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Saturday, February 25, 2012

The One way God in the New Testament

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

We saw yesterday that the God of scripture is a very exclusive God.  By the revelation of the tabernacle system and priesthood in the Old Testament, He was was showing salvation to be exclusive and one way.  Today we will be exploring the New Testament to determine how clear the Bible is on the truth of there being only One way to God.

The Gospels are very exclusive in their view of salvation
The Gospel of John quoted above gives us the clearest statement in the Bible regarding the unique way of salvation - Jesus Christ.  In John 14:6, Jesus reveals Himself to be "The Truth".  We had yesterday stated a three-fold argument to explain why it is God is Exclusive in how He deals with salvation:
1. Truth by its nature is exclusive
2. God by nature is Truth
3. Thus it stands that God would be an exclusive God

With Jesus Christ stating Himself to be "The Way, the Truth, The Life", He is further reinforcing the fact that God's One prescribed way in the Old Testament pointed to Himself - the Person who is the One way.  In the New Testament we can state our little three-fold statement in this fashion:
1. Truth by its nature is exclusive.  As we already saw, God Himself is an exclusive God.
2. Jesus is the Truth personified
3. Thus Jesus is the exclusive way

The Book of Acts declares Jesus Christ to be the only way to God
Acts 4:12 plainly states - “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” How much clearer can the Bible be that salvation is not to be found outside of Jesus Christ, the only way to God.

The New Testament Letters (Epistles) declare Christ to be the only way to God
1 John 5:20 asserts - "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life."  Here again we find reference to Jesus Christ being "The Truth".  As this title suggests, Jesus Christ is indeed the only way to God.  Furthermore, this verse is a declaration of Christ's deity, the logic is unmistakable:
1. The God of scripture is the source of salvation.
2. Jesus Christ is termed here the source of Eternal Life
3. Thus Jesus Christ is God

The Bible is very clear in its message and wording that God is One God.  He has revealed salvation through one book - the Bible.  God exists as the Father, who sent the Son, who is revealed by the Holy Spirit to be the Way.  No doubt about it, Jesus Christ is the Only Way to God, since in sharing the same nature with God the Father, He is the One Way God.