Is Jesus the Only Way to God?
An idea that is becoming increasingly popular to believe today is that the
sincere Moslem, Buddhist, Hindu, Jew, and Christian are all worshipping the same
God, just by different names. Therefore, they are all acceptable unto God, with
or apart from faith in Jesus. In the old movie "Oh God!" George Burns once
played the role of God. He depicted God as a kindly, but bungling old man. When
asked if Jesus was his Son, he replied that He was, but so was Buddha and
Mohammed. The idea was that they are all paths to the same God. The teachings of
Scripture that Jesus is "the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth" (John 1:17-18) has, more often than not, been pushed aside by Hollywood.
Mainstream America has accepted Hollywood's version rather than the Scriptures
of God.
However, Jesus cannot be simply another pathway to God among many. He, Himself,
does not allow it. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me. " (John 14:6). If what
Jesus said was a lie, then He cannot be a pathway to God at all. If what He said
was true, then He is the only pathway to God. But He cannot be just one pathway
among several. Yes, there are sincere, dedicated worshippers in other religious
faiths than Christianity. And those who understand what Christianity is know
that it never excuses mistreatment of others. All should be treated with respect
and dignity. And no one can be coerced into becoming a disciple of Jesus. It is
a matter of the heart.
But it is still true that any religion that denies that Jesus is the only way to
God stands in direct conflict with Jesus Himself. One might as well call Jesus a
liar as to say that we can come to God in other ways than Him. And it does not
matter how strongly or sincerely I may believe that there are other ways to
heaven. If I strongly and sincerely believe that 1+1=3... it still equals 2. And
Jesus still equals the only way to God. He has to be just that, or He is not a
way at all, and not the Son of God.
But, the resurrection declares Him to be just that: The Son of God (Romans
1:1-3).
By Jon W. Quinn
Front Page
From Expository Files 9.2; February 2002
