The Only Way

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

– Acts 4:12

We live in a nation that’s blessed with choices. Need a cellphone? There are dozens of companies offering popular devices from Apple, Samsung, Google, and many others. Well-stocked supermarkets may offer 10 or more brands of bottled water. And if you’re looking for entertainment, Netflix, Apple TV, and Hulu have a program or movie for just about everyone — from cartoons to romantic comedies to horror flicks. Then there’s that online global marketplace, Amazon.com. According to the BigCommerce website, Amazon is where you’ll find your choice of more than 350 million different products!

Since choice has long been popular in America, it’s no surprise that there are also multiple options for religion. Like the sandwich items posted on a fast-food menu board, there's something for every taste and preference. And furthering the confusion is that many self-described experts assure us that whichever one we choose, it really doesn't really matter — just so long as we’re sincere in our beliefs and it makes us happy. After all, one person's truth isn't someone else's. It's all relative. And we're all worshipping the same god anyway. Right?

Not really! The Bible tells us that Jesus made some startling claims that clearly contradict today’s easy-going take on faith. And he also backed them up. For example, Scripture accurately predicted Jesus' birth — even the name of the tiny village where it would happen — centuries before the fact. And in Christ's brief time on earth, he proved himself as the Son of God by curing the sick, raising the dead, forgiving sins, and being a living sacrifice to pay the price for the sins of the world. His resurrection from the grave (also as he predicted) proved his power over death. And 2,000 years later, Jesus' words continue to change lives and make an eternal difference.

"I am the vine; you are the branches," we read in John's gospel. "If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Many people — even those who aren't Christ-followers — agree that Jesus was a "good" man and a "wise" teacher. But the hot button question is whether or not he's really the only way to God. The short answer is ...YES! Jesus declares that no one can come to the Father (God) except through him. But that's a claim that makes people uncomfortable these days. It's an assertion of exclusivity. And many would call it intolerant.

Or maybe it's not quite so exclusive after all. Jesus' death and resurrection make it possible for anyone to have eternal life, and no one who wants a new life through the Savior is turned away. And unlike manmade religions, the way to God isn't about keeping certain rules, saying special prayers, or eating (or not eating) particular foods. Instead, being a Christ-follower is about having a personal relationship with him, accepting what he accomplished for us through his death, and letting him live through us. Without faith in Jesus, we can’t please God. 

By some counts, there are today about 20 different major world religions plus thousands of related beliefs and their offshoots. And they all have something in common: their emphasis on doing. But Christianity — the simple faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior — is instead about what's been done. We can't earn our salvation or perform enough good deeds to earn our way to God's favor. Christ has already done it — and paid it in-full through his crucifixion. All we need to do is come to him in faith.  

"It is finished!" Jesus proclaimed as he hung from the cross to save you and me. It was the only way.