Jesus said [of himself], "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." - Acts 4:12
One of the main objections people have to the Christian Gospel is the issue of exclusivity... that Christians proclaim that only in Jesus Christ is salvation to be found. Certainly such a statement would be less objectionable, if Jesus was merely presented as one of the many ways to God. Yet it needs to be repeatedly pointed out, that it is not Christians who came up with this idea... the claim comes directly from Jesus Himself.
On this unique claim and authority of Jesus, rests the entire foundation of Biblical salvation. Either Jesus is “the Way to God” as He said, or He is a liar and a deceiver, and not even one way to God.
Consider the evidence. Evaluate the credentials of Jesus verses other ways and means of accessing the Living God. The unique attributes and characteristics of Jesus set Him above everyone else. These are things unique to Him alone. No other person who represents a religion, possesses such characteristics. These things uniquely qualify Him as... Lord, Savior, Redeemer and “the one and only way” to an approved relationship with the Living God.
Jesus was God incarnate. God has revealed himself as a trinity of three persons – the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit, each of whom is equally God. When Jesus became God incarnate, He was truly God and truly man (Philippians 2:7-8). When Jesus came to earth from heaven he possessed two natures – a divine nature and a human nature. He never ceased being God but He set aside the glory He had with His Father in heaven (John 17:5) and humbled Himself to become a man (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus was different than other religious leaders. You cannot ascribe equal honor to Him and other leaders of religious movements. Siddhârtha Gautama who came to be the great Buddha, Muhammad who claimed to be a “prophet” of God, and Confucius never claimed to be a deity, they were all mortal men. The died the death of mortal men. They are still dead.
Jesus was without sin. Jesus was in a class by Himself, when He came to earth, He lived without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). No other religious leader can claim that, nor can any mortal human for that matter (Romans 3:23).
Jesus’ work of atonement. The greatest of religious leaders could mediate on the law, instruct on the law, counsel others, think deeply, and come up with wise sayings, but none was qualified to offer an atonement for the sins of the world. Jesus’ death was made as a payment for the sins of mankind. His sacrifice was perfect. He voluntarily suffered an exhausting, agonizing and painful death because He loved unconditionally humanity (John 10:17-18; Romans 5:6-8). What religious leader of any movement can make such a claim? None can.
Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Jesus was raised from the dead by God, giving Him credentials that no other religious leader possesses. Buddha, Mohammed, and Confucius are long dead. Christ is alive!
God Is Not Pleased By Religion. It is a mistake to assume that God is pleased by any “religion” or that all religious roads lead to God, even if a faith comes from a sincere heart. All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6a) There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12)
Jesus provided a warning that can help those who would one day question His authority as “the only way”, reason through the confusion that would surely occur as various men set themselves up as religious icons and promote themselves as legitimate ways to God. He said in Matthew 7:13-14... “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Thankfully, the narrow gate metaphor does not restrict anyone with an honest seeking heart from finding the gate”, obeying the gospel message, passing through it, and walking with the true God on one’s journey to eternal life. But Jesus does say, His narrow gate will not be as attractive and inviting as the broad and spacious super highway embodied in the philosophies of religious tolerance and pluralism. That wide and accommodating road leads not to salvation... but everlasting destruction. Think about it.
It does matter what we believe – the decision we make is an eternal one. Jesus Christ is the only way to an approved relationship with God. He alone is the gateway to all the promises of eternal life. He alone is able to redeem. He alone is worthy of our devotion and worship. Jesus is the truth! For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)
