‘Diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ are today’s great buzz-words.

Jesus, it is claimed, accepted everyone ‘just as they are’, and so should we.

But, actually, it’s not quite as simple as that.

Certainly, Jesus preached (and practised) inclusion.  His invitation was astonishingly wide: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37).  “Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life”  Revelation 22:17.

But the path those so invited were to follow was actually very narrow.  “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).  The gate is small and the road narrow that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matthew 7:14).  There is no excuse for those who reject truth because it is inconvenient to them (John 3:19).  Our Lord has hard words of rebuke and correction even for his own people (Revelation 2-3).

So, as we learn more about what it means to follow Jesus in inclusive welcome, we must also learn to follow him faithfully in his exclusive demands.

See this article by Joe Dallas