One Path

We tend to attribute the belief that Jesus is the only path to salvation to John in his Gospel, but  here it is in The Acts of The Apostles as well.

While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them, much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. So they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who heard the word believed; and they numbered about five thousand. The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is 'the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." - Acts 4:1-12

There is only one path to salvation and that is through Jesus, Peter tells us.

There is salvation in no one else, he says.

Why do we have a hard time with that concept?

Perhaps it is because Jesus was so approachable and open to all.  He gave an audience to anyone who came to him, even those he felt were not worthy of his help, like the Syrophoenician woman.  

But even she managed to convince him that he should accept her, and he did.

Was she saved because Jesus accepted her or was she not saved because she believed something different?

It is not about acceptance so much as it is about rejection.

If we reject Jesus, we give up our salvation through Jesus.

So, those who do not know Christ but have not rejected him can still find salvation through God's grace.

That means there is a responsibility we all have once we become believers.  We need to stay believers.

So, whether we go out and spread the Gospel or not, we need to make sure others see us as faithful believers, or they might think we have rejected Jesus, and that would be just as bad as if we had.

The burden of commitment to Christ is ours.  Now that we believe, our work begins.

More to come...