Is Jesus really the only way?
As I was re-reading some of our Fusion book, More Than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell discussed this question using some of the following arguments and Scriptures in his 11th chapter, "Isn't There Some Other Way?"
In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." In a world that makes such a big emphasis on inclusion and tolerance, many might object to such exclusive and definitive statements by Jesus. Can't there be another way or other ways? The Bible is clear that the answer to that is no. There is no other way. Why? Because of who God is.
In Exodus 34:6–7, God reveals Himself to Moses as a God who is compassionate, gracious, and abounding in steadfast love, but who will not leave the guilty unpunished. God is a loving God, yes, but He is also equally holy and just. God cannot allow sinners into His perfect heaven and holy presence. In fact, the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23) and God must rightly punish sin.
But God demonstrated His love by sending Christ to pay for our sins (Rom 5:8). On the cross, the God-Man (John 1:1–4) died in our place to pay the punishment for our sins in our place (2 Cor 5:21). The only way that our sin could be truly atoned for was by the God-Man. Only a human serves as a sufficient sacrifice for humans (see Heb 2:14–17), and only God could break the curse of sin and live a sinless life (Mark 10:18). Only Jesus, the God-Man, could be the propitiation to appease the justice of God. At the cross, we see the meeting of love and the justice of God (Rom 3:25–26). Jesus Christ alone is the propitiation who could satisfy God's justice (1 John 2:2). He is right to call Himself the only way to the Father. And He is enough to save us from all of our sins (John 3:16)!
Trusting Christ Alone,
Max Dalrymple
Student Ministry Director
“Murder is a personal affront to the Giver of Life. Nurture your resentment, and it will sprout into anger until it bears its poisonous fruit in their lives... Jesus warns that anger and insults place us in danger of judgment just like murder itself.”