Question

Jesus made many absolute statements such as the following:

John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (NIV).

Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (NIV).

Interacting with these statements, how would you answer someone accusing Christianity of exclusivism

Answer 1

• My response to such accusation is that regardless of how one views their beliefs, everyone is entitled to stand firm on what they believe and to follow through their own beliefs. Although exclusivism may come to as offensive towards other religious backgrounds or ethnic heritage, the Christian message is to love and accept others as well as to be able to respect another’s beliefs without accepting them.
• Christianity does not exclude anyone. These two verses here are simply stating that in order to go to heaven you must go through Jesus. The way that you must do that is through baptism. The second verse is stating that there will be a lot of people who's life will end in destruction and their will be very few who will have eternal life. God has always given us choices and he is simply telling us if we do not choosehim we cannot be with him.