Exclusivism Christianity

The salvific work of Jesus Christ on the cross is all encompassing. Its effect reaches creation in its entirety. The revelation of Christ sent shockwaves throughout the past, present, and the future, enacting the plan of God for the redemption of fallen mankind. This plan was decreed before time began by the omnipotent God to provide salvation for those who would believe. The overarching progression of salvation is prevalent throughout the entire breadth of the Bible. Evangelical theology asserts that the only means of salvation is by the unparalleled saving work of Christ Jesus. However, the dominant development of modern comparative religion is in opposition of this locus. This is true even within the confounds of professed Christianity.

While both positions profess that Christianity to be the one true faith, only one can be completely validated by Scripture. Inclusivism is the theology of religion that refers to the view that salvation extends beyond the visible Christian church, and that other religions are used by God to promote general morality or other forms of divine truth. In contrast, exclusivism refers to the understanding that salvation is found only through the person and work of Jesus Christ, and that “saving grace is not mediated through the teachings and practices of non-Christian religions.” These two opposing positions will each be critically defined and assessed by Scripture. This methodology will validate that exclusivism alone is Biblically consistent. Inclusivism proposes the God of the Bible is present in other religions, although not directly salvific themselves, to indirectly save adherents of those religions by the work of Christ. Its proponents never overtly admit that people can be saved apart from Christ. On the contrary, it is God that reaches out to the non-Christian individual to save them through Christ’s work on the cross. Though, He makes this possible in ways potentially unknown to others, and has ordained religions other than Christianity for the communication of His

Exclusivism, in its purest sense, is most notably related to the Aristotelian concept of truth as “one and not many,” thus, two contradicting ideas cannot simultaneously be true. As Norman Geisler stated, “It is noteworthy that not only is the work of Christ needed for our salvation, but so is believing in the Christ who performed that