| abstract
| - To me, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the most staggering and terrible event in human history. It is also the most necessary. Bruce Barton described the last hours of Jesus' life in his book, "The man nobody knows" from the early 20th century. His spirit was torn with agony. He was young, 33. He cried out to God that the cup might pass from His lips, that He might have time to sweep away the charges of blasphemy and evil which His enemies had heaped on Him, time to build up the fragile stuff of His little band on whom the whole future of His message must depend. So He prayed in agony, and in a little while returned to find them sleeping. Even so short a vigil was too much for their feebleness. Again He withdrew. Now the courage which had never deserted Him throughout the three years was clearing His soul, steadying His nerves. "If it be not Thy will that this cup pass from me," He prayed, "then, Father, Thy will be done." He went back and found the disciples asleep. For the third time He went a little way off. Now, with the calm peace of the conqueror, He could make ready for the end. Now it was full victory after battle. On rejoining them this time, He startled them all wide awake with the ringing word that the crucial hour was at hand. The soldiers were already at the entrance of the garden. From the side of the hill He could mark the progress of their torches across the brook and up the path. He waited until the armed men stumbled into His presence and then rose and stood before them. "Whom seek ye?" He demanded. Startled, awed, they could only mumble His name. "Jesus of Nazareth." "I am He." Such calm, such dignity, went beyond the boundaries of their experience. Involuntarily they gave way and, rough veterans that they were, some of them "fell to the ground." "I told you," He repeated calmly, "that I am He." And then His thoughts turned at once to those who had shared His triumphs and His sacrifices: "If therefore ye seek me let these others go their way." But He had no need to think of the disciples' safety. Already they had made their swift escape - the last of the deserters. First His hometown. Then His relatives. Then the crowd. Finally the 11. All had gone. He was left to face His fate alone. On a barren hill beyond the city walls they nailed His body to the cross. Two robbers were crucified with Him. It was over. The rabble sickened quickly of its revenge and scattered; His friends were hiding; the soldiers were busy casting lots for His garments. There was nothing left of those external influences which fire men's imaginations. Surely the victory of His enemies was complete. And yet - The lasting victory was His. "The man who loses his life," Jesus said, "shall find it." Jesus must have experienced excruciating physical pain when those nails were driven through his body. He must have experienced terrible emotional pain to see his friends and supporters desert him at the hour of his death. But none of this could have compared to when he called out to his father God, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Why did Jesus die? Surely, he could have accomplished our salvation another way? Some Christians today claim that all religions lead to God with statements like "Christianity is true for me, Islam is true for him and Buddhism is true for you". Whether or not these Christians intend to or not, they are denying the necessity of the Cross. They are saying that the death of Jesus Christ was not required for a person's salvation and union with God the father. This teaching is called pluralism and is one of the most important issues in the Christian Church today, and it needs to be addressed. There are three general belief's about Christianity and it's relationship to other religions. Christian exclusivism - Salvation and eternal life with God only come through Jesus Christ. A person cannot be saved by faith in or membership of another religion. Christian inclusivism - Salvation and eternal life with God come through Jesus Christ, however, if a person through following his conscience puts faith in or membership of another religion, he too is included in Christ's salvation Pluralism - God can be approached from any religion
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