JESUS IS THE WAY

By: Pastor Jose V. Velasco

  In John 14:6 Jesus describes Himself in three words. We will ponder on these in the succeeding three reflections. First, Jesus says, “I am the way.”

 The word way may mean many things, like system, method or manner of doing things. But we can know the particular meaning here by the context. Jesus was talking about a home He is going to prepare for His followers. And He said, “You know the way to the place where I am going” (Jn. 14:4). Then in verse 6 Jesus said that He is the only way to the Father. So Jesus was thinking of a route or passage to a destination. Commonly understood this destination is the eternal home where God is awaiting His redeemed children.

  There are false ways people believe could bring them to God and to eternal life. One is their good deeds. If they could follow all God’s laws then they are certain to go to heaven. The problem is no one is perfect enough to fulfill all God’s laws. Paul says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). And “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). So by good deeds no one will reach heaven. Some claim also that the church is the way to heaven. A particular church in the Philippines claims that it is the only true church and if you join it you are save. They claim Romans 16:16 refers to their church. But the churches of Christ here were the early Christian congregations meeting mostly in homes- not any modern church today. The fact that Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me” rules out any good deeds, churches or organizations, persons and rites as a means of accessing God and heaven. Jesus alone brings us to God and to that eternal place. 

  How does Christ act as the way to God and to eternal life? We want to understand two words in the New Testament that would explain this. 1) Reconcile. Sin separates from God and makes us His enemies. But “we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son” (Rom 5:10). In Jesus we become friends of God again if we repent and forsake our sins (1 Jn. 1:9). 2) Mediator.This word also connotes a spiritual gap between a holy God and a human sinner. But Jesus become the bridge in that gap. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). The two words are saying the same thing, that Jesus Christ is the only one who brings us to our Father God and to His eternal home. But the idea and work of relating sinners to God does not belong to Christ alone. In fact it was the Father who sent His Son to save the world (Jn. 3:16). Paul says, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ- -“ (2 Cor. 5:17). He did all of this out of His unconditional and unmerited love.

  How can we take Jesus Christ as the way? By believing in Him. But to believe in Him is more than an intellectual agreeing that Jesus Christ was a real historical person. It is committing one’s whole life to Him, loving, trusting, and obeying Him. It is accepting Him as your Lord and Savior. Have you taken Jesus Christ as your way to God and to eternal life?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there is no other way to God and to eternal life except you. I welcome you into my heart as my Lord and Savior.  May you empower me to walk and live faithfully with you unto eternity. In your precious Name I pray. Amen.