Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Jesus Christ is the only way anyone is going to Heaven. Period. That’s a very bold statement, but it’s true. Jesus tells us that no one comes to the Father without going through the Son.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
How can Christians claim that Jesus is the only way? Isn’t that closed-minded? No, saying Jesus is the only way to Heaven is not closed-minded. It is straight-and-narrow minded. If you have a building or shed on your property that only has one door, is it closed-minded to say there is only one way to get into that building or shed? Nope, that’s just saying the truth. There is only one path to Heaven. That path is open and available to every person. It’s up to us individually as to whether we believe in God’s plan of salvation.
John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
We know that every human suffers from sin. We’re born into it. We’re sinful by nature thanks to Adam and Eve way back in the Garden of Eden. We, the human race, have a desperate sin problem. Unfortunately for us, sin has a price that we just can’t afford to pay. We’ll never be able to pay our sin debt on our own.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God, who created Heaven, Earth, and everything in them, is a Holy God. When He created everything, He said “It is good”. What God created was perfect. Once Adam and Eve sinned, God’s creation was no longer perfect. He said it was cursed. God still loved the human race that He created though. He loved us so much that He implemented His rescue plan. Someone had to die to pay for our sin. Someone had to be held accountable.
When we get saved and we ask God to forgive us of our sins, God doesn’t just pat us on the head and say “Ok. I forgive you”, while winking at us. Nope. We have sin in us. Sin can not enter into Heaven. The sins we’ve committed must be paid for. Either we have to die for them (which means spending eternity in Hell), or someone else must die for them. Do you know anyone willing to die for your sins? Even if you could find someone willing to pay for your sins, guess what? They can’t because they have their own sin debt that must be paid. What a hopeless predicament we are in.
So, how can Jesus pay my sin debt? Jesus, being the Son of God, doesn’t have any sin of His own. He is the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins because He never sinned, not one time, while He lived on Earth.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Jesus took our place when He died on the Cross. God is now satisfied that our sin debt has been paid. We are now considered righteous. Jesus shed His blood for us. We don’t have any righteousness of our own. The Bible tells us that our righteousness is as filthy rags. The only righteousness we have is the righteousness that Jesus gives us.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
But, if Jesus died for my sins, how can His death pay for the sins of other believers? Not only did Jesus live a perfect, sinless life as a man on Earth, but He was also divine. Jesus was born of a virgin, Mary. God is Jesus’ father. God knew exactly what was needed to pay for the sins of everyone who believes. The key here is “everyone who believes”. It’s a faith thing. The apostle Paul explains it this way:
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Do you know how many different religions there are in the world? I don’t. It’s safe to say there is an abundance of religions. No other religion gives full assurance of salvation. Other religions are based on good works, or the ability to be “good enough” on our own. Even then there is no security. What if you don’t perform “good enough”. Spoiler alert, we can never perform “good enough”. Remember, sin is sin. All sin requires payment, and that payment is death.
When we put our trust in Jesus, and His sacrifice for us, we are justified. What does justified mean? It means just-if-I’d never sinned.
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
We are reconciled to God the Father. The relationship He had with mankind, you know, the relationship that Adam and Eve destroyed in the garden, is now put back in place. We have access to our Heavenly Father any time, anywhere.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus is the only way to Heaven. Period. He’s the Savior of the world. He’s the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, our Best Friend, our Shepherd, our King, our Lord, and so much more. I wanted to leave you with the following passage of scripture from the Old Testament. This was written about the death of Jesus about 750 years before it happened:
Isaiah 53
1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
I hope you all have a great week! Lord-willing next week we’ll discuss Baptism. Please leave a comment if you have any questions. Keep on Keepin’ on For Jesus!
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