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Christianity claims exclusivity because Christ Himself claims the same thing. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (Jn 14:6). Sa mga ganitong pananalita pa lang ni Jesus, imposibleng hindi mapansin na inaangkin Niya na walang kahit anong paraan para maligtas maliban sa Kanya. Bilang mga tagasunod Niya, expectedly, dapat tanggapin at paniwalaan natin ang Kaniyang sinasabi patungkol sa Kanyang sarili. For us Christians, we believe that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).
Pagiging sarado ba ng isip na sabihin na tanging Kristiyanismo lang ang nagsasabi ng tama? Is it being intolerant to say that Jesus is the only way to be saved? Is being Christian means being closed-minded?
NO. It is being specific.
For the record, we do not claim that there is absolutely no truth outside Christianity, as if, lahat-lahat sa ibang relihiyon o paniniwala ay mali na agad. Halimbawa sabi ni Confucius, “Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.” Ito ay similar sa sinabi ni Jesus, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 7:12). Most religions outside Christianity, if not all, affirm that murder is wrong, we should do good to others, respect our parents, and many others. These show that there are truths “also” outside the Christian faith. Kung may katotohanan din pala sa iba, paano natin nasabi na “Christianity claims exclusivity”?
To answer this question, let me quote from the words of Dr. Norman Geisler: “Christianity does not teach that only the Bible contains truth. It only affirms that the Bible is true and that everything that contradicts it is false, since contradictions cannot both be true.” There are more than enough reasons to believe that the Bible is trustworthy and so the only logical thing to do is to make it the basis of faith. Naniniwala tayo na nagsasabi ng katotohanan ang Biblia kaya anything or everything that contradicts kung anong sinasabi nito ay mali na agad. Hindi ‘yon pagiging makitid ang pag-iisip--- nagiging eksakto lang tayo sa kung ano ang dapat. Kung tama ang sinasabi ng Biblia patungkol kay Jesus as the only way to be saved, then it follows na mali na ang sinasabi ng iba patungkol sa paano maligtas. Pwede nating respetuhin ang mga tao na hindi natin katulad ng faith, pero hindi ibig-sabihin ituturing na natin ang beliefs nila na kapantay o tama rin tulad ng atin. To do such a thing might be very “respectful” to some but it is never reasonable. If one is true, the opposite beliefs cannot also be true. If Jesus was right about His exclusive claims (as Christians believe) then it means the others are wrong. There’s no middle ground.
Being particular about what is true is never being closed-minded.
CTTO
Pagiging sarado ba ng isip na sabihin na tanging Kristiyanismo lang ang nagsasabi ng tama? Is it being intolerant to say that Jesus is the only way to be saved? Is being Christian means being closed-minded?
NO. It is being specific.
For the record, we do not claim that there is absolutely no truth outside Christianity, as if, lahat-lahat sa ibang relihiyon o paniniwala ay mali na agad. Halimbawa sabi ni Confucius, “Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.” Ito ay similar sa sinabi ni Jesus, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 7:12). Most religions outside Christianity, if not all, affirm that murder is wrong, we should do good to others, respect our parents, and many others. These show that there are truths “also” outside the Christian faith. Kung may katotohanan din pala sa iba, paano natin nasabi na “Christianity claims exclusivity”?
To answer this question, let me quote from the words of Dr. Norman Geisler: “Christianity does not teach that only the Bible contains truth. It only affirms that the Bible is true and that everything that contradicts it is false, since contradictions cannot both be true.” There are more than enough reasons to believe that the Bible is trustworthy and so the only logical thing to do is to make it the basis of faith. Naniniwala tayo na nagsasabi ng katotohanan ang Biblia kaya anything or everything that contradicts kung anong sinasabi nito ay mali na agad. Hindi ‘yon pagiging makitid ang pag-iisip--- nagiging eksakto lang tayo sa kung ano ang dapat. Kung tama ang sinasabi ng Biblia patungkol kay Jesus as the only way to be saved, then it follows na mali na ang sinasabi ng iba patungkol sa paano maligtas. Pwede nating respetuhin ang mga tao na hindi natin katulad ng faith, pero hindi ibig-sabihin ituturing na natin ang beliefs nila na kapantay o tama rin tulad ng atin. To do such a thing might be very “respectful” to some but it is never reasonable. If one is true, the opposite beliefs cannot also be true. If Jesus was right about His exclusive claims (as Christians believe) then it means the others are wrong. There’s no middle ground.
Being particular about what is true is never being closed-minded.
CTTO
Na convert na sila malamang sa ibang paniniwala. Ganoon lang iyon.