“What's the big deal about Jesus?” Dirk Ficca asked at a meeting last year of the Center for Progressive Christianity.

Ficca, a Presbyterian preacher from Chicago, serves as his denomination’s point man for dialogue with world religions. His zeal for embracing Buddhist, Hindus, Muslims and Jews as fellow travelers heading to a common destination is widely shared in Liberal Protestantism.

While most would not be as bold as Ficca, his question has a logical consistency. If there are many, equally valid paths to God, what is the big deal about Jesus?

The Big Ship

Within the churches of Christ we have many who are headed down the same path.

One popular preacher has compared the different denominations with various crew assignments on a big ship. Catholics, Protestants, Charismatics and unimmersed all follow the same Lord and are going to the same eternal destiny.

Even more inclusive, the Bible faculty at major brotherhood school has floated the idea that Jews today still have a special place in God’s plan of salvation. These trends are leading to the same position Dirk Ficca proposes: abandoning all distinctives, even faith in Christ.

Selling Your Soul

Peace and unity are precious, but they are not worth abandoning the gospel. There needs to be unity based on a shared faith, not unity based on a mutual infidelity. “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph. 4:4-6)

Jesus is a big deal because salvation is in Jesus alone. If we deny the gospel to achieve a superficial unity with other religions, we stand in danger of eternal separation from God.