By Steve Greene
Christianity is unique from the religions of the world.
Christianity cannot be reconciled with any other religion. No other religion backs up its truth claims with the credentials and credibility of Jesus Christ.
That’s why when Jesus said he is the way, the truth and the life, you can believe it. He is the one who opens the door to a renewed and restored relationship with our heavenly father.
That is the message found in John 3:16-17: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him.”
God is on our side. Some find that hard to believe, but it is the truth, based on the evidence. He sent his son to rescue and redeem us, not condemn us. Every person will be judged by a just God who will judge us according to what we do with what we know.
Paul told us we are all guilty of sin in Romans 3:23: “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Three chapters later, in Romans 6:23, Paul goes on to say the price tag on our sin is death.
Apart from the payment that Jesus made on the cross, none of us stand a chance of getting off death row. People will be denied admittance into heaven because they have chosen to live their lives apart from God. And on judgment day, God will grant them their desire once and for all, not just for the day but for all eternity.
God will never violate our will. He will not force himself upon anyone. If you desire to live without him, you have the capacity to make that decision. But don’t blame God for honoring your wishes. God desires a close personal relationship with you and me.
Think about that. No matter what you have done…and no matter what you have been…whoever you are, God desires a relationship with you. That is such an amazing and profound truth. He made a way for that relationship to happen. And now, it is up to us to respond to his invitation.
What will you do about Jesus’ outrageous claim that he is the way, the truth and the life? Next time, we’ll explore five possible responses to Jesus’ claim.