Exclusive or Exclusionary?

Let’s talk about Jesus.  

Everybody loves God. I know you thought it was “Everybody Loves Raymond”, but really everybody loves God.  Everybody likes to talk about God: newscasters, celebrities, sports stars, politicians – they all end their speeches with, “God bless America”. But when you start talking about Jesus, people start getting a little squeamish.  

Jesus is a little exclusionary.  When you talk about Jesus, you’re excluding the Jews, the Muslims, the Hindus, the atheists, the liars, the thieves, the sodomites, the adulterers, the fornicators, the gluttons, the sloths, the murderers, etc.  You get the point.  

But where the problem is, and where Satan always starts his deception is in the language.  With words.  

What Is Exclusive?

Is Jesus exclusive?   Let’s look at the dictionary.  The oxford dictionary says exclusive is  

  1.  An adjective 
    • Excluding or not admitting other things. 
  2. A noun 
    • An item or story published or broadcast by only one source. 
    • The scoop 
    • The expose 
    • The revelation! 

So, you must be careful with language.  

Let me ask you a question.  Jesus used parables so I’m going to use one now, as well. 

Say, I go to an office party, and I bring a giant tub of baby back ribs for everybody.  But, towards the end of the party two vegans come up to me upset, and ask me why I excluded them?  I’d be thinking, “I didn’t exclude you, I brought ribs for you too.  You just didn’t want my ribs.”   

It’s the same with Jesus. 

Hopefully my parable paints a picture that I wasn’t excluding anyone, it just so happens that some of the people at the party didn’t want the gift that I brought for everybody.  

Let’s look at that dictionary definition again.

First, Jesus is not an adjective and secondly, he is not excluding or not admitting anyone. So that means he must be the scoop. The one source of the greatest story ever told or the revelation. 

But the media and most of the culture today would have you believe that Jesus is exclusionary instead of exclusive.  But he is the exclusive gift available to all.  Jesus is exclusive, but He is not exclusionary. 

An Exclusive Gift for Everyone

In a world where inclusivity and acceptance are celebrated, it’s important to remember that Jesus’ exclusivity does not mean that anyone is excluded from His love and grace. Jesus came for everyone, no matter their background or beliefs, and His message of salvation is available to all who accept Him. By understanding the true nature of Jesus’ exclusivity, we can break down barriers and invite everyone to experience the transformational power of His love. Let’s embrace the gift of Jesus with open hearts and share His message of hope and salvation with those around us.

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