Jesus The Truth - Way - Life To The Father

The Only Way to God

Hebrews 2:9

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”

People like to assert that all religions are true and that Jesus is one of many ways that lead to God. They usually have a bumper sticker that reads, "Coexist" and includes a variety of religious symbols. That is a nice sentiment. And it is nice to say that all religions teach the same thing. But anyone who makes that statement either is lying or is a fool or is simply choosing not to take even a basic look at the religions of the world. All of the religions of the world do not teach the same thing.

These words tell us several things. For one, Jesus is telling us that He is the way, the only way. He is not saying that He is one among many ways; He is saying that He is the one and only way. Therefore, Jesus Himself rejected the notion that all roads lead to God. There are many false ways, but only one true way. Wherever those other ways lead, they do not lead to God. Moreover, Jesus said that He Himself is the way. He did not say, as Buddha was reported to have said, “Find the way and follow it.” No, Jesus said, “I am the way. Follow me.” In fact, the four Gospels are filled with instances in which Jesus commanded people to follow Him (Mark 1:17, for example). Yet we are only to follow God Himself (I Kings 18:21). We are to follow Jesus for the simple reason that He leads to God and is God Himself.

Next, He said, “I am the truth.” At best, philosophy can only ask the question, “What is truth?”, as Plato did. It tries to answer the question but fails miserably. Jesus is the answer. He is the truth. And He alone is ultimate truth. Furthermore, He is the truth, not one truth among many. These powerful words stand in stark contrast to the silly idea, “That’s true for you, but something else is true for me.” Jesus us the ultimate truth for all mankind. One more thing: Jesus tells us that ultimate truth is personal, not abstract. Truth is a person, not a principle. So, then, the answer to the search for the meaning in life in not merely in right doctrine, but in the right person – Jesus

Then Jesus said that He is the “life”, spiritual life. We are spiritually dead in our sins (Eph. 2:1), separated from the life of God (Eph. 4:18). But Jesus is the very life of God, and came to give us spiritual life by restoring us to a proper relationship to God (John 10:10, 11:26). He alone is “the life” and the only meaning to life.

The other vital thing that we learn from these words of Jesus is that He dogmatically announced, “No one comes to the Father, but through Me.” There are no exceptions. It was as if He said, “If you want to get to God, You have to come through Me. I have the monopoly on God.” He was either arrogantly proud or perfectly right. Scripture leaves us in no doubt about the matter. Jesus was absolutely right. He alone is the way God.

In fact, it is insulting to God to even suggest this. Do you think that God would have allowed His Son to go through something as horrific as the crucifixion if all roads lead to Him? Otherwise, why would Jesus even have to die? God could have said, "It's all good. Do whatever you want. Believe whatever you want. Everything is cool."

Here is something else mentioned In John 10:9, Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he shall be saved.” Of course, not all men enter through Him. This does not mean they enter in through another way; rather, it means that they do not enter in at all. Jesus totally rejected the popular notion that God is a castle on a hill with many doors. Jesus said, “I am the door”, the only door. He opens and no one can close. And He closes and no one can open (Rev. 3:7). Jesus changed the metaphor slightly and said, “I have the keys” (Rev. 1:18). If you want into Heaven with God, you have to go to Jesus.

In the Sermon in the Mount, Jesus had this to say: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). All men are one of two roads. Most are on the wide road that leads to destruction, that is, eternal Hell. Oddly, many people think that they must be right because the majority of people agree with them. Wrong. Most people are wrong and are on the wrong way. Truth is not determined by a majority vote.

These words tell us something else. Jesus taught that most my go to Hell to suffer for their sins (see Matt. 25:41). Jesus rejected the view that says that all men will be saved from their sins and make it to Heaven with God, regardless of their religion. If they do not turn to Jesus, they will certainly go to Hell, not to God. By contrast, Jesus is “the way” to God. He is the narrow way, what Peter called “the right way” (2 Pet. 2:15). Are Christians narrow-minded to say that Jesus is the only way to God? We sure are. Because Jesus Himself was. The one way to God is a narrow way.

But there was no other way to satisfy the righteous demands of God. That is why Jesus prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). What is "this cup"? I believe it was the cup of the wrath of God. Isaiah called it the cup of His fury (see Isaiah 51:17, 22).

Jesus tasted death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9 says, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone."

Jesus had to be the recipient of the wrath of God in our place so that we could be forgiven of our sin. There was no other way.