Exclusivism and Inclusivism in Matt. 7:13-14

 Transcript of a recent FB conversation about exclusivism and inclusivism

• HIM:
  

  Beth, "Conscious verbal assent to the Four Spiritual Laws" is a powerful way to receive the grace of God in Jesus Christ. So is praying the sinners' prayer. The reception of salvation in Jesus Christ involves repentance for sin and confession of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

  It also involves "participation in Truth (JOhn 14:16) and goodness (Luke 18:19; JOhn 10:30)." The reception of God's grace in Christ that begins with repentance and confession is transformative. People cannot truly claim Christ as Lord without also pursuing truth and goodness. But the pursuit of truth and goodness apart from repentance and confession does not necessarily make them followers of Christ.
  
  

  God's grace through Christ is wide and is available and offered to all. But it must be received.

  Jesus warned that the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and there are many who enter through it. "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life and there are few who find it." (Mathew 7:13-14)

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• ME
  
 I agree that "Conscious verbal assent to the Four Spiritual Laws is a powerful way to receive the grace of God in Jesus Christ. So is praying the sinners' prayer." I think you and I would also agree in rejecting pluralism, like Hick.


But the question is whether scripture teaches exclusive or inclusive salvation. ISTM that many who hold a more Reformed hermeneutic tend to be exclusivists. Those of us who do not, and who believe that God speaks both through special and general revelation tend to be inclusivists.


Re. Matt. 7:13-14,
Εἰσέλθατε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης, ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι᾽ αὐτῆς. 14 τί στενὴ ἡ πύλη καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν.


In John 10:7, Jesus refers to himself as the θύρα; πύλη is a synonym. Both mean "gate" or "door." IMO the question becomes whether we are to assume that the "gate" should be understood only propositionally (as special revelation, "Word" ), or both propositionally and non-propositionally? (as special and as general revelation-- "Word" and "Logos/Image"). If the former, then the exclusivist interpretation follows, and anyone who has not or cannot verbally confess Christ is not saved; they are not heirs of life, but death. ( Note: I take salvation primarily in the Eastern sense, in terms of abundant life, and not only in the Western sense, as justification from guilt.) That means infants, the mentally challenged, and those who have not been party to special revelation cannot come "through the gate" into relationship with Christ.


If the latter, then the inclusivist interpretation follows. It seems that even the following evangelicals have taken that view:
C. S. Lewis - "We do know that no person can be saved except through Christ; we do not know that only those who know Him can be saved by Him."


John Stott - "I have never been able to conjure up (as some great Evangelical missionaries have) the appalling vision of the millions who are not only perishing but will inevitably perish. On the other hand… I am not and cannot be a universalist. Between these extremes I cherish and hope that the majority of the human race will be saved. And I have a solid biblical basis for this belief."


Billy Graham - "And that's what God is doing today, He's calling people out of the world for His name, whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world, or the Christian world or the non-believing world, they are members of the Body of Christ because they've been called by God. They may not even know the name of Jesus but they know in their hearts that they need something that they don't have, and they turn to the only light that they have, and I think that they are saved, and that they're going to be with us in heaven."


Furthermore:
In Matt. 7:13-14:


1) the gate is στενὴ is often translated "narrow," but your translation "small" is good, as it needs to be understood in terms of being close, confined, or driven into a corner.(cf. Lidell Scott lexicon). In other words, going through the gate is not a comfortable situation.


2) the way is τεθλιμμένη ( from θλίβω) which Mounce translates as "press upon, crowd up to; cause trouble; (pass.) to be narrow; to be pressed, troubled, persecuted. "
I do not think that Jesus is saying here that only those who make a conscious verbal assent and request for forgiveness will be saved.


I take Jesus to be saying that the way to life in Him is not going to be a walk in the park. There will be pain, suffering, rejection, persecution. There is of course an easy path that most people take, but it leads to ἀπώλειαν--destruction, physical or spiritual death. ( cf. Acts 8:20; Phil. 1:28; 3:19; 1 Tim. 6:9; 2 Pet. 2:3; 2 Pet. 3:7, 16)


YMMV.