Jesus is the son of God (Matthew 1:18). He is the Word of God (John 1:1). He is the immaculate conception (Luke 1:30-35). He died and rose again from the dead (Mark 16:6).
We who follow Christ know all these things to be true. But each of these facts may not convince a seeker who wants to believe that good people go to heaven and that those who’ve never heard of Jesus but are faithfully religious in their culture will ‘be saved’.
How is it possible that only one person can be the gateway for a relationship with the Creator of the Universe? How is it that Jesus is the only way to God?
Only one person was able to defeat death, so that others could piggy-back on His triumph, and be forgiven their sin and regain the relationship with God that was always intended. That one person had to be pure, so that others could attain that purity through their faith in him. That person could not be the son of a man, because any who are the son of man have inherited the sin of mankind, through Adam. That person happened to exist outside of time, before the world began, when he spoke words and the elements came into being and obeyed his voice.
Jesus was a baby, then a boy, who became a man. Before time and before he was born in Bethlehem, we know the Word of God existed because he spoke and there was light, and life. But his name wasn’t Jesus. His name was Word.
There is so much to grapple with in trying to understand how Jesus is the only way (John 14:6). He said it and so it must be true because he would not lie. But how is it true?
The theology of the truth of Christ’s power is not difficult, but it is profound. The reality is that no one else has the right to save. Adam forfeited the world God had given to him, and his immortality, to Satan when he disobeyed God’s will; God allowed Satan to tempt Jesus so he – and we – could see for ourselves he would not be tempted or tricked into disobeying God. Jesus did not inherit sin by being born in sin, nor did he become sinful through disobedience. Further, as he was totally surrendered to God, so he was a perfect model of surrender for us; he even surrendered unto death, the most painful form of execution in history. Then he rose from death to complete the task of enabling us to have eternal life.
Jesus has claim to be the only savior because he was the only one who walked the walk of a savior. He was only able to walk that walk because he was totally surrendered to God. And he was the only one able to be totally surrendered because he had the Spirit of the living God inside himself, speaking and working through him to do the will of the father.
When you witness your faith in Jesus, know the theology of who Jesus is. It isn’t particularly whether he was fully man, fully God or a mixture that needs to be resolved. What matters to the unbeliever is where Jesus got his authority. He was perfect, and so the ‘buck stopped with him.’
Ready: Know the why’s and how’s of your faith in order to answer questions intelligently and with the authority God has already given you as one of His children.
Set: Prepare your testimony and be ready to give an account of your faith.
Go: Live, love, laugh, knowing God has set you free from your sin and seeks to save others through who you are and how you live. You may never be drawn into an argument, but in case you are asked, you’ll want to be able to explain answers to the profound questions of salvation by God’s grace.
God bless. See you next Thursday. In the meantime, how about investigating another of my blogs:
A Life Examined is a woman’s view of life as it unfolds. It is a more secular viewpoint and so can be a useful tool to offer to others who don’t want ‘God talk’ but who do want a healthy, sincere perspective on life as it unfolds.
Life from the Lighthouse shares what I learn from God when I manage to listen.