Read
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Think
R.C. Sproul (along with an army of other writers and speakers) has said “in our culture… the only thing that cannot be tolerated is a claim to exclusivity.” An exclusive claim is where someone claims X is right which then clearly makes Y wrong. In primary school maths this is ok, but when it comes to religious practice, or issues relating to sexuality or moral decision making, this exclusive view on truth is seen as something oppressive (which it can be if handled wrongly), narrow, and deeply offensive! However, Peter steps into the pluralistic landscape of our day and makes probably the most exclusive claim ever uttered: “Salvation is found in no one else [Jesus], for there is no other name [Jesus] under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Peter is putting Jesus in an exclusive category, in fact he is lifting Jesus out of the religious soup of his and our day and showing that there is no other form of lasting salvation; that all other religious belief is fundamentally flawed and that no amount of religious zeal or devotion will merit lasting (eternal) change if Jesus is absent! In our culture, this type of speech is incendiary, some might even call it hate speech! Yet, Peter is only following the lead of his master. Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
The Christian faith has always been exclusive, because it recognises that if the problem of sin is real and all of humanity has been separated from God by a sin-sickness way worse than Covid-19, then the salvation or cure for this sin-sickness better be the real deal! And Peter, following Jesus’ lead is saying that true everlasting rescue from sin is only ever found in Jesus! Do you know him as saviour? Do you know him as the only saviour? Do you cling to him for life? Do you love him as your Lord, king and friend?
Pray
Dear Father, thank you for showing me that in a world of opposing and conflicting views, Jesus is the only true and living saviour. All other offers of salvation are like fools’ gold, they offer much but deliver little. I choose today to freshly cling to Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Would you help me to bravely share this exclusive gospel with those around me? Amen
Team Leader
