Rick Livermore Bible Study: {Ravi Zacharias} There Is Always a Point of Exclusion

Discontinued Rick Livermore Bible Study

Monday, April 8, 2019

{Ravi Zacharias} There Is Always a Point of Exclusion

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Devotionals Daily <newsletter@e.faithgateway.com>

Date: Sat, Apr 6, 2019 at 1:37 AM

Subject: {Ravi Zacharias} There Is Always a Point of Exclusion

To: Rick Livermore

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

— John 14:6

Point of Exclusion

by Ravi Zacharias, from The Logic of God

Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we don't know where You are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." — John 14:5-6

With the numerous religions in the world, how can Christians claim exclusivity? I am often asked this question in different settings. But I've always been fascinated by the fact that the Christian faith is the only one that seems to have this question posed. The truth is that every religion has its starting points and its deductions, and those starting points exclude.

For example, Hinduism has two nonnegotiable beliefs: karma and reincarnation. No Hindu will trade these away. In Buddhism, there is the denial of the essential notion of the self. Buddhists believe that the self as we understand it does not exist, and our ceasing to desire will be the cause of the end of all suffering. If we deny these premises, we devein Buddhism.

Islam believes that Mohammad is the last and final prophet, and the Qur'an is the perfect revelation. If we deny those two premises, we have denied Islam. Even naturalism, which poses as irreligion, is exclusive. Naturalism teaches that anything supernatural or metaphysical is outside the realm of evidence and purely an opinion, not a matter of fact.

In the Christian faith, we believe Jesus is the consummate experience of God in the person of His Son and is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. We cannot deny these premises and continue to be Christians.

The question is not whether these are mutually exclusive. The question is, which one of these will we deny as being reasonable and consistent? Which one of these will we be able to sustain by argument and by evidence?

It is the very nature of truth that presents us with this reality. Truth by definition is exclusive. Everything cannot be true.

If everything is true, then nothing is false. And if nothing is false, then it would also be true to say everything is false. We cannot have it both ways. One should not be surprised at the claims of exclusivity. The reality is that even those who deny truth's exclusivity, in effect, exclude those who do not deny it. The truth quickly emerges. The law of noncontradiction does apply to reality: two contradictory statements cannot both be true in the same sense. Thus, to deny the law of noncontradiction is to affirm it at the same time. You may as well talk about a one-ended stick as talk about truth being all-inclusive.

So where does that leave us? We must not be surprised at truth's claims, but we must test them before we believe them. If the test demonstrates truth, then we are morally compelled to believe it. And this is precisely the point from which many are trying to run. As G. K. Chesterton said, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried."¹

Jesus said definitively,

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. — John 14:6

Apply the tests of truth to the person and the message of Jesus Christ. You see not only His exclusivity, but also His uniqueness.

Reflection Questions

1. Why must truth be exclusive?
2. How does understanding that every worldview has exclusive claims impact the way we proclaim the Christian faith?

Notes

1. Gilbert K. Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World (New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1912), 48.

Excerpted with permission from The Logic of God by Ravi Zacharias, copyright Ravi Zacharias.

* * *

Your Turn

Has your life been changed by Jesus's statement, "I am the way and the truth and the life"? Do you know someone who has found Christianity difficult and walked away from the faith? How might what you've read today help you reach out to this person? Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily

COMMENT

New This Month from Ravi Zacharias

Save 30% off
The Logic of God: 52 Christian Essentials for the Heart and Mind

We all have doubts that challenge our faith. In his first ever devotional, apologist Ravi Zacharias offers 52 readings that explain how and why Christianity, the Bible, and God are still relevant, vital, and life-changing for us today.

The Logic of God

List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $13.99
(30% off)

BUY NOW

Jesus Christ alone answers our deepest questions.

We all have doubts that challenge our faith. We wonder whether the Bible still matters, or whether God is truly as loving and personal as we hope. In his first ever devotional, The Logic of God, apologist Ravi Zacharias offers 52 readings that explain how and why Christianity, the Bible, and God are still relevant, vital, and life-changing for us today. To all our dilemmas Ravi says, "I am convinced that Jesus Christ alone uniquely answers the deepest questions of our hearts and minds."

With a remarkable grasp of biblical facts and a deep understanding of the questions that trouble our hearts, Ravi tackles the most difficult topics with ease and understanding. But The Logic of God is more than intellectual; it is also personal, offering thoughtful wisdom on:

when Jesus draws especially near you.
the deep ray of hope found in God's Word.
how God transforms disappointments.
why prayer matters.
how genuine peace is possible.
making sense of suffering.

Ravi makes profound biblical truth easy to understand. And, if your life is busy, this book is designed for you! It addresses 52 topics that you can read over the course of one year or slowly digest at your own pace. Each entry includes a Scripture, questions for reflection, and some practical application steps.

When you're struggling with questions and doubts, confused, curious, or just want a clearer way to express your faith The Logic of God has answers that satisfy the heart and the mind.

Learn more and save >

Bonus Deal: Save 50% off Ravi's book Cries of the Heart

Cries of the Heart

List Price: $13.99
Sale Price: $6.99
(50% off)

BUY NOW

In this profound message from one of the great thinkers of our generation, Zacharias explores the inner feeling of futility that can overwhelm a human heart and helps us to see a reason for our suffering, be comforted in loneliness, and experience an abiding faith in our daily lives.

Cries of the Heart is a book that both inspires and reassures… a search that uncovers our hidden sentiments and reveals God's continual inescapable presence in every moment of our lives.