Who Is Jesus? (8) The Way, the Truth, and the Life

WHO IS JESUS?

(8) THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE!

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14: 6

Home missionary, Pastor Audred Spriensma

THE COMFORT OF HIS OWN

Jesus has announced to his disciples his upcoming death. He will be leaving them. The disciples are troubled. Jesus comforts them. What was their and what is our comfort?

There is given a five-fold comfort for our heart trouble. There is comfort in believing in the Lord Jesus. There is the comfort in the knowledge that the Father’s house will be our eternal home. We have the comfort in what Jesus had done and is now doing to secure our welcome there. What a comfort to know that Jesus is coming to receive us to himself. We will be with Jesus forever. We are comforted and cheered by these precious words.

Jesus told his disciples that they knew where he was going, and they knew the way. One of his disciples, Thomas said, “We do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?” To this, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

JESUS IS THE WAY

Jesus is drawing a picture. A “way” is literally a ‘road’, a travelled path. The Bible tells us that there are two paths: a broad way that leads to destruction and hell, and a narrow way that leads to life (Matt. 7:13, 14). The broad way is the way of delusion, sin, and error. Many are travelling on that broad way. We read in Prov. 14:12 of the way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end therof are the ways of death. Rom.3:13, “They are all gone out of the way.”

Over against that broad way is the narrow path. When Jesus says that he is the way, he means that he is the blessed way to his Father and the Father’s house of many mansions. A house speaks of closeness, friendship, and fellowship. Children living with father and mother experience their love, care, and protection. Jesus declares that he is the way to this Father and to this heavenly home.

The sinner cannot come to God, but God in the person of Jesus, has come to sinners. Jesus is not merely the guide to show people the path that they ought to walk. He is himself the way to the Father.

Notice, Jesus is the way. That means he is the only way. It is not by human philosophies; it is not by works that we perform; neither is it by other teachers or leaders. Jesus is the way because he is the Savior. The road to heaven is shut and barred for us human beings because of our sin. We turned our backs and walked away from God. The road was closed; the path was shut.

But God provided the way for us to come back to him and his house above. That way is his Son, Jesus. Jesus came down to our sinful existence and suffered and died to save us, and give us life. This was the path that Jesus was on when he spoke to his disciples of the necessity of his coming death and leaving them.

JESUS IS THE TRUTH

Jesus is the Way because he is the Truth. This means that he is the true way, the sure way to the Father and to heaven. He is not a false way. He will not mislead us. Believing in Jesus, one will come to the Father. This is the truth!

Adam believed the lie of Satan. Ever since, humans grope in darkness and error. Therefore they are alienated from God and in darkness. “The way of the wicked is darkness; they know not at what they stumble (Prov. 4:19).” Romans 3:11 states that there is none that understands. Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth.” Today many believe that there is no absolute truth. There are many different teachings, and they all can teach us things. But truth is not found in philosophies but in a person. Jesus says, “I am the truth.” Jesus reveals God and exposes man. Jesus says, “He who knows and sees me knows and sees also the Father. How is this?

Jesus is God. Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, is one with the Father and the Spirit. The words that Jesus speaks were not merely his own words, but the Words of the Father who dwells in Jesus. It is God the Father who does the wonderful works that Jesus performed. He healed the sick and the lame, gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead to life. It is God in his Son Jesus doing these physical miracles which point to spiritual blessings. He saves!

Lost in the lies of sin, we need Jesus, the Truth. Jesus is the revelation of all the truth that is found in God because he is God. Jesus is the revelation of the truth of the Father and of heaven. Jesus is the revelation of the truth concerning ourselves as sinners. Jesus is the revelation of the only way of salvation which is found in him. Only in Jesus can we be delivered from the lie and know the true way to the Father.

JESUS IS THE LIFE

Jesus is “the resurrection and the life.” This means that he has life in himself because he is the Son of God. That life is eternal fellowship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is also the power and source of life to us, who were dead in sin. We were separated from God, on the path that leads to death and hell. When Adam and Eve listened to the lie of the Devil, they and all their children died. (“The day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die.”) They died spiritually. They had no love for the things of God. They were not concerned with the glory of God. They were dead to heavenly life. Does that describe you? It describes every person apart from Jesus.

But Jesus is the life. Jesus is the One in whom everlasting life is found. Jesus is the One in whom life with God is restored. How is it restored? Jesus on the cross entered the path of death and overcame it. He lay down his life and took it back up again. That life he now gives to all that believe on him. We read in John 5:24 that one who believes in Christ has passed from death into life.

Unless Jesus returns first, we all face the last enemy of death. That is physical death. But the life that Jesus gives is spiritual life, knowing God and his Son Jesus Christ. We read in John 17, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

Jesus gives that life to us by his Holy Spirit. This causes us to believe on Jesus. This is eternal life: life that is unending. Though our bodies undergo physical death by old age, sickness, or an accident, our souls continue to live. Jesus receives us into heaven. And when our bodies our raised at Jesus’ second coming, body and soul we will live forever with Jesus.

Jesus is God. Because he is the way and the truth, he is the life. He is life in himself and life to those who believe on him. Is he your life?

NO OTHER WAY TO THE FATHER

Is there no other way? No! There simply is no other way to come to the Father and to enter his heavenly house than by Jesus. There is one, and only one, road to the Father. There is only one path to heaven. Outside of Jesus, there is no way to the Father. Outside of Jesus, there is no salvation. He is the only Savior!

Jesus makes that clear when he says, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This is important to know. Many are promoting other roads for salvation and eternal life. Some believe in path of good works that they perform. Others talk of their own will. They believe that they are saved by their choosing Christ. Still others believe that the road to heaven is paved by being the best or kindest, loving person.

There are also the many different religions and cults of the world promoting their gods. Can the world’s other religions save? Sad to say, there are those who teach that there are many roads to heaven and life. This is called ‘pluralism’. Jesus is said to be just one of many ways to get to God and to heaven. Others can get there by a different route. But this is not true. We read in Acts 4:12 that there is no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved than the name of Jesus. This truth is offensive to many. But it is the Word of God. God cannot lie.

It is a narrow way, and few walk it. But all who possess true faith in Jesus come to the Father and are saved.