Is Jesus the Only Way to God?

Series: Aspects of Salvation

Is Jesus the Only Way to God?

Selected Scriptures, 2019-07-21A, #6

Introduction: Today we conclude our series on aspects of salvation. I believe that most of us believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to God, but can we explain why from the Bible?

     I.        Scriptures That Teach Jesus Is the Only Way to God:

A.   Jesus said in , “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  

1.    Jesus did not suffer and die to provide one of many ways to God.

2.    In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed with such intensity that His perspiration was like drops of blood because there was no other way to God ().

3.    Jesus taught two ways and two destinations ().

4.    In the Old Testament, believers were saved on credit ().

B.   Peter said in , “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  

C.    Paul said in , “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

D.   Paul said in , “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”  

E.    Other scriptural references (; ).

    II.        God Has Always Provided One Way to Be Saved or Delivered:

A.   Noah's Ark ().

B.   The Passover Lamb ().

C.    Rahab's House ().

D.   The Serpent on the Pole (; cf. ).

  III.        God the Father Took the Initiative in Our Salvation (; ;                       ).

A.   One way to be saved was planned before the foundation of the world (; ; ; ; cf. ; ).

B.   Some of the prophecies of God's plan of salvation: ; ; .

  IV.        Reasons Jesus Is the Only Way to God:

A.   Jesus is the only way to God because He is the only one who can save or deliver from sin (; ).

a.    All are born with a sin nature (; ; ; ).

b.    Jesus is the only man born without a sin nature (; ).

c.    All who go to hell would be there because of sin.

1)   Jesus is the only one who can save from sin ().

2)   There will be no innocent people in hell ().

B.   Jesus is the only way to God because He is the only one who suffered and died a substitutionary death for us (; ; , , ; ; ; ).

C.    Jesus is the only way to God because He is the only one who satisfy the justice of God (, ; ).

D.   Jesus is the only way to God because He is the only one who lived a perfect life to provide a perfect righteousness that could be transferred to us (; ; 21 cf. ;).

E.    Jesus is the only way to God because He is the only one who satisfied all of the attributes of God in relation to sin and salvation:

1.    God is immutable – He cannot change in any of His attributes or character (; ; ; ).

2.    If God were just a God of love, the cross would not have been necessary.

a.    The love, grace, and mercy of God do not cancel the justice, righteousness, holiness, and wrath of God.

b.    God is immutable and perfect in all of his attributes.

3.    Some of the attributes of God on display on the cross:

a.    The justice of God (, ; ),

b.    The holiness of God (; , ; Matt. 27:46),

c.    The wrath of God (; ; ),

d.    The love of God (; ; ; ),

e.    The grace of God ().

   V.        Ways to God That Seems Right:

A.   According to ; , "There is a way that seems right."

B.   Wrong turn returning from Rockford, Illinois…

C.    Some wrong ways that seem right:

1.    "There are many roads to God" sounds right and seems right, but there are signs: ; ; .

2.    "If your good outweighs your bad, God will allow you into heaven" sounds right and seems right, but there are signs: ; .

a.    Salvation is by grace through faith and not good works (; ).

b.    We are rewarded for good works but not saved by good works (; ; ).

c.    We do good works to glorify God ().

3.     "We are all the children of God" sounds right and seems right, but there are signs: ; ; ; cf. ; .

4.    "It does not matter what you believe as long as you are sincere" seems right and sounds right, but there are signs: , .

5.    "When you are dead you are done" sounds writing seems right, but there are signs:

a.    Death in the Bible means separation and not annihilation (; ; )…

b.    There are three kinds of death or separation mentioned in the Bible:

1)   Physical death which is separation of the soul and the spirit from the body (; ; ; ; ).

2)   Spiritual death which is separation from God in trespasses and in sins (; ; ).

3)   Eternal death or the second death which is the turn of separation from God in the lake of fire (, ; ).

a)    At the moment of death, the lost go immediately to a place called Hades and later to the lake of fire (; ).

b)   At the moment of death, the saved go immediately to heaven to be with God (; ; ).

6.    "God will give another chance after death because he is a God of love, grace, and mercy" seems right and sounds right, but there are signs: ; ; .

7.    Follow the signs and not what sounds right and what seems right.

Pastor – Teacher, Julius R. Malone