1 Timothy 2:5-7 - For this purpose

2:5

Why are we to pray for all people, and for all rulers? “For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus”. We live in an age that claims to value diversity and equality, with tolerance being the primary virtue, though so-called liberals can be amazingly intolerant. Society claims all religions are the same and it is wrong to say that one is unique or is better than others. We need to recognise that this is a lie. God is the only God, and Christ is the only saviour. Atheists need to believe in Christ, Muslims need to believe, Sikhs need to believe, Hindus need to believe, agnostics need to believe. Everyone needs to believe in Christ.

2:6,7

Why is Christ the only mediator? Because He gave Himself as a ransom for all people. No other religious leader claims to have done this, in fact all other religions rely on us somehow earning our way into heaven, into God’s approval. But no one can earn God’s approval, we all fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). And the gospel bears witness to what Christ has done. Because of the universality (not universalism!) of the gospel, Paul was appointed as a “herald and apostle to the Gentiles, and a teacher of the truth of the gospel. And we, the church, are to be a herald of good news and teacher to the world. For God has appointed the church to this task (Matt 28:19,20).