Is Jesus the only way

John 14:6

By Dr. Mike Licona

The claim that Jesus is the only way to God is difficult to accept for many in modern society. Is God unfair in requiring others to believe only in Jesus to get into heaven? Is it merely Christians interpreting the Bible in this manner?

There is widespread evidence that Jesus claimed to be the only way to God.

Not only are His claims multiply attested; His earliest followers taught that He is the only way (Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22; 12:8, 9; John 3:36; Acts 4:12; Rom. 10:1, 2; 2 Thess. 1:8, 9; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 10:26, 27).

There are no claims to the contrary by the earliest Christians. Look at these statements of Jesus:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

These claims appear as outrageous today as they did to many in Jesus’ day. How do we handle it today?

We first ask whether Jesus’ claims are true. Jesus said His proof for His claim was His resurrection.

If Jesus was truly who He claimed to be, this greatly works towards reconciling His claim to being the exclusive route to God.

We can deal with remaining objections by answering three rudimentary questions.

What is truth?

What is ethical?

What is required?

The first is “What is truth?”

A true statement corresponds with reality. For example, let’s assess the truth-claims of the Heaven’s Gate cult. Which first came to light in 1997 with the suicide of 39 members.

The earth was not destroyed, as Marshall Applewhite had predicted.

While members of the Heaven’s Gate cult obtained feelings of peace, hope, and fulfillment from following Applewhite, there is an objective truth that holds true for everyone: Applewhite was a false prophet.

Sincere belief to the point of death did not change the truth.

Followers of other religions may claim their religious beliefs and practices give peaceful feelings and purpose for living.

However, if Jesus’ claim to be the exclusive way to God is true, then the following is false: Muhammad provided a way to be acceptable to God.”

“While this conclusion is offensive to many, we must not be so captive to our politically correct culture that we are led astray from truth.

Which science do we believe, is a boy a girl or is a girl a boy.

Since the truth of a statement can be measured by how closely it corresponds with reality, if Jesus claimed to be the exclusive way to God, and rose from the dead in order to confirm that, His claim is true.

The second is“What is ethical?”

Any Christian who has shared his or her faith with others understands that claiming Jesus is the only way can be perceived as being intolerant and offensive.

However, when someone claims that saying Jesus is the only way is intolerant and offensive, that person ignores the fact that his or her pluralistic approach is likewise intolerant and offensive.

Pluralistic means - relating to or advocating a system in which two or more states, groups, principles, sources of authority, etc., coexist.: "a multicultural pluralistic society where people's values are respected".

These individuals are intolerant of exclusivist views and offensive to the holders.”

All you have to do is look at the most popular verse in the bible John 3:16 to see that God includes everyone.

John 3:16

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

NIV

Amy-Jill Levine is a distinguished professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University and is Jewish.

Professor Levine suggests that the Christian claim that Jesus is the only way is not morally unsure.

She adds, “What I would find more ‘morally doubtful' is my insisting to another that his or her reading or presuppositions, because they are not pluralistic, are somehow wrong. . . .

The evangelical Christian should be free to try to seek to convert me to Christianity: such an attempt is biblically warranted and consistent with evangelical (exclusivist) theology.

I remain free to say ‘thank you, but no thanks.’ I would not want someone telling me that my ‘cherished confessional traditions’ have only limited value.

I would not presume to do the same to another.

“Moreover, there are times when truth should not be sacrificed for the sake of avoiding offense.

With the Titanic sinking and lifeboats available, it would have been unethical for the crew, in the interest of reducing panic, to have told the passengers to go back to their cabins because everything would be fine in the morning.

Truth is important.

Decisions of greater importance should drive us to discover the truth, rather than dilute or deny it in the interest of not offending another.

However, when sharing your faith with others, remember to do it “with meekness and fear” look at (1 Pet. 3:15).

1 Peter 3:15

15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

NIV

We should love others and be graceful in our efforts to share the greatest news ever told.

The third is “What is required?”

It doesn’t matter what you believe; the way to heaven is paved with sincerity, goodness, and belief in God.

This statement attempts to shed the offense of the exclusivity claims of Jesus, but is problematic.

The claim that sincerity, goodness, and belief in a generic God are the true requirements for God’s acceptance is a religious claim:

“This is how one can appease God.”

The challenge is, how can this be known?

The claimant will need to demonstrate this claim.

Also, how much is required?

How good does one have to be to please God?

How good is good enough?

What will be the standard?

Scripture lays out the requirements for God’s “acceptance: It’s nothing any of us can do (Rom. 6:23);

Rom 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. NIV

it’s all in what God has done for us in Jesus (Eph. 2:8, 9);

Eph 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

NIV

we must entrust our eternal destiny with Jesus (John 14:6);

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

NIV

we must believe in Jesus’ deity, atoning death, and resurrection (John 8:24; Rom. 10:9).

John 8:24

24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins."

NIV

Rom 10:9

9 That 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.

NIV

Conclusion:

How can we share the gospel with others, given their aversion to the exclusivity claims of Jesus?

First, understand answers to the questions we have discussed.

Second, clothe Jesus’ message with love. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Third, recognize that timing is important. Some may think you’re narrow-minded. However, if a time comes when their lives are falling apart or they have just learned that they have cancer, they may want you to give them the answer and will respect you for holding true to your faith.

In conclusion, we can begin to come to terms with the exclusivity claims of Jesus by answering three rudimentary questions: What is truth? What is ethical? And what is required?”

C.S. Lewis wrote this in his book Mere Christianity:

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Acts 4:12

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

NIV

1 Timothy 2:4-7

4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time.

NIV

Excerpt From

Nelson's Preacher's Sourcebook

Thomas Nelson

https://books.apple.com/us/book/nelsons-preachers-sourcebook/id6443651804

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