When Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me,” what did He mean?
Dr. Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas points us to the Bible for answers. In Acts 4:12, for example, Peter tells a crowd:
“There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
This has ramifications in every area of life. If there is more than one way to salvation, this changes everything. There’s no need for churches, missions, Christian radio or reading the Bible.
How did we start to shift from Jesus as the only way to Jesus as one of many ways?
“I think people have confused absolute truth with relative truth.”
Robert gives the example of freezing water; water always freezes at thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit. But if you were to ask someone what the most comfortable room temperature is, that is a matter of opinion. Some people say 72º; others say 68º
This thinking has invaded evangelical Christianity. In his book , Robert reports that 57% percent of evangelical Christians are now saying there’s more than one way to God other than faith in Christ.
“When it comes to the way people live their lives and who will go to heaven, most people assume that’s in the realm of relative truth – whatever you want it to be. But God says no. There is an absolute way, one way to heaven.”
That message may seem hostile, but Robert says nothing could be further from the truth.
“This is not a hateful message meant to keep people out of heaven. It is a loving message to invite them in.”
God’s clear message that there is a way to heaven is a cause for joy, not hostility. Instead of leaving sinful, rebellious people to perish, He sent His Son to die for their choices. Now He invites them to repent and come to Him.
Years ago, Robert was on a plane with a man who claimed he used to be a Christian. He told Robert he could no longer worship a God who claimed there was only one way to come to Him.
This was Robert’s response:
“I want you to imagine that this plane were to crash. The plane started filling up with smoke as it crashed; the flight attendant stood at the front of the plane waving a flashlight saying, ‘Follow me. There’s one way out of this burning aircraft.’ Would you accuse her of being hateful or intolerant because she insisted there is only one way out of the burning wreckage? No; you would thank her. And you would follow her.”
In a culture that pushes back against truth claims, we need to lovingly, gently, but firmly keep speaking the truth.
“We’ve allowed the world to browbeat us, saying [we’re] being intolerant when [we] tell Hindus or Buddhist or Muslims their religion is wrong and it leads to destruction. No; if it’s really true that there’s only one way to God – why, that’s the most loving thing we could share with anyone.”
Key Scriptures: 1 John 5:13; Acts 4:12; John 14:4-6
Featured Songs: Before the Throne of God by Selah; Wonderful, Merciful Savior by Selah; Were You There by Selah; I Shall Not Want by Audrey Assad
