Jesus, Our One Way
One of the clearest statements of Jesus is recorded in John 14:6. In answer to the question of Thomas about how to know the way, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Critics say those words are exclusivist, and those that accept, believe, and repeat Jesus’ words are hateful, judgmental, and bigoted. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have read a few things recently that have reminded me of the importance of emphasizing that Jesus is the one way to the Father.
Author Peter Cotterell wrote: “Islam says that Jesus was not crucified. We say he was. Only one of us can be right. Judaism says Jesus was not the Messiah. We say he was. Only one of us can be right. Hinduism says that God has often been incarnate. We say only once, and again, we cannot both be right.” We certainly want to have the right answer to those issues, that can only be one way.
I was reading about an encounter that Jane Fonda had with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Jane Fonda is now 85 years old, and she is as radical as ever. In their conversation the Archbishop said to Fonda: “Jesus is the Son of God, you know.” Jane Fonda replied, “Maybe he is for you, but he is not for me.” The Archbishop said, “Either he is, or he isn’t.” There is no middle of the road on that issue, and no wiggle room. Everyone should invest the time and dig deeply into the evidence, because the issue of the identity of Jesus is the most important question we will ever wrestle with. There is only one way.
Finally, Alistair Begg recently said in one of his messages this profound statement: “If you accept the parts of the gospel you like, and you reject the parts of the gospel you don’t like, then it is not the gospel you believe. It is yourself you believe.” Once again, a bedrock issue of life. Will we build our lives on man’s word or God’s Word? There is really only one way.
May we all have the courage to study the Word of God, examine the evidence, and surrender Jesus. He is the one way.