Galatians 3:8
We’ve all heard the saying “There is something for everyone.” The implication is that everyone will find something that suits them. It is often a tag line for an amusement park or a movie. Sadly, modern churches are promoting the same message, conforming to cultural norms for the sake of being popular and accepted. I prefer to look at the Gospel, God’s plan, as “one thing for everyone.” This means there is an exclusivity to the Gospel that cannot be denied. John 14:6 reads, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Back in 1990, Jennifer and I visited a prominent seminary in consideration of attending there. It was a prospective student’s weekend package where they put you up for a night, and you meet with different department heads and professors. I was excited about meeting theological scholars and hearing what they had to say. Our very first meeting was with the head of the New Testament department. We went to his office, where he shared a bit about the school and the theology department. Then things took a drastic turn. He began to share how all faiths lead to God and that Christ was a way, not THE way. We left shaken, and I was completely disillusioned about going to seminary. I was still a fairly new Christian at the time, but I knew enough doctrine to know that this was wrong. I was still in the Air Force at the time with a couple of years left on my service commitment, so it wasn’t as if I was going to be making career-changing decisions at that moment. It was the same week that Desert Shield kicked off, and Desert Storm soon followed. My pastor at the time was both a friend and mentor, and we shared many good discussions about what had happened and how to respond. Paul, in his letter to the churches in Galatia, was addressing false teachings permeating the new churches in the area. There were those among the believers propagating a “gospel and” theology. They were telling the new Believers that they must be circumcised, and that all must follow Old Testament laws, such as ceremonial and dietary laws, to complete their salvation. Paul was telling his readers that God’s plan is that all may be saved, through faith, to include Jew and Gentile alike. This is where God’s plan is truly inclusive. Salvation comes through faith in Christ. There are no other special genealogical, class, or cultural restrictions. It doesn’t matter what your family lineage is. The need for the Gospel is felt by everyone, and through Christ, it is available for everyone. The church auditorium is filled with equals on Sunday morning. The only lines of separation are between those saved, searching, or lost.
As a postscript, not long after our experience at this seminary, the board of directors removed (fired) many professors and department heads and retired the president for their progressive and errant theology. The seminary is once again a flagship seminary.
We’ve all heard the saying “There is something for everyone.” The implication is that everyone will find something that suits them. It is often a tag line for an amusement park or a movie. Sadly, modern churches are promoting the same message, conforming to cultural norms for the sake of being popular and accepted. I prefer to look at the Gospel, God’s plan, as “one thing for everyone.” This means there is an exclusivity to the Gospel that cannot be denied. John 14:6 reads, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Back in 1990, Jennifer and I visited a prominent seminary in consideration of attending there. It was a prospective student’s weekend package where they put you up for a night, and you meet with different department heads and professors. I was excited about meeting theological scholars and hearing what they had to say. Our very first meeting was with the head of the New Testament department. We went to his office, where he shared a bit about the school and the theology department. Then things took a drastic turn. He began to share how all faiths lead to God and that Christ was a way, not THE way. We left shaken, and I was completely disillusioned about going to seminary. I was still a fairly new Christian at the time, but I knew enough doctrine to know that this was wrong. I was still in the Air Force at the time with a couple of years left on my service commitment, so it wasn’t as if I was going to be making career-changing decisions at that moment. It was the same week that Desert Shield kicked off, and Desert Storm soon followed. My pastor at the time was both a friend and mentor, and we shared many good discussions about what had happened and how to respond. Paul, in his letter to the churches in Galatia, was addressing false teachings permeating the new churches in the area. There were those among the believers propagating a “gospel and” theology. They were telling the new Believers that they must be circumcised, and that all must follow Old Testament laws, such as ceremonial and dietary laws, to complete their salvation. Paul was telling his readers that God’s plan is that all may be saved, through faith, to include Jew and Gentile alike. This is where God’s plan is truly inclusive. Salvation comes through faith in Christ. There are no other special genealogical, class, or cultural restrictions. It doesn’t matter what your family lineage is. The need for the Gospel is felt by everyone, and through Christ, it is available for everyone. The church auditorium is filled with equals on Sunday morning. The only lines of separation are between those saved, searching, or lost.
As a postscript, not long after our experience at this seminary, the board of directors removed (fired) many professors and department heads and retired the president for their progressive and errant theology. The seminary is once again a flagship seminary.
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