Today’s Word from Pastor Pastor Jim…
“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
Yesterday, I wrote about the first sentence of this cornerstone teaching of Jesus. Today, we will look at the second sentence. “No one comes to the Father, except through me.” Do I believe that? Does that mean that those who do not confess Jesus Christ as Lord will be destined to spend eternity in a quarantine called hell? Does it mean that Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Atheists will all be turned away from the pearly gates? Fortunately, I am not the gate-keeper.
Let me start by saying, YES, I believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. (It may serve you well to pause and go back to read the daily word from yesterday.) Saying that does not imply in any way that Christianity has a corner on the market of truth. Certainly, there are many philosophies, disciplines, practices, religions, and movements that offer us rich and varied forms of truth. Truth often comes from outside of Christianity. God inspires humans as they seek the truth, and this quest, if they realize it or not, is the pursuit of God. The “truth,” any truth, by definition, can only come from God.
Is salvation and eternal life reserved only for those who have come to understand and confess Jesus as Lord? That is, of course, up to God, but I think not. I think that the Atheist has nothing to fear from God, in this life or the next. I think that the Jew and Muslim have nothing to fear from God in this life or the next. God is love. God consistently tells humans not to be afraid of the one who gave them the gift of life. Perfect love casts out fear. God loves us perfectly; we have no reason to fear God.
So, what of the claim that “no one comes to the Father except by me”? There is only one God. There is only one Savior, and that is Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” Jesus died for the world. The world includes Atheists and Hindus. I believe that God has us covered in the next life. The next life was never dependent upon our works, external righteousness, or a flawless understanding of theology. Most of our intellectual musings will undoubtedly seem laughable in the next life. “For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part, then I will know fully.” I Corinthians 13:12.
Jesus has us covered in the next world; do not worry about life after death. “I came that they (humans) might have life, and have it abundantly.” Jesus cares about your life right now. And the truth, at least a part of the truth, is that our life will be better now, if we live as Jesus taught us.
That is probably enough for today. We are one day closer to the end of this crisis. Be patient, and be safe.
Much love,
Pastor Jim
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