ONLY ONE WAY
**Note: Camp Sunday celebrates the success of another year of Bible camp. Our church joins with other churches in our community to host a week of children's and a week of teens camp at Long Bow Lake in Ontario. This message is written to reflect a typical camp session devotional at teens week.
In a world of different beliefs, it’s common to hear people say that “all religions are basically the same.” Another familiar comment is “that there are many ways to God.” It goes against the flow of our culture then to declare that one religion is better than other religions.
There are billions of people on the earth and many of them are not Christian. Some of them don’t know anything about Christianity. And yet we declare that Christianity is true and that other religions are not true. How can we claim such a thing? Is this not arrogant? Is this not intolerant of us? Where did we get the idea that our faith is superior to other faiths? Why do we think that Christianity is the only way to God?
For one thing, Jesus did not leave any room for the idea there are many ways to God. He made a bold, exclusive claim: He is the only way to the Father.
What did Jesus mean when he said he is the only way?
1. How Can We Know the Way?
The scene of John 14 provides a context for this bold statement. Jesus is about to go to the cross and he is sharing a final meal with his disciples. They are anxious and worried and very much afraid.
Jesus reassures them that he needs to go away so that he can prepare a place for them. He talks about making room for them in God’s presence – his household. Then he will come again and bring them into that presence, that place of God.
Then Jesus tells them, “And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas was never afraid to ask the question that was on everyone’s mind, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (5). Jesus replies with that bold and exclusive claim that has forever rocked the world:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6).
Note that Jesus did not say, “I know the way,” he said, “I am the way.” In other words, he did not give them a map or rulebook or a philosophy to follow. No, he gave them himself. The Christian life is not about keeping rules or performing rituals – it’s about trusting and following a Person.
2. The “Way” is Jesus
Let’s unpack this claim that Jesus made with a few observations.
First, as we said, the statement begins with the personal pronoun “I.” We are not saved by a principle or a power, but by a person. Jesus declared himself to be the embodiment of the way, the truth, and the life.
Then we are drawn to what’s called the article. In this case, the article is definite. An indefinite article is indicated by the word “a.” The difference this makes for Jesus’ statement is stark. Consider if he had said, “I am a way, and a truth, and a life.” This would imply that he is one of many ways. But Jesus used the definite article “the” to show he is not giving options.
Third, all three concepts are active. The way brings us to God; the truth makes us free; and the life produces relationship. Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living.
And since Thomas asked specifically about “the way” Jesus was going, “the way” predominates the statement. Jesus is saying, “I am the way because I am the truth and the life.”
Jesus clearly says that there is only one way to God. Without Jesus there is no truth. Only Jesus bridges the gap between the person seeking God and God himself.
What does Jesus mean when he says, “I am the way”?
We will use the Mountain Analogy to begin with: God is pictured at the peak of the mountain, and we are at the bottom. The story of religion is how different people try to move from the bottom to the peak and find God. The mountain has many paths, some go direct; others wind all over the mountain but eventually reach the top. The bottom line in this picture is that all religious roads will arrive at the same place. Jesus says that there is only one road to get up the mountain.
Another picture goes like this: Suppose you are in a strange town and ask for directions. A person may reply, “Take the first right and then turn left. Go past the funny looking tree and cross the square near the church. Take the third on the right and you will see a reddish house…” Or the person could say, “Come, I’ll take you there.” In the second option, the person is the way, and we will not get lost. He does not give advice or directions. He takes us by the hand and leads us.
What does Jesus mean when he says, “I am the truth”? Truth today is relative. People say, “What’s true for you may not be true for me.” Without the belief in an absolute truth, we are reduced to doing what seems right or what feels good and what satisfies. Jesus shouts above the noise of these voices, “I am the truth. Get to know me and you will discover what is totally true and transforming.” Truth does not change with time or culture. It remains the same and can be counted on each and every day. Jesus is the truth.
And what does Jesus mean when he says, “I am the life”? I can teach geometry or geography, and my character doesn’t influence what I am saying. I could be adulterous, lie, cheat, steal, but geography is geography. If I teach truth – moral absolutes, right versus wrong, good versus evil – my character makes all the difference. With Jesus, his life makes all the difference to the way and to the truth. His life is an important part of knowing the way and the truth. We observe his life, and we know the way. That’s why Jesus said to Thomas, “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.” To know Jesus is to know God.
We often think of “eternal life” when we think of the life Jesus gives. But I think we miss out on the life Jesus gives us now. His life is a model for us to follow. In him we see true life as we sacrifice, love, and give ourselves for the other.
3. Is Jesus the Only Way?
But aren’t all religions true in some sense? Don’t they all offer a piece of the universal truth that is God? That’s what the Bahai faith tries to do in blending all the world religions into one smoothie. Some take a buffet approach to faith by picking what you like from the many different dishes of religion.
The problem is that these faiths contradict each other and don’t blend very well at all. And how can all religions be true if they contradict each other? The Law of Noncontradiction says that if two statements about one particular issue contradict each other, then there are two possible answers: 1) Only one of them is true, or 2) they are both false. They cannot both be true in the same sense and at the same time.
If Jesus says he is the only way to God, but Islam says there’s another way, then either Jesus is correct and Mohammed is wrong, or Jesus is wrong and Mohammed is right…or they’re both wrong. They cannot both be right.
Now Hindus believe in many gods and use yoga, prayers, and charity to find truth. They accept Jesus but not exclusively, which denies the exclusive statement of Jesus.
Buddhists say there is no God and endorse just being a good person. They say they are tolerant of other “ways”, but the Dalai Lama has stated that their way is preferable.
Of course, Jews don’t believe in Jesus as the Son of God but try to please God by works of the Law.
And Islam says that worshiping a human as God is blasphemous. They teach the five pillars as the way to God: declaring faith in Allah, prayer (5x/day), charity, fasting, and a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Other religions are based on sincerity, morality, and duties. Christianity is not based on what we do but on our relationship with Jesus. There is an obvious contradiction between Christianity and these other faiths, and they are not compatible precisely because of the exclusivity of Jesus.
But you know, exclusive does not mean we are not inclusive. We believe there is only way – because Jesus said so – but we believe that Jesus includes all who will seek God through him. No one is excluded.
All the other major religions teach that you must get yourself together. Clean up your act. Pray five times a day. Give money. Fast. Use a Tibetan prayer wheel. Observe the Sabbath. Live a decent life and hope you do it right. Maybe you’ll make it to Nirvana or Heaven.
Christianity is different. Jesus tells us we will never earn our spot before God. We will fail to measure up to the holiness of God. But God reaches down in Christ and in his great love he rescues us from the penalty of life without God that we deserve.
Some theologians were discussing what makes Christianity different from other religions. CS Lewis came in late and asked what the question was that had stirred up the group. When he heard it, he said, “Oh that’s easy. It’s grace.”
AMEN
No comments:
Post a Comment