Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’
—John 14:6
Scripture:
In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of inclusivity, one of the most difficult spiritual challenges facing believers today.
During World War II, an American pilot was shot down over the jungles of Burma. He was able to bail out safely from his plane. As he landed in the deep, dense brush, he was met by a friendly Burmese man. The man gestured for him to follow. The American soldier followed the man through the jungle. There was no obvious path. All the pilot could see ahead of him was the Burmese man, slicing away with his machete. It didn’t seem like they were going in any particular direction. The American became frantic and yelled out to the man, “Where is the way?”
In broken English, the man replied, “I am the way. Follow me.”
This is what Jesus says to us in the maze of life: “I am the way. Follow Me. I will get you to where you’re supposed to go.” The actual quote is “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). The entire meaning of the Christian faith can be condensed into four words: “I am the way.”
That’s a controversial concept in our inclusive culture, where people are encouraged to affirm that all spiritual paths eventually lead to God. But that kind of inclusivity isn’t an option for Christians. The cost was too high.
Jesus is the only way to God because He was the only One who could satisfy God’s demand for a perfect sacrifice. He lived a sinless life. He bore the entirety of God’s wrath that was intended for us. He rose from the grave to conquer death once and for all. Thus, He alone is the way to God.
You might be wondering, “How do I find my way to God?” First, you need to understand that the path to Heaven is a toll road. It will cost, but you can’t pay the toll. Jesus paid it for you. You must realize that you can’t make it to Heaven on your own. You must admit that you’re a sinner. The Bible says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). You must ask God to forgive your sins. You must receive Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Which road are you on today? Which way are you going to choose? There’s only one way to find a life that’s full and rich on this earth and then to know for certain that you’ll spend eternity in God’s presence. It’s the highway to Heaven. And you can pull onto the on-ramp today.
Reflection question: How can you share the truth of Jesus’ being the only way to the Father with someone who objects to the idea of one spiritual faith being better than another? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!
