An exclusive club

A lot of people get onto Christians as “exclusivist” and get angry when I ever mention that someone may not go to heaven because they don’t claim Christ as Savior.  Read here about how exclusive a club Christianity actually is…

John 9:10-13 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  “

Did you hear it? “To all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”  Guess, what?  I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Do you know what makes me a child of God? It is not the fact that I live, breathe air, am human, or am a “member of the global consciousness.” It is because I received Him and believe in His name. That is the only reason I am a child of God. That is the only reason I will rise to meet Him in the air and live eternally with Him.

 It is an extremely exclusive club. The only way to join is to accept that you are a sinner, and accept Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. That is THE ONLY WAY. Jesus doesn’t mince words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man may come to the Father except through me.”  But wait, is it all that exclusive? 

Anyone can come to the Father. Anyone can receive Christ and believe on His name. He doesn’t discriminate who may come. He invites ALL to come, the only people that make this such an exclusive club are the ones who reject His gift. Christians cannot change the fact that everyone is invited to come. Christans, even if they are hypocritical or rude, cannot force someone not to make the choice to come to Christ.

It is about seeing your need for forgiveness and accepting the sacrifice, and then, it is about surrendering your life to Him. It is about ending who you are to become more in Christ. That’s the hard part, because too often, we choose our own desires and wants over the abundant life of Christ. WE make this exclusive by turning away from the very one who wants to include you in His family.

That verse from John is as true today as ever. He created this world and all that is in it, and so many people still do not recognize Him. The sad part is that the church, the “body” have done a pretty poor job in showing Jesus to those who need Him the most, the unsaved. We need to start reaching out in love to those in need. Not accepting their sinful condition, but loving them in spite of it.

But make no mistake, it is a personal choice to come to Christ. No one can make this decision for you, and no one can force you to stay away from him. It is your choice.

So, the next time you say that the church is exclusivistic, as yourself, are you being excluded, or are you choosing to be excluded?

~ by denniscraig on July 31, 2011.