Opus 2011-114, Key Scriptures: John 14:6

(John 14:6 KJV)  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

This is a statement that is both totally clear and totally controversial. 

On the clear side, Jesus is saying He is the only way to eternal life.  “Way” means road or path.  “Truth” means just what it says.  “Life” is the goal.  It comes through Jesus and only Jesus.  This makes Christianity an exclusivist religion.  You cannot be both a follower of Jesus and Buddha.  You cannot claim Jesus as Lord and accept Mohammed as God’s prophet.  It doesn’t work that way.

This is what makes it controversial.  This is why the popular media and education culture claims that Christians are narrow minded and mean spirited.  The reason is because we believe what the Bible says.  The Bible says that Jesus is the only way to salvation.

Some have problems with the concept of truth.  To them truth is a relative term and everyone finds their own truth in their own situation.  This is the difficulty of the heretical arm of the Emergent Church.  They are relativists.  They reject Jesus, not as “a” way, but as “the” way.  I am not an expert in Greek but I remember some of my lessons.  Greek does not have the indefinite article “a.”  It does have the definite article “the,” but it is not always used.  When it is used it carries more weight than in English.  In all three words, way, truth, life, it is used in this verse.  It is a clear statement of emphasis.  Jesus is claiming to be “THE” way, ‘THE” truth, and “THE” life.  It does not leave open the option of Jesus only being one way of many.  You can reject this and be a good neighbor and wonderful member of the PTA, but you cannot reject this and be a Christian.

Is this important?  Are you paying attention?  Yes, it is important.  If this is not true then millions of us have placed our trust in a lie and followers of Jesus are as confused as people who believed in the Piltdown Man.

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