Except Through Me - A Parable


Abstract:
There's the Father, unapproachable in blinding light, the Holy Spirit blazing forth like a refining fire, and the Son, standing there transfigured as he must have looked on the mountain top.

Body:
Again with the whole "is Jesus the only way to salvation" thing! I'm starting to think that people who use this verse don't have a clue what it means.

A story:

A Christian and a Muslim die in a car wreck and find themselves before the throne of God. There's the Father, unapproachable in blinding light, the Holy Spirit blazing forth like a refining fire, and the Son, standing there transfigured as he must have looked on the mountain top. It's judgment time, and both Christian and Muslim tremble and fall on their faces. They await sentence.

Jesus walks up to the Muslim. "Stand up," he says. Then he weeps as he throws his arms around the guy. "As-salaam alaykum!" he says. And then: "Thank you so much for loving me. You fed me when I was hungry. You visited me in prison. You stood up for my rights when I was poor, fatherless, widowed. I no longer call you servant. I call you friend. Enter into your Father's glory." Then he turns to the Father, the Ultimate Judge, and he says, "Hey Dad! I know this guy! We can let him in!"

The Christian sees this whole thing take place, and he's relieved. After all, he's been washed in the Blood of the Lamb, and he's known all the right doctrines for years. He's had his heart strangely warmed as he sang Kum By Yah and Marching to Zion, and so he comes up to Jesus with his hand extended. "Put 'er there, pal!" He says.

Jesus looks at the hand as if he had just been offered a dead rodent. "Who are you? Depart from me, for I never knew you. You didn't visit me in prison or in the hospital, you looked the other way while I was violated by your government, you ignored me when I was poor and broken. Why should I let you in? Don't you know that I am the way, the truth, the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me?"

Stunned, the guy, searches for words. "But... but Jesus! I love you."

And Jesus says, "anyone who says they love God, yet hates his brother, is a liar. What part of except through me did you not understand?"

Sorry. Game over. Better luck next time.



Duh.

Posted: Wed - January 17, 2007 at 10:25 PM           |

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