“[Jesus said] ‘You know the way to where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:4-6).
I remember hearing another preacher once ask this question, “What would you say is the most offensive word in the Bible? We could debate, but I’m going to suggest it’s the word ‘the.’” He went on to say that we should stop a moment and think about it. In John 14:6, if Jesus had said, “I am a way,” our lives would be much easier at certain times. But he didn’t. He tells us that He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus.
Likewise we also read in John Gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”(John 1:1-2) John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wants His readers from the very beginning of His Gospel to know that Jesus is God.You see, little words do make a difference and in this case it is the word “the”. Just like He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE He was THE GOD at the beginning and He is THE GOD now unto eternity.
The world around us perceives these proclamations as prejudice– the bigotry of exclusivity. (When they are pointed out) And, indeed, it is – unless they are true! And, of course, they are!
If Jesus is one of many paths to God, (as many say inside and outside the Church) and we are so arrogant as to exclude the other paths, then that would be offensive pride. But, if Jesus is the only path to God — and we proclaim it to friends, family, enemies, and everyone — then that is selfless love. If there is only one safe exit from a burning theatre, then it is not unkind to point away from the other exits and say, “This is the way.”
All other religious solutions tell people to get to God by simply being a “good” person or reaching some heightened state of consciousness. The Bible is clear on the fact that these ideals are wrong. “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”(Rom. 3:11-12)Jesus alone taught that we could not reach to God, so God, our Father, mercifully reached to us through His Son.
Since He is the way that God provides, love demands that we not pretend there are other ways but proclaim Him as the ONLY One to believe in. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” Acts. 16:31
So today, remember we have THE TRUTH and we MUST proclaim it clearly in word and deed to those around us…starting with our children and working out from there. Jesus is the only way to be saved. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed in the Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone.
God Bless y’all today.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
A prayer for today from Charles Spurgeon:
We have also to bring before Thee another burden, and that is the godlessness of this present age. It is not alone the wise men but, behold, the men that know not seek not after God. O Lord, the multitude delight in sin. Drunkenness defiles our city, and filthy words are heard on every side. Be not wroth with this nation, we beseech Thee. It has been entrusted with wondrous privileges. Forgive it and have mercy upon its aggravated sin. Lay not its heavy responsibilities to its charge, but let this nation be saved. We pray for it, as we are in duty bound to do, and as our love constrains us to do. Oh, let the masses of the people yet come to seek after Christ: by some means, by all means, by every means, may the ears of men be reached, and then their hearts be touched. May they hear, that their souls may live; and may the Lord who in everlasting covenant sets forth His Son, glorify Him in the midst of the nations. Let all the nations know the Christ of God. Our Father, we pray Thee help the few, valiant few, that press forward into the dense area of the enemy. Help them to fight valiantly! May these pioneers of the Christian host in mission lands be increased in number, may they be kept in good heart, may they have confidence in God, and may the Lord send the day of victory much sooner than our feeble faith has dared to hope. In Jesus Name, Amen.
