Why Jesus Says He Is The Only Way To Heaven

Why Jesus Says He Is The Only Way To Heaven July 24, 2017

Jesus Himself said that He is the One and only way to the Father, so why do so many object to this?

God Cannot Lie

I don’t’ think it’s ever been “politically correct” to say that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven, but it is correct nonetheless. Jesus Himself said it, and the Bible teaches that there is only one way, only through one Person, that any of us can be saved (Acts 16:30-31). And since Jesus is God, and God cannot lie, our hope in Jesus Christ, and His many promises are yes and amen (John 6:37-39, 10:27-29). It is in Him who we place our trust and have our “hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began” (Titus 1:2), so “it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us” (Heb 6:18). When God promises eternal life to all who believe (John 3:16-17; Rom 10:9-13), it’s not a hope-so faith but a know-so faith. Since it says so in the Word God, we believe it, and we know that “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it” (Num 23:19)?

Only One Way

Just before Jesus went to the cross to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45) and to eventually return to the Father in heaven, told His disciples, don’t’ be troubled, because “if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going” (John 14:3-4), but Thomas had doubts and said, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way” (John 14:5), so Jesus says to Thomas, and to all of us, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus never said He is one of many ways or one of many truths and one of many ways to eternal life but rather, as Peter said, “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). There is no wiggle room to this at all. It is 100% conclusive that Jesus is the one and only way to the Father or into the kingdom and not one of several other ways. God cares not that humans think it’s a narrow-minded way of thinking or that it doesn’t seem fair. I am just glad that God has provided a way.

Jesus

There is a Way

Many who believe that Jesus Christ is the One and only way into the kingdom are sometimes told that it’s being narrow-minded but they don’t stop to think about it. They criticize believers who say that Jesus is the one and only way to the Father, but these are not their own words. This is Jesus Himself speaking, so either Jesus is lying or He is spot on and there is absolutely no other way to heaven than through Him, so it is only “through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph 2:18). The door that leads to eternal life must necessarily lead through Jesus Christ, Who said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9), so whoever “does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber” (John 10:1), so it’s impossible for them to enter the kingdom without Christ. They, like everyone else, must repent and believe the gospel, so says Christ (Mark 1:14-15). How many can come to the Father outside of Christ? Zero, as Jesus says “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). No one can come to Him unless the Father draws them to Christ. No one, no matter what anyone says or any other religion claims, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65). Again, no one can to Christ unless the Father draws them, and no one can enter the kingdom without trust in Christ, so no person ever born (save for Christ) or as yet to be born can enter the kingdom without trusting in Christ.

Conclusion

If you do not believe what Jesus said, that He is the one and only way to the Father (John 6:44), and there is no other way possible to be saved (Acts 4:12), and that Jesus alone is the truth, the life, and the way (John 14:6), then you presently have the wrath of God abiding on you (John 3:36b), but if you believe this, Jesus reminds us, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this” (John 11:25-26)? Rejecting Jesus is rejecting the only hope you have and it’s not that you cannot choose to believe…you will not (Rom 1:18-20), as Christ told the self-righteous Jews that the Scriptures “bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39b-40).

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is host of Spiritual Fitness and also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.


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