This Day in History: 0000-08-23

August 23 – Acts 4:10-12

Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that
He was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,
the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.
For Jesus is the One referred to in the Scriptures, 
where it says, 
“The stone you builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
There is salvation in no one else!
God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.

This doesn’t really leave much room for debate does it? How do we know the other religions of the world won’t also lead to God? Because the Bible very plainly tells us, “There is salvation in no one else!”

I have a friend across the ocean in Senegal whose testimony for Jesus started around this very passage! She grew up Muslim. As a young lady she heard a Gospel presentation that included this passage and when she heard those words, “God has given NO OTHER NAME under heaven by which we must be saved,” she was absolutely livid. Those words alone drew her back to have a conversation (fight) with the missionary lady who had the audacity to proclaim them. And the rest is history.

Friends, this message is offensive! The powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene is salvation for those of us who are being saved, but to all the rest of the world it is foolishness. It is the stone they have rejected! If we live our lives proclaiming the message of the Gospel, we’re going to ruffle some feathers.

May that fact never tempt us to water down the message the Bible so plainly states. May we have the courage to proclaim Truth wherever we go.

We have been healed by the powerful Name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man they crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. We are His. Saved by grace through faith. There is salvation in NO ONE ELSE. For there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven by which we must be saved.