Monday Morning Encouragement -- The Way

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" John 14:6

This week I watched a clip from an interview with Keith Green, a Christian recording artist from the 1970's, in which he gave his testimony on how he came to know and accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. He recounted his search for God and how he investigated many religions in his quest. Green says, "In all the eastern religions, and all the cults, and all the world religions, they always gave some credit to Jesus Christ."

The Muslims say that he was a prophet. The Krishnas say that he was an incarnation of the godhead in his age. Yogananda and all these different eastern teachers said that he had Christ consciousness, you know they always used words like "Christ consciousness;" Christ this, Jesus that. The Buddhists would even say that he was a Buddha. . .another incarnation of God like Buddha was. And in all my searchings I saw that all these people were pointing to Jesus. They're going, 'Well, yeah, Jesus is one of the ways, but we're one of the ways.' And they wouldn't all agree on anything except that Jesus was one of the ways."

Then Green turned to the Bible and found the words of Jesus in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He said, "They all gave Him credit, and He only gave Himself credit. And I went, 'Well, that kind of eliminates everybody. They all say He's cool, and He says He's the only one that's going to get you there, so I guess I'm safe. So I started praying to Jesus.'" He went on to explain how he reasoned it all out and two years later gave his life completely to Christ, and how he came to know without a doubt that Jesus is God by the change the Lord made in his life.

Barnes notes on the Bible says:

"To come to the Father is to obtain his favor, to have access to his throne by prayer, and finally to enter his kingdom. No man can obtain any of these things except by the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. By coming by him is meant coming in his name and depending on his merits. We are ignorant, and he alone can guide us. We are sinful, and it is only by his merits that we can be pardoned. We are blind, and he only can enlighten us. God has appointed him as the Mediator, and has ordained that all blessings shall descend to this world through him. Hence he has put the world under his control; has given the affairs of men into his hand, and has appointed him to dispense whatever may be necessary for our peace, pardon, and salvation, Acts 4:12; Acts 5:31."

I would add that all other religions show the way to heaven is through something that humans do. Only in Christianity do we find that the way to Heaven is through what God has already done on the cross. The debt for our sins has been paid by Jesus. Humans only need to accept that truth and place their trust in Christ as their Savior. 

Early Christianity was known as "The Way." It's still The Way today and always will be. Praise God!

Today's music video Make My Life A Prayer to You  was composed by Keith Green's wife Melody, and performed by Keith.

I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.