|
The Way, The Truth, The Life
by mark baker John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2. "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4. "And where I go you know, and the way you know.'' 5. Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?'' 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Jesus said it plainly and to the point so that there could be no mistake about the only way to the Father. He is the way, He is the truth, and He is the Life. There are no other paths that lead to life. Whether we choose to believe this or not is a choice we all must make. New Age religion and modernists say that there are many paths to God. Basically everyone has their own path to take, and regardless of the path it still leads to God. So regardless of the path taken you're going to get to God anyway, so what's the big deal? This is not new, it's been around from the earliest times. Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. A serious warning is being given about choosing our own way. The way that seems right to us in the natural is not the way God has chosen for us. He has chosen the way for us to have life, and we must follow that path in order to get it. Our way regardless of how right it seems will only lead to death, wow! There is something we must also consider. He wants us to have life. He went to great lengths to make His life available to us and He knows the path we have to take to get it. He is admonishing us that there are alternative paths that we could take, but they are not the paths that lead to life. You must know the right path if you are ever going to get to Him. If you don't know the right path then you are simply lost. God wants us to find Him, that's why He gave us the correct path. New age religions are saying that Jesus might be your path and He might not be your path. If this were so, why did Jesus have to come, why did He have to die, why did He boldly declare, I am the way! Peter proclaimed this truth when being questioned by the High priest. Acts 4:10 "let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11. "This is the `stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' 12. "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.'' This is the truth that leads to life and makes men free. I've heard it said by people who probably didn't want to offend anyone that Jesus might be your path but He's only just one of the many paths that lead to God. If Jesus were only one of the many paths then He Himself is lair, for He said it clearly; I am the way. You can not have it both ways. You can not call something the way and it be a lie at the same time. That just doesn't make sense no matter how you look at it. The truth is the truth and that's that. These same people who are saying that Jesus is just one of the many ways to God just simply don't see the contradiction, or are ignoring it. There is a great contradiction here that simply can not be overlooked. Truth is eternal and can not be changed. Again, Jesus said in John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. That's about as clear as you can get. There is something in everyone that is searching for the truth, a deep yearning that can only be filled by finding Truth itself. Nothing else can satisfy that longing. The point is, there is truth, and God has shown us the way. I grew up in a religious background going to church but I found myself looking for something much more than organized religion in and of itself could give. I needed something that was real. I began reading a Bible that we had laying around the house and the more I read it the more I realized I had a giant void in my life. The Holy Spirit began to convict me of my life and showed me the reality of Jesus Christ, and that He was the only way to the Father. I had a decision to make at that point. Once truth is received, you have to do something with it. Truth can not set you free until you act upon it. Truth acted upon brings the reality of the New Creation. John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'' I made the decision to give my life to Jesus, and have never regretted it. What a life changing decision. For the very first time in my life I found peace, a real peace that is truly indescribable. My whole life was changed from the inside out. This was something that religion could not do for me. it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders. This is why many Christians come across as zealots at times, it's because they've found the truth and its made them free! They found the answer to what they had been desperately looking for, not religion, but life in the most real sense of the word. I'm talking about the life of God manifested in you. Once you have been a partaker of the manifested life of God, you know the truth for yourself. You know that you know, and there is no denying it. You know there is no other way. The Holy Spirit will make Jesus so real to you that there will be no question as to what real truth is. Christians who have been partakers of God's life just want others to know that they found the way to this life. Their heart cry is to point the way to One who is the author of this life. They just want others to know here's the way, you don't have to look any longer, maybe not realizing that they are coming across a little harsh. Once you've found the truth you just want to share it, know this same truth that has set them free will work for everybody, after all it was for everybody that Jesus came into the world to give of His life. John 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. And you shall know the truth, and the truth (that you know) shall make you free.'' This is why people have to be told, you can not know until you have heard. Hearing is the first step. Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15. And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'' There is a process we all must take to receive God's wonderful gift of life. We all have to hear the truth and we have to make the decision based upon what we have heard. Going back to Romans 10 starting with vs. 8. we see the direction we have to take in order to receive this awesome gift of life. Romans 10: 8. But what does it say? "The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart'' (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9. that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. 11. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.'' 12. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13. For "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'' I would like to let you know it's never too late to start on this journey. If you have said I am one of those who were burned out by religion and don't want to go down that path again, I can honestly say so was I. If you have found yourself wanting something more but are hesitant to try, then let me encourage you. There is hope and real peace in the Lord Jesus Christ. I would like to invite you to take the next step and invite Jesus into your life. It's a 100% free gift and it's the gift that keeps on giving. God's heart cry is that all will come to Him -- Living Bible Deuteronomy 30:19 ``I call heaven and earth to witness against you that today I have set before you life or death, blessing or curse. Oh, that you would choose life; that you and your children might live! If you're serious and want to experience God's life for yourself, then I urge you to earnestly pray this prayer and invite Him in, and see for yourself that God is good. Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, "and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." (Jn.6:37), So I know You won't cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it. You said in your Word, "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'' (Ro. 10:13). I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now, You also said, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." (Ro.10:9,10). I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, " with the heart one believes to righteousness" and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21), And I am saved! Thank You, Lord! I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God! Glory to God!!!! Amen. I was raised Catholic, and was born again at the age of 17. I received God's call into ministry at the age of 19 and began to prepare for ministry. I graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in 1979. The Lord has called me to teach. My desire is to help all that are seeking the truth to come into a deeper understanding of what God has done for us through Christ Jesus. Olive Branch Ministries is an outgrowth of that desire. Please feel free to visit us for more free studies and resources to help you on your journey. Mark Baker http://www.olivebranchministries.us Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |