This is Part 4 of the message series EXPLORE GOD. This series is designed to help answer the 7 biggest questions of life. The fourth question is this: "IS CHRISTIANITY TOO NARROW?" In this message, Pastor Chuck Bernal discusses the narrowness and exclusivity of the Christian faith and why the claims of Christ declare that He is the ONLY way to know God. This message was delivered on October 4, 2015 at LifePointe Church in Crowley, TX.

3. IS CHRISTIANITY
TOO NARROW?

4. As a Christ-follower I’m faced
with the challenge that
Christianity is not presented
as just another subjective,
religious philosophy.

5. Christians see the claims of
Jesus as objectively true—
true in the sense that gravity
is true. And if the gospel of
Jesus Christ is truth, then it
is absolute and true for
all people.

6. The problem is, there are so
many knotty and untenable
implications with that position.

7. At first blush Christ’s
claims seem to smack of
arrogance, bigotry, and
narrow-mindedness.
(Ed Gungor)

8. THE NATURE
OF NARROW

9. There are two paths before you;
you may take only one path.
One doorway is narrow. And one
door is wide. Go through the
narrow door. For the wide door
leads to a wide path, and the
wide path is broad; the wide,

10. broad path is easy, and the wide,
broad, easy path has many,
many people on it; but the wide,
broad, easy, crowded path leads
to death. Now then that narrow
door leads to a narrow road
that in turn leads to life.

11. It is hard to find that road.
Not many people manage it.
(Matthew 7:13-14 – Voice)

12. I am the only God! There are no
others. I have the power to save.
I invite the whole world to turn
to me and be saved. I alone
am God! No others are real.
(Isaiah 45:21-22 – Contemporary English Version)

13. Narrowness
doesn’t make
something wrong!

14. Sincerity
doesn’t make
something right!

15. Belief
doesn’t make
something true!

17. If something is true, it by
definition excludes everything
else that is false.

18. THE EXCLUSIVITY
OF JESUS
THE NARROWNESS
OF OUR FAITH

19. And there is salvation in no one
else; for there is no other name
under heaven that has been
given among people by which
we must be saved

20. [for God has provided the world
no alternative for salvation].
(Acts 4:12 – Amplified Bible)

21. Jesus said to him, “I am the
[only] Way [to God] and the
[real] Truth and the [real] Life;
no one comes to the Father
but through Me.”
(John 14:6 – Amplified Bible)

22. He wants all people to be saved
and to know what is true. There
is one God. There is also only
one man who can open the way
between God and all people.

23. That man is Christ Jesus. He
gave his life to set all men free.
(1 Timothy 2:4-6 – World English Bible)

24. Jesus is exclusive
in His person

25. The Word (Christ) was in the
beginning. The Word was with
God. The Word was God. He
was with God in the beginning.
He made all things. Nothing was
made without Him making it.
(John 1:1-3 – New Live Version)

26. The Father and I are one.
(John 10:30 – Lexham English Bible)

27. Jesus said to them, “My Father
is still working all the time so I
am working also.” The Jews tried
all the more to kill Him, not only
because He had worked on the
Day of Rest,

28. but because He had also called
God His Own Father. This made
Him the same as God.
(John 5:17-18 – New Life Version)

29. Jesus alone claimed
to be God

30. Jesus is exclusive
in His purpose

31. Jesus Christ rescued us
from this evil world we’re in
by offering himself as a sacrifice
for our sins. God’s plan is that
we all experience that rescue.
(Galatians 1:4 – The Message)

32. He was born a baby. And when
he was a man, he was humble.
He was even willing to die,
yes, to die on a cross.
(Philippians 2:7-8 – World English Bible)

33. It was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things
wrong with us. We thought he
brought it on himself, that God
was punishing him for his
own failures.

34. But it was our sins that did that
to him, that ripped and tore and
crushed him—our sins! He took
the punishment, and that made
us whole.

35. Through his bruises we get
healed . . . And GOD has piled
all our sins, everything we’ve
done wrong, on him, on him.
(Isaiah 53:4-5 – The Message)

36. Jesus alone gave
his life for others

37. Jesus is exclusive
in His provision

38. God already planned to have us
as His own children. This was
done by Jesus Christ. In His plan
God wanted this done. We thank
God for His loving-favor to us.

39. He gave this loving-favor to us
through His much-loved Son.
Because of the blood of Christ,
we are bought and made free
from the punishment of sin.

40. And because of His blood, our
sins are forgiven. His loving-
favor to us is so rich . . .

41. For by His loving-favor you have
been saved from the punishment
of sin through faith. It is not by
anything you have done. It is a
gift of God.
(Ephesians 1:5-7, 2:8 – New Life Version)

42. Jesus alone offers
salvation to everyone

43. Jesus is exclusive
in His promise

44. Christ suffered for our sins once
for all time. He never sinned,
but he died for sinners to bring
you safely home to God.
(1 Peter 3:18 – New Living Translation)

45. For God so loved the world
that he gave his only and unique
Son, so that everyone who trusts
in him may have eternal life,
instead of being utterly
destroyed.
(John 3:16 – Complete Jewish Bible)

46. Jesus alone can
bring us to God

47. IS CHRISTIANITY
TOO NARROW?

48. Jesus said to him, “I am the
[only] Way [to God] and the
[real] Truth and the [real] Life;
no one comes to the Father
but through Me.”
(John 14:6 – Amplified Bible)

49. He is the WAY
to bring you home!

50. He is the TRUTH
to set you free!

51. He is the LIFE
to give you hope!

52. Liar, Lunatic, Legend or
Lord
Jesus
Christ

54. I am the Door. Anyone who goes in
through Me will be saved from the
punishment of sin . . . The robber
comes only to steal and to kill and
to destroy. I came so they might
have life, a great full life.
(John 10:9-10 – New Life Version)

55. Let’s Pray