There's Only One Way

Introduction

The mystery of God is beyond human conception. It is without a doubt, that God has decided to reveal His wisdom through the manifestation of His eternal plan, which was established before the foundation of the world.

And what was that plan?

It was the coming together of the human family by the reconciliation of the world unto God through Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in Romans 11:33-35,

“33 Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? 35 And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid?”

God’s wisdom is beyond human understanding. It is God’s wisdom that compels us to believe. For, it is not our working out of God’s plan through human reason. Rather, we accept an eternally wise God who has purposefully created this world with the intent of doing something miraculous for His glory and the good of all creation.

Jacobus Arminius wrote, “The thoughts of God and his will (both what he wishes to be done by us and what he has resolved to do concerning us) are of free disposition, which is determined by the divine power and liberty inherent in himself. Since he has, in all this, called in the aid of no counselor, those thoughts and that will are of necessity ‘unsearchable and past finding out.’” (Krey, P. D. W., Krey, P. D. S., George, T., Manetsch, S. M., & McNutt, D. W., eds. (2016). Romans 9–16: New Testament: Vol. VIII (p. 114). IVP Academic.)

In other words, we cannot attempt to understand the thoughts of God, because God has not consulted anyone outside of Himself to determine His will. God has no need of counselors. When determining His plan, God, in His wisdom determined what must be for His own glory and the benefit of all men. Therefore, we simply trust the God who knows everything!

We trust the one who had a plan from the very beginning. This plan included you and I. Yet, before it included you and I, it included those who were known as Jews and Gentiles. And during the first century, there were multiple concerns on how each group might find their way into the family of God. Let it be known, before anyone ever talked about entering heaven, they discussed how they might enter the family of God. There are no thoughts of entering heaven until we know we are in God’s family. It was a matter of status and belonging in a world that seemed to have forgotten it was made by an omniscient Creator. Those who agreed that this Creator was truly in charge argued how they might claim rights to the one Creator-God.

Therefore, instead of asking the question of whether there is one way to heaven, we should first ask the question: is there only one way into the family of God?

There was a man by the name of Jacob Emden who was a German rabbi and huge proponent of orthodox Judaism. He argued that Jesus nor His apostles ever wished to destroy the Torah, that is the law. By reflecting upon the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:17-20, he stated that Jesus and His apostles were Torah observing Jews who came to establish a new religion for Gentiles, which would ultimately grant them an opportunity to come into some sort of [partial/ limited] relationship with God.

He further taught that the Jews were to fully keep the Torah, while Gentiles were to keep the Noachide commandments (the seven commandments of Noah). Thereby, creating two ways for relationship with God—one for Jews and another for Gentiles.

Noachide commandments: to establish laws, (and the prohibitions of) blasphemy, idolatry, adultery, bloodshed, theft, and eating the blood of a living animal.

The question is, did Jesus or the apostles teach two ways to relationship with the Father?

The Bible is clear on three fundamental conclusions about this notion of two ways:

There are not two ways to God,

We are all, both Jew and Gentile, slaves in the household of God until we are adopted into His family,

Jesus is the only way into the family of God.

Understanding John 14:1-6

Here is where our text becomes relevant to our conversation today. For so long, John 14:2 has been used as passage of comfort for individuals who have experienced loss. It is commonly read at funerals, because it seems to remind the families and friends of the deceased that their loved one is in a better place— that place being heaven.

The scholars have agreed with this interpretation of the passage and have alluded to the heavenly destination that is symbolized in John 14:2.

DA Carson wrote in his commentary on John 14:2, “The details of the text argue that these two verses refer to the second advent of Jesus, when he comes to take his followers to be with him forever.” (Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 488). Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans). J.H. Bernard agreed with Philo that the οἰκία of God is in heaven. Kenneth Gangel understood the mansion to be a “room in heaven for you.”

Even when recognizing the reference to the house or mansion as generally a symbol of God’s presence, most conclude that God’s presence/ temple is “in heaven.” Their conclusion suggests that God’s presence is only in heaven—an idea no Jew would have accepted during the first century. None of these ideas align with what the original audience would have imagined when hearing these words from Jesus. There are a few things one should understand when reading John 14:1-6.

Jesus’s teaching begins in John 12, with His prediction of His suffering and death.

See John 12:32 “32 As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.””

The word οἰκία in John 14:2 does not mean building or lodging place. It means household or family.

The word μονή in John 14:2 does not mean bedroom. It means hospitable place.

The word τόπος in John 14:2 does not mean square foot. Rather, it means place, opportunity, chance or space.

Therefore John 14:2 could be translated: In my father’s household or family there’s enough hospitable places for you…I am going to prepare an opportunity, chance, or place for you.

John 14:1-6 is about getting into the family of God, because the house of God is a reference to family of God and not the building of God. John the evangelist carries an understanding about the house of God that is so unique to the other gospel writers.

In John 8, Jesus delivered a very exclusive message.

In John 8:12-20, Jesus declares that all who follow Him will be led out of darkness into the light.

In John 8:24, Jesus declares that unbelievers will die in their sins unless they believe that Jesus is who He said He is.

In John 8:31-36, Jesus declares that anyone who remains in His teachings will know the truth and be set free by it.

At the mention of being free, the people are immediately offended, because they are convinced that they are already free. How would they prove such freedom? They used their ethnic relationship to Abraham as proof that they are free.

Yet, what does it mean to be free?

To be free means to be a part of God’s family. Yet, Jesus makes a very tremendous claim against the people of Israel. He states they are people who sin, making them enslaved. As such, anyone how is a slave to sin cannot be a member of the house or family/ household (οἰκία) of God (John 8:35). Freedom from sin, only comes from the truth, which makes one a member of the family of God.

So, in John 14:3, Jesus gives the apostles a promise that He will come back to get them so they can be with Him. In John 14:4, He claims they know the way. Yet, the apostles seem to know nothing about this way and where Jesus is going (John 14:5, c.f. John 13:36). Here, Jesus makes three definitive claims:

He is the way to the Father

He is the truth from the Father

He is the life of the Father

Essentially, anyone who believes in Jesus finds their way to an authentic relationship with the Father. All that the Father has prepared for His people is granted through Jesus. While this is clear for Gentiles, we must recognize that this is Jesus’s declaration to Jews who are now aware they must not lean on their ethnic relationships with Abraham, but like Gentiles, they must believe in Jesus the Son of God to receive everything the Father has prepared for them.

Conclusion: There’s Only One Way

As we live in this pluralistic world, we must draw some lines in the sand! Exclusivity is about setting clearly defined boundary lines to separate one group from another. And while it is very clear that Christianity is inclusive in many ways, one of the things we cannot compromise on is the way into the family of God. For, this way has been established since the foundation of the world and cannot be altered. Jesus’s plan was to bring all things together in His Son, Jesus Christ.

The truth is, we cannot get into the family of God by creating our own path. The path was created before the beginning of the world, before we ever arrived on the scene. The path is Jesus Christ. God’s word declares:

Acts 4:12 “12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.””

Romans 10:9-10 “9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.”