the arrogance of christianity

The sermon this morning at church was about whether or not Jesus is the only way to Heaven, to God, to salvation. The pastor spoke about how that is perceived as a very, very arrogant claim - that Christians basically say "We know the right way to God - its Jesus - and all the other ways fall short. Any other way is wrong." He's right - we sound arrogant. But at the same time, he talked about Christianity being the most humble of all religions - over and over the Bible tells us, alone we can do nothing. Alone we will never get to Heaven. We need Christ. We are insufficient. (He talked about other religions like Hindu and Islam saying that you have to self-help to know God. You have to go to this class, or do this ritual, or etc...)

Anyways, the pastor told a great metaphor/story that really rang true to me. I'm going to share it with the world wide web.

Four men came upon a burning building at the same time (a businessman, a knight in shining armor, a runner, and a firefighter.) They stood watching the building burn when they noticed a small child in a second-story window. They had no ladders or way of getting to the child without rushing into the building, so they began discussing who would go into the building.

"I should go," said the businessman. "I have on this three piece suit that has served me well in corporate America, in boardrooms, I've done great things in this suit. I can go in and this fire won't get me in this suit."

"No, I should go," said the knight in shining armor. "I have this protection all over my body and the fire won't harm me. I can get to the child; this armor has served me well in battle, it will serve me now."

"No, no," said the runner. "I will go. I'm a fast runner, and I'm only wearing these really short nylon shorts. I can sprint in there, get the child, and get out quickly. I'll go."

"No, no, no," said the fireman. "You can't go. I must go. First of all, businessman, your suit is wool. You will be set ablaze within seconds and never reach the child. Knight in shining armor, you are wearing metal. You will be scorched inside your metal suit. It will not protect you in this situation. And runner, you only have on nylon short shorts. You will burn up as well. You will not be fast enough to out run the fire.

I will be able to go in and save this child. I have this suit that is made for fire. It is made to keep me safe. I know how to fight fire and I will know the best way to get to the child. None of you can go. I will go."

The question is this: is that fireman arrogant? Or is he simply knowledgeable, trained for this situation, equipped to survive? No, the fireman is simply speaking the truth. And that is Jesus - not arrogant, but simply speaking the truth. He is the only way to God.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." John 14:6