 ESV
One of the biggest hits on Christianity in today's world it that we are closed-minded. Unyielding. And, I guess, in our core beliefs, we are.
We do believe that a belief in and an acceptance of Jesus Christ as a personal Lord and Savior is a perquisite to forgiveness and restoration. We are unyielding in our belief that Jesus was at once man and God.
Luke reminds his readers that there is but one "name under heaven . . .by which we must be saved." Only one. Just Christ. There is no second or third option. No back-up savior. Apart from Jesus Christ, people are condemned to a life separated from God and that separation will continue after death for an eternity. Wow, that does sound closed-minded, unyielding.
So the critics are right. But their argument is with God, not us. He established the path to salvation. He laid out the plan of restoration. Our duty is to present the Gospel message, not to argue its critics into submission.
We present. The Holy Spirit convicts. God saves. His plan, not ours.
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