Google Maps shows me three routes to the beach: a scenic path, a fast highway, or a toll-free option, all leading to the same destination. This raises the question—are there also multiple paths to a spiritual relationship with God? Western culture often values tolerance and sees exclusive truth claims as narrow-minded. However, according to John 14:4-6, Jesus asserts that there is only one way to God, challenging these cultural norms and emphasizing a singular spiritual path.
The Confusion of People Concerning the Way to God.
In John 14 Jesus is comforting troubled hearts (v. 1). He has just indicated that he is leaving his disciples (13:33, 36) and this news has set them ill at ease. He seeks to calm their spirits with the truth of the Father’s house in verse 2 (God’s dwelling place – heaven). He assures of a place for them there and that Jesus will come to take them there (v. 3). Then in verse 4 Jesus tells them, “You know the way to where I am going.” That assertion raises a question in at least Thomas’ mind and probably the others as well. Thomas is simply honest enough to ask the question.
It is important to note who is asking the question in John 14. This is not someone who has a nominal interest in Jesus. This man among the others in the room has given three years of his life to following Jesus. He has heard many sermons, seen miracles, witnessed exorcisms and would consider himself a follower of Jesus. In our modern context we would consider him a faithful church attendee and yet he is uncertain of the way to God. How can this be?
According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2010) “Belief in God remains somewhat stable among American evangelicals between the ages of 18 and 29… About the same percentage trust the Bible as the inspired or literal Word of God. But the data begins to alarm when you examine other key doctrines. Pluralism in particular has ravaged young evangelicals’ confidence in Jesus Christ’s claims that he alone shows the way to the Father in heaven. Asked whether many religions can lead to eternal life, 52 percent of evangelicals from the so-called millennial generation agreed. Only 43 percent said Christianity is the one true faith that leads to eternal life. It doesn’t help that barely more than half of these young evangelicals read the Bible weekly.” (We Are All Theologians. Collin Hansen, Christianity Today 3/8/2010)
These are professed followers of Jesus and yet they are confused on this very question “How does one get to God?” The only way to remove the confusion is to do what Thomas did and honestly ask the question. Humble yourself and ask the question, what is the way to God? I am so glad Thomas asked the question, because we have the authoritative answer from Jesus.
The Clarification by Jesus Concerning the Way to God
Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way.” Jesus is not saying, I will show you the way to God or here is the path to God or follow in my steps to find God. He is saying I am the path. How is Jesus the path to God?
He is the truth and reveals to us the truth about God. The nature of who Jesus is makes him the only way to God (Jn. 8:31-32; 1:14, 17). It is not that he is simply a reliable witness to the truth. Not as though He is like one of the prophets who speaks the truth. He embodies the truth as the fullest expression of God to man. God himself in the flesh (Jn. 1:18).
He is the Life of God. He gives to us the life of God (Joh 11:27-28). We cannot come to God because we are dead (Eph 2:1). Alienated from the life of God (Eph. 4:18). Jesus said unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of God (Jn. 3:3). Only those who receive Christ are born of God (Jn. 1:12-13).
In his work The Imitation of Christ, Thomas`a Kempis said of Jesus claim, “Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living…I am the inviolable way; the infallible truth, the never-ending life.”
The Elimination of Any Other Way to God.
Jesus speaks positively of his being the only way to God and then boxes out all other possibilities by his exclusive statements. He says “no one comes to the Father except through me.” In other words, this is true for every single person on the planet and all of those who have ever lived or will ever live on this planet. There simply is no other way to come to God. The men in the room that night came to understand this well. One of them reiterated Jesus’ claim in Acts 4:12 by saying “there is no other name under heaven…by which we must be saved. At the time of the writing of John’s Gospel Jesus follower were so convinced of this exclusivity that they were dying for this truth as it permeated a pluralistic society.
Simply put, Jesus Christ is the only way to God. The way to God is found in a person and a relationship to him by faith alone. It is not that other people are not nice or sincere or devout. The question is not sincerity because you can be sincerely wrong. The question is what has Jesus said about how anyone can have a relationship with God and do I believe in Jesus.
Meet Pastor Matt Fagan
Matt Fagan is the Lead Pastor at Heritage Baptist Church of Windham, New Hampshire and serves as an Exchange Trainer. Contact Matt about leading an Exchange Training Event or to discuss this article at [email protected]