Author: Gary Witcher

Jesus: Way, Truth

     "Do this and you will go to heaven!" one promises.  "No, do this if you want to get to heaven!" another disagrees.  "Don't do anything and you'll still go to heaven!" a third one contradicts.
     Should there really be all this confusion about how we can obtain eternal life?
     "I am the way, the truth, and the life," Jesus proclaims in John 14:6; "no one comes to the Father, but through Me."
     By His own claim, Jesus is the way. He is, He states, the only way to God.   Therefore He is also the way to salvation.  He is the way to heaven.
     As we discussed in another broadcast, Jesus refers to Himself in John 10:9 as the door.  He is the passageway through which all must enter.  But what can we learn from the Bible about this passageway?
     "Enter by the narrow gate," the Lord advises in Matthew 7:13-14; "for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.
     "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow, that leads to life, and few are those who find it."
     Clearly the way to heaven is small and not many people are going to follow it.
     "Therefore having been justified by faith," Paul points out in Romans 5:1-2, "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God."
     Christ's way offers peace with God by providing access to the Father's grace through faith.
     "Remember," Paul tells the Gentiles in Ephesians 2:11, "that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world."
     This is a pretty sad situation, especially when we realize that we are included in this group of Gentiles.  But this describes how it was before Jesus provided us a way to God.
     "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ," Paul continues.  "For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity."
     "Through Him," Paul notes in verse 18, "we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father."
     Notice that the way provided by Jesus involves His blood, His flesh and His cross.  As we have seen so many times from passages such as Romans 6:3-11, it is through baptism that we have contact with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
     Jesus opens the way to salvation for those whose faith results in obedience to Him.  After this, He continues to provide access to the Father.
     "This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord," Ephesians 3:11-12 says of God's plan, "in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him."
     Hebrews 10:19-22 reveals to us the assurance we can have as we follow Jesus as the way.
     "Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus," this passages observes, "by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our body washed with pure water."
     There is only one way to salvation, to God and ultimately to heaven.  That way is Jesus.

     Jesus is the way.  As He states in John 14:6, He is also the truth.
     "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us," John 1:14 says in continuation of a thought initiated in verse one, "and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."
     "So You are a king?" Pilate asks the Lord in John 18:37.
     "You say correctly that I am a king," Jesus responds.  "For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.  Every one who is of the truth hears My voice."
     Pilate returns with another question, a question that has been asked countless times throughout history.
     "What is truth?" the Roman governor wonders.
     "You both know Me, and know where I am from," Jesus cries out to the people in John 7:28; "I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.
     "And this is eternal life," Jesus discusses with His Father in John 17:3, "that they may know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent."
     Unquestionably, the most correct answer to Pilate's question is that God is truth.  Every aspect of God's nature is true.
     "Sanctify them in truth," Jesus prays in John 17:17; "Thy word is truth."
     Revelation 19:9 refers to the true words of God.
     "Write," John is told in Revelation 21:5, "for these words are faithful and true."
     "These words are faithful and true," an angel tells John in Revelation 22:6.  God's words are true.
     "Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty," the saved sing in Revelation 15:3, "righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations."
     God's ways are true.
     "Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty," we read in Revelation 16:7, "true and righteous are Thy judgments."
     "His judgments are true and righteous," Revelation 19:2 affirms.
     God's judgments are true.
     "If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous Mammon," the unfaithful steward is asked in Luke 16:11, "who will entrust the true riches to you?"
     As each of us knows all too well, the riches of this world are not dependable.  But God's riches are true.
     What is truth?  God's words, ways, judgments and riches are true.  In short, God is truth.  We notice also, though, that Jesus is true.
     "He who is holy, who is true," is how Revelation 3:7 refers to Jesus.
     "The Amen, the faithful and true Witness," Jesus is called in verse 14 of the same chapter.
     "And I saw heaven opened," John records in Revelation 19:11, "and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war."
     "There was the true light," John 1:9 points out, "which, coming into the world, enlightens every man."
     "The darkness is passing away," 1 John 2:8 notes, "and the true light is already shining."
     "It is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven," Jesus explains in John 6:32.
     "I am the true vine," Jesus observes in John 15:1.
     Jesus is the true light, the true bread, the true vine, the true witness.  Jesus is the truth.
     God and Jesus are true.  There is also a true tabernacle, a sanctuary known as heaven.
     "Now the main point in what has been said is this," Hebrews 8:1-2 notes: "we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man."
     "For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one," Hebrews 9:24 adds, "but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us."
     This true holy place made available by the true Christ is reserved for the true worshipers of the true God.
     "But an hour is coming, and now is," Jesus tells the Samaritan woman in John 4:23, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers."
     How can we be certain about being among these true worshipers?
     "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine," Jesus promises in John 8:31-32; "and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."