Christianity, by its very nature, is exclusive. It claims that Jesus is the only way to know God and that salvation comes through faith in him alone. But what happens when we encounter someone who believes in a “universal Christ” – a Christ that is not just for Christians, but for everyone? Can Christianity still be true if the Christ it proclaims is not unique to it?
The Two Ideas Are Incompatible
The answer, quite simply, is no. If the universal Christ is real, then Christianity is false. Let’s unpack this a bit. Christianity teaches that Jesus was fully human and fully divine – meaning that he was both God and man. But if the universal Christ is also fully divine, then that means there are two (or more) Gods. And if there are two Gods, then Christianity is no longer monotheistic – which is one of its core tenets.
But what about those who believe in the universal Christ but also maintain that Jesus was the only begotten Son of God? Well, even they would have to admit that their belief system is not compatible with Christianity. Why? Because if the universal Christ is real, then that means that Jesus was not the only one who could save us from our sin. And if Jesus was not the only one who could save us, then his death on the cross was not necessary for our salvation. In other words, if the universal Christ is real, then Christianity crumbles at its very foundation.
Conclusion:
So what does all this mean? It means that if you encounter someone who believes in the universal Christ, you can be confident in knowing that their belief system is incompatible with Christianity. And while you can dialogue and engage with them about your beliefs, you can do so knowing that their beliefs are not based on reality – they are based on a false understanding of who Christ really is.
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