“There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
The above text is very exclusive to say the least and in our day and age this is looked upon as being bigoted, intolerant and narrow minded. In other words this is the kind of mind set that fuels fanatical fundamentalism. It is becoming increasingly despised, no mater what religious grouping it originates from. For example, Muslims have an exclusive belief system that allows for no worldview other than what Islam dictates. We see the violent clashes of this exclusive religion with other belief systems often.
Christianity on the other hand, in recent years, has taken on a more ‘inclusive’ stance. Christianity has become more open minded, where it wants to be sensitive, tolerant, sympathetic, and understanding to people with other belief systems, no matter what they are.
But as Bible-believing Christians our beliefs are dictated by God as revealed in the Holy Scripture. But true, Biblical Christianity is an exclusive religion. The Scripture teaches what the reformers summarised in the Reformation period as the ‘Five Solas’ (‘sola’ - Latin for ‘alone.’ )
1. Sola scriptura (“by Scripture alone”)
2. Sola fide (“by faith alone”)
3. Sola gratia (“by grace alone”)
4. Solus Christus “through Christ alone”)
5. Soli Deo gloria (“glory to God alone”)