John 14:4-6 "And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (5) Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? (6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
This is a great statement of fact and may be difficult to bring to a conclusion
in one devotional writing. Jesus had just told His disciples that He was
going away. He told them He was going to the Father's house. Then He makes the
statement of verse four, (in my words) "you know where I am going and you
know the way." I'm sure more than one was baffled by this statement, but
it was Thomas who spoke up: "Lord, we don't know where you're going and we
surely do not know the way." When Thomas asked this question, he was
thinking in terms of how he would get himself to the destination of which Jesus
spoke.
Quite honestly, people today still think in terms of how they will get
themselves to the destination of which Jesus was speaking. Some think if
they will just keep the law and do the right thing, they will get themselves to
heaven. Some think if they mostly do right, in other words, if their good
outweighs their bad, then they will get themselves to heaven. There are
many different ways that man has devised which he thinks will be
sufficient for him to get to heaven when he dies. Again, they are
thinking in terms of how they can find their own way to that place of eternal
joy and bliss in heaven's glory.
Why did Jesus say He is THE way? There is one major detail that many of
God's people miss in their seeking to understand this great mystery of getting
to heaven when we die. That detail is this: Because of our sin, we were
DEAD in trespasses and sins. We had no ability to do anything of a spiritual
nature that would please God. I pause just now to insert a Scriptural
support of what I just said. "But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)
In reading that entire second chapter of 1 Corinthians, you will see that
the Holy Spirit of God brings us to the place of an understanding concerning
the things of God. When we have thoughts of seeking or trying to please God, it
is the Holy Spirit, not our own ability or works, that has already quickened us
to life. See Ephesians Chapter 2:1-5.
If we were dead in trespasses and sin, there was NO WAY we could bring
ourselves out of that condition. Romans chapter 3 tells us there were none
good, none righteous, none that were able to bring us out of that state because
we were all guilty before God. So, what did God do? He sent THE
WAY. He sent His only begotten Son to come to this earth to die and pay
the penalty of sin for guilty sinners who were unable to bring themselves
out. He sent THE TRUTH. Jesus Christ is the only One Who has ever lived a
life without transgressing the law of God. He lived a perfect, holy, righteous,
sinless life; therefore, He did not earn the wages of sin which is death. He is
TRUTH and that is Truth: He paid the debt in full. His LIFE has now been given
to us. It is only after spiritual life is given that we are able to seek after
the Lord God and that we are able to try to please the Lord God in our everyday
actions. He is indeed the way, the truth, and the life.
There is no other way. There is no other truth. There is no life outside Christ
Jesus, the Lord. Jesus said it and it is settled: "no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me."