IS JESUS THE ONLY WAY?

Have you ever wondered about these questions: 

·        Are there many roads that lead to eternal life?

·        Are we all eventually going to go to heaven?

·        Do all religions point us to God?

·        Do we all worship and serve the true God?

·        Is religious pluralism pleasing to God?

·        Have all religious leaders and teachers taught the same thing?

·        Does is really make a difference what we believe?

·        Was Jesus merely a good religious teacher?

·        Can one have a personal, intimate, spiritual relationship with God?

·        Is there only one way to believe and live or are there many ways?

As you read the discussion that follows, keep these questions in mind and try to discover the answers.  When you finish this booklet, you should be able to know the truth on these and other crucial issues of life and eternity! 

IS JESUS THE ONLY WAY?

Is Jesus the only way to heaven? This question has been asked for 2,000 years and answered in a variety of ways. Many people in our world deny that Christ is the sole way of salvation. But what is the truth on this critical issue? This is a fact that will determine our ultimate, eternal destiny!

Some religions would claim that salvation is found through a prominent religious teacher or leader. Muslims earnestly believe that one must recognize Muhammad as the chief prophet of Allah in order to go to paradise. Millions of Buddhists claim that Buddha found the key to life and that his Four Noble Truths constitute the only way to reach the goal (nirvana). Millions of others look to Confucius as their spiritual teacher and guide. Baha’i followers claim that Baha’u’llah is the last and greatest prophet of God. The Zoroastrians, on the other hand, exalt Zoroaster as God’s special prophet. Millions more believe that the answer to life’s dilemma is found through a certain avatar or incarnation of Vishnu, such as Krishna or Rama. Hinduism teaches that there were three manifestations of Brahman, namely Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva; however, there are an additional 330 million other gods! Other world religions also claim to be the way of spiritual enlightenment. This would include the Jains, Mandeans, Shintoists, Sikhs, and others. Orthodox Judaism would claim that obedience to the Hebrew Torah and religious traditions is the way to please God.

Certain cults or religious movements of Christendom say that the way to heaven is through a prominent teacher, prophet, or leader and his special teachings. Mormons look to Joseph Smith as their prophet and his writings, including The Book of Mormon. Christian Science is based on Mary Baker Eddy and her work, Science and Health. Seventh-Day Adventists claim that Ellen G. White is their latter-day prophetess and look to her writings as inspired and authoritative teaching from God. Roman Catholicism is committed to the so-called Pope as the world-wide head of the earthly people of God, one who can communicate God’s message infallibly and authoritatively. Additionally, traditional Catholicism teaches that one approaches the Lord Jesus through the mediation and intercession of Mary, His earthly mother.

Other religious organizations have looked to certain leaders and their writings as the sole way to heaven. One cult, the so-called Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim that Charles Taze Russell discovered the truth of God and that salvation is found, not in the person of Christ alone, but in their "organization" that supposedly teaches exclusive truth. Numerous other groups, movements, and cults have followed an authoritarian, charismatic human leader, thinking that salvation was to be found in him or her or through his or her divine "revelations." Among these would be Jim Jones, Father Divine, Moses David (David Berg), Ezekiel Ataucusi (in Peru), Herbert W. Armstrong, Mark and Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Guru Maharaj Ji, Paul Twitchell, Roy Masters, Witness Lee, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Sai Baba, L. Ron Hubbard, Emanuel Swendenborg, Sun Myung Moon, Victor Paul Wierwille, Hobart Freeman, William Branham, and others.

Even in professing Christian circles, many have denied that Jesus is the sole, indispensable means of salvation. There are supposedly many ways to God. Universalism teaches that all people will go to heaven, regardless of what they believe or how they live. The Masonic organization (as well as Eastern Star) claims that wisdom may be found in many different sources and in different religions, and that Jesus Christ is not the only way of salvation. An increasingly popular contemporary view (the so-called "inclusivist" view) says that "good people" from all religions will enter heaven even if they have not personally believed in Jesus. One version of this view says that Jesus died for all people and that everyone benefits from this death whether or not they have ever heard of Him, believed in Him, or followed Him. Still others, such as those influenced by Alcoholics Anonymous, say that people who believe in God "as they understand Him" will be welcomed into heaven without following the Lord Jesus.

All of these diverse views have one thing in common: They do not give the Lord Jesus Christ His rightful place of prominence and fail to recognize that He is the only way of salvation. Most claim that one need not personally, consciously believe in and follow the Lord Jesus in order to be received by God in heaven. It is obvious that God, our Creator and Lord, knows the answer to this controversial issue. In this brief booklet, we cannot deal with all of the positions taken or all of the religions of the world, so we must assume that the reader does recognize the Bible as the true, authoritative, infallible Word of God. With that assumption, let us look at the teaching of Jesus Himself and the inspired words of His followers to discover the truth. This should answer all controversy for those who recognize Jesus as Lord and God (John 20:28), the One who speaks truth (Luke 20:21), and reveals the Word of God (John 12:48-50).

Christ is the Only Way

Jesus allows no other way to God in Heaven. He is the only way to God, the only source of saving truth, and the only means of eternal life. All other ways are false and deceptive.

The two destinies are clear. Either we believe in Jesus as the Son of God and receive life, or we refuse to believe and obey the Son and continue under the wrath of God because of our sin.

Salvation is not found in Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius, Joseph Smith, Zoroaster, or any other human being. It is found alone in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.

Notice that there is only one mediator that can "bridge the gulf" between sinful man and a holy God—it is Jesus Christ!

If one dies in his sins, he can only expect to receive eternal separation from God in the horrible lake of fire. Only by believing in Jesus Christ can we escape this dreadful destiny!

God’s retribution and eternal destruction will come on those who do not have a living relationship with the true God and on those who do not respond to the saving message of Jesus Christ.

The alternatives are clear. Only those who believe in Jesus Christ receive eternal life; those who do not believe in Him stand under the judgment of God.

The truth is simple: those who are in Jesus the Son of God experience eternal life, while those who do not have a saving relationship with Christ do not have eternal life. Regardless of how "good" and "religious" one is, our eternal destiny is in Christ!

Everyone who is in sin will die spiritually and suffer the dreadful eternal death of hell; only those who are in a saving relationship with Christ Jesus will receive eternal life with God.

Instead of thinking that all people on earth will be saved in their ignorance, Jesus said that the good news of salvation must be taken to all. Only those who consciously believe in Jesus and are baptized are given the promise of salvation; all who do not believe in Christ will be condemned.

Jesus tells us that He is the single door of safety and salvation; He is not one door among many.

All of us, because of our sin, deserve the righteous wrath (anger) of God expressed in judgment—but Christ Jesus died to save us from that punishment. Christ is the only means of salvation.

When one does not have Christ, he has no hope since he is separate from God. We may only have a relationship with God through Christ Jesus and His redemptive death for our sins.

Regardless of how religious a person may be, if he refuses to acknowledge Jesus Christ, he will be denied on the Day of Judgment.

Jesus Christ offers eternal salvation only to those who come to Him in true, believing obedience.

& & & & &

Many other passages in the Word of God affirm that Jesus Christ is the one and only way of salvation from sin and eternal life with God (cf. John 6:53-58; Acts 2:38-40; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; 5:9-10; Rev. 3:5 with 20:14-15; 1 Cor. 16:22; 1 John 2:22-23). Let’s summarize some of the reasons why Jesus Christ is the only way to God and eternal life:

From the foregoing truths, we see that Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection, is the only possible way of salvation from sin and way to God in heaven. Further, only through a conscious response of repentant faith, expressed in baptism, can one receive the spiritual blessings of salvation that God bestows. Only those who believe in Jesus as the Son of the living God and experience a living relationship with Him, will be forgiven of their sins and receive eternal life with God. The way of Buddha, Muhammad, Joseph Smith, and every other earthly teacher cannot bring us to God. Those who do not come to God through Jesus Christ alone, will remain in their sins, remain in spiritual death, and remain separated from God for all eternity. Christ is the only way of salvation!

Will you come to Jesus Christ and find your own source of life, your only true security, your inner peace and joy? Be willing to examine this subject more carefully for it is the most important consideration in your life!

Richard Hollerman