The document explores the question of whether Jesus is the only savior, discussing religious pluralism which suggests all religions are valid paths to God. It critiques this viewpoint by highlighting fundamental contradictions among religions regarding God, humanity, and salvation. The author argues for the uniqueness of Christianity and the necessity of explicit faith in Christ for salvation, while acknowledging theological debates about inclusivity and the fate of those who have not heard of Jesus.

1. Is Jesus the Only Savior?
Ray Bohlin, Ph.D.
rbohlin@probe.org

2. Christian Voices from Africa
Is Christ the only way? Our traditional faith,
after all, also knew a Creator God. Does
Islam not also contain moments of truth? My
lecturer says that these three religions are
only different paths up the same mountain –
at the top of the mountain (eternal life) they all
converge. What do you say? Is the Christian
faith unique? How could I be sure about this?
A student in Religious Studies, Ghana

3. Is Jesus the only Savior?
Aren’t all religions
basically the same?

4. Is Jesus the Only Savior?
Aren’t there many
ways to God?

5. Is Jesus the Only Savior?
If Jesus is the only
way to God, what
about those who have
never heard?

6. Religious Pluralism
Religious Pluralism is the view that all
religions are equally valid as ways to
God. Pluralists often refer to the fact
that just as there are many paths up Mt.
Fuji, so there are many paths to God.
Differences among the religions are
superficial.

9. The pluralist
believes
everyone is blind
but him!

10. Weaknesses of Religious
Pluralism
The differences in teaching among the religions
are fundamental in nature and mutually
contradictory.
The teachings of the major religions about God
or “Ultimate Reality” are contradictory.
Hindus are pantheists or polytheists. Buddhists
are atheists or pantheists. Muslims are theists
and unitarian. Christians are theists but
trinitarian. These views cannot all be true.

11. Weaknesses of Religious
Pluralism
The teachings of the major religions about man
and salvation are contradictory.
Hindus see man as fundamentally divine, but
trapped in this world due to ignorance and bad
karma. Deliverance comes from changing our
beliefs about reality and our true identity.
Buddhists see man as trapped in this world of
suffering due to selfish desire. Deliverance from
this world comes from extinguishing desire, or
seeking the aid of supernatural beings in doing
so.

12. Weaknesses of Religious
Pluralism
Muslims believe man is weak but not sinful in
nature, and under God’s judgment for his
disobedience to His laws. Salvation comes
through submitting to the laws of God.
Christians believe that man is alienated from
God and under His judgment due to his sinful
rebellion against Him. But salvation can only
come as a result of trusting in what He has
graciously done by providing His Son Jesus as
an atoning sacrifice for our sin, and by His
Spirit changing us from within.

13. Weaknesses of Religious
Pluralism
The contention that what matters is not
objective teaching but moral and
spiritual transformation, is untenable.
Again, how do we really know this is the
case? On what authority do we believe
this is so?

14. Weakness of Religious Pluralism
It is impossible to believe that all
religions are true without radically
altering our defintion of “truth.”

15. Weaknesses of Religious
Pluralism
The fact that there may appear to be
similarities in some of the effects in the lives of
followers of various religions is no proof that
they are identical. Jesus drew a strong
distinction between external morality and piety,
and true internal spirituality (Matt. 5–7).
The belief that all religions are true in the sense
that they all bring us to God requires that we
believe they are all false in what they
objectively teach!

16. Weaknesses of Religious
Pluralism
It seems improbable
that that which is False
false could be the
means of helping us But
experience that
which is “true”! True?

17. Weaknesses of Religious
Pluralism
Religious Pluralism is untenable for the
orthodox Christian, because it demands that he
deny the most important teachings of
Scripture.
Religious Pluralism requires that we abandon
belief in the uniqueness of Christ. His claims to
deity, and the biblical teaching about His
atoning death and resurrection cannot be true,
if Religious Pluralism is true.

18. Weaknesses of Religious
Pluralism
But if these teachings of Scripture are false,
then Religious Pluralism must provide a better
explanation for the wealth of evidence, which
has led so many to conclude that they are true.
The evidence cannot be simply swept away!
However, if the evidence is convincing that
these teachings are true, then Religious
Pluralism must be false!

19. Buddhists in Heaven?
Christian Inclusivism is the view that
though Jesus is the exclusive Savior,
nonetheless many are included in His
salvation who have never explicitly
trusted in Him, nor perhaps even heard
of Him.

20. Buddhists in Heaven?
Inclusivists believe that God accepts an
“implicit” faith in lieu of explicit faith in
Christ. This may be in the form of a
response to God’s general revelation
through creation or conscience, or
through truth in other religions . . . or
through some other means. Most
inclusivists believe that Scripture
supports their view.

21. Biblical Inclusivism?
Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18ff) and Jethro (Exod.
2–3) are referred to as priests of the true God,
outside of Israel.
But it must be pointed out that these men lived
and served as priests before the founding of the
nation Israel, and that they are described as
believing in the same God as Abraham and
Moses (cf. Gen. 14:19,22).

22. Biblical Inclusivism?
Naaman the Syrian is cited as an example of an
“implicit” believer outside of Israel (2 Kings 5).
But it is clear that he came to an explicit faith
in the God of Israel (cf. 2 Kings 5:15,17).
The repentant Ninevites are often cited as
believers outside Israel (the book of Jonah). But
it is clear that they came to an explicit faith in
the God whom Jonah preached (Jonah 3:5),
just as Naaman had.

23. Biblical Inclusivism?
The Magi who came to
worship the newborn
Jesus are sometimes
referred to as “implicit”
believers. But it is clear
that though their prior
beliefs were no doubt
pagan in nature, they
were seeking the true
God, and were directed
by Him to His Messiah,
Jesus.

24. Biblical Inclusivism?
Cornelius the Centurion
is perhaps cited more
than any biblical figure
as an example of one
who had come to “faith”
before hearing of Christ.
It is true that he is
referred to as a “pious”
man before hearing the
gospel (Acts 10:2).

25. Biblical Inclusivism?
But though he was in touch with the true
God, he did not receive salvation until
he heard the message about Christ
through Peter. The angel who prepared
Cornelius for Peter’s visit told him that
he would bring him the message
through which he would be saved (Acts
11:13–14). This is exactly what
occurred (Acts 10:43–44).

26. Biblical Inclusivism?
Malachi 1:11
Acts 10:34-35
Acts 14:16-17
Acts 17:23
Romans 1:18-23
Romans 2:14-16
Acts 20:24-26

27. Exclusive Statements of the Bible
Everyone who believes in Him [Jesus]
receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43).
“God is now declaring to men that all
everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30).
“For there is one God, and one mediator
also between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a
ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:5–6).

28. Exclusive Statements of the Bible
“He who has the son has the life; he who does
not have the son of God does not have the life”
(1 John 5:12).
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by
the word of [or about] Christ” (Rom. 10:17).
We must conclude, then, that the voice of
Scripture affirms that for one to come to
salvation, he must hear and place his faith in
the message about that salvation which God
reveals to him.

29. Some Remaining Questions
If Christianity is exclusively true, are
other religions totally false?
What about parallels to Christianity in
other religions, like incarnations of God,
and sacrifices to God?
What, then, is the source of other
religions?

30. Some Remaining Questions
If salvation comes only through hearing
and believing the gospel, what about
those who have never heard of Christ?
Is there no hope for them?
A text that gives us some guidance in
this area is Luke 8:18
Cornelius, Acts 10:2.

31. Those who haven’t heard
We sin with or without the Law, Rom. 2:12-15
None are innocent, Rom. 3:10-12, 23
Are those who ”live well” saved by works?
“Seek and you will find,” He will send a –
missionary, Acts 8:26-40, Acts 10 – a Bible,
Ps. 119:130 – a vision, Dan 2:7 – an angel,
Rev. 14

32. Some Remaining Questions
No one will be in heaven apart from the fact
that the person and work of Christ made it
possible. Acts 4:10-12
Jesus is within reach of all of us.
“From one man he made every nation
of men, that they should inhabit the
whole earth; and he determined the
times set for them and the exact places
where they should live. God did this so
that men would seek him and perhaps
reach out for him and find him, though
he is not far from each one of us. (Acts

33. Some Remaining Questions
Sincerity is not salvation
All other faiths operate by works
“I have never had a problem knowing
what is right and wrong in most
situations; what I have lacked is the will
to do what is right.”

34. Conclusion
“I have traveled the world. I have searched high
and low. I have found nothing that satisfies
my mind, my heart, and the deepest longing
of my soul like Jesus does. He is not only the
way, the truth and the life; he is personal to
me. He is my way, and my truth, and my life –
just as he can be for anyone who reaches out
to him.” (Ravi Zacharias, The Case for Faith,
p. 166)