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 (ESV)
I spent over 30 years in the military. During those years I became very familiar with the military decision making process. It was all about planning and contingencies. If the first plan didn’t work out, the military planner was prepared with another plan. A common saying was that an initial plan never withstands first contact with an enemy.
In many ways I have planned my life that way. If something doesn’t work out, I will look for another way to get to where I want to be. If I encounter a closed door, I look for an open window.
That is a good way to plan, right? Perhaps in many cases it is. However, planning for eternity is different.
Jesus states, “I am the way … to the Father.” In other words, Jesus says there is ONLY ONE WAY, and that is His way. No one gets to the Father except through Him.
The exclusivity of Jesus flies in the face of our culture and society. I observe that the “truth” promoted by so many is that all roads can lead to heaven. What counts is sincerity and basically being good enough. After all, God is love and God would NEVER keep someone out of heaven. Right?
Well, the problem with that “truth” is that it totally disregards the sin of humans and marginalizes the significance of sin. Sin is a BIG deal. It is so BIG that Jesus took the punishment for my sin and the sin of the world.
When Jesus says that He is the way, it means that I can only get to heaven by trusting that He has taken care of my sins. HE IS THE ONLY WAY.
Prayer: Father in Heaven. Thank you for sending Jesus as the way to take care of my sin problem. Because I trust in Him, I look forward to eternal life with You. There is no other way.
