Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6
It is so acceptable among many people to quote the first half of this verse and completely ignore the last half. But any argument against the Christian claim that Jesus is the only way to heaven comes from either false religion or no religion at all. In fact, Christians who hold securely to this belief are most often disparaged by religious opponents and unbelievers, sometimes even by their own families and friends. They would probably like to see a big red ‘prohibited sign’ over the very idea. Scripture, however, is very clear on this point - “And 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.
We Christians are often condemned as being exclusivist for holding such an opinion. What ‘the world’ doesn’t seem to understand is that it is not an opinion. Faith in God and faith in His holy World assure us that what we believe is in fact the truth just as God is truth.
Time and again Scripture confirms the nature of our belief. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” - John 3:36. It is through our saving faith in Jesus that mankind is saved. Not all mankind but only those who have come to believe in Christ as Savior. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” - 1 Timothy 2:5-6. Christian, what more proof do you need to believe in the one way to heaven? In Christ’s own words, He declares He is the way, the truth, and the life!
Upon speaking to Mary, the sister of Lazarus upon the day he was raised to life again by Christ, He said - “Jesus said to her, ‘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. And Mary believed in Him. And to all Christ’s faithful today, we believe in Him also.
Does it sound exclusivist? You bet it is because it’s the truth to all who believe and denied to those who don’t. More important is that it is still the truth whether we believe it or not! You may not believe that the sun can do great damage to your skin because it doesn’t illustrate it immediately. But just lie out in it without protection and in a short time you can see - and feel - the damage that the sun did to your exposed flesh.
Refusing to believe in the primacy and singularity of Christ’s claim as Savior to mankind will result not only in the eventual destruction of our bodies but also of our everlasting souls. Many will not believe these Scriptural claims but Jesus spoke to these unbelievers too. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:17. Still not convinced? Read the words of Jesus to His own disciples - “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” - Matthew 10:28.
Decorum and courtesy are righteous traits but they will never give us eternal life if we have no faith in Jesus. Holy Scripture speaks often and strongly about the need to have faith in Him who is both Lord and Savior. Those who do will reap great rewards and eternity in heaven. Those who don’t will find themselves confined eternally to ‘the pit’ where ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ - Mark 9:48.
No comments:
Post a Comment