John: Believe I AmSample

I am the way, the truth, and the life | John 14:6

John 14:6 is a famous and culturally controversial message of Christianity and it makes people pretty uncomfortable. Why? It’s exclusive! Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Not, a way, a truth, a life. No, He says, “ No one comes to the Father except through me.” But can Jesus really say and mean that He is the only way?

Well, He does. And He is. And here’s why it’s actually a good thing. If there were many ways to God, Jesus did not have to come, and He did not have to die. But Scripture tells us there was no other way. Jesus had to go to the cross. And when He did, He demonstrated His love for you and for me. There has never been a greater sacrifice than Jesus laying down His life for us because He didn’t just experience death, He experienced the wrath of God that we deserved for our sin for now and for forever. This is why, if we lose the exclusivity of Christ and Jesus is not the only way, the only truth, the only life, we lose everything.

But because Jesus did go to the cross, you and I and everyone we know are invited into the forgiveness and love of God. Full forgiveness. Full acceptance. Full love. So really, Jesus being the way, truth, and life is actually the most inclusive and inviting truth you could imagine.

And it’s tempting to hear this “I am” statement from Jesus, and think it’s simply theology. Or for evangelism. We hear it, we memorize it, and we move on. But the reality is, we need this truth every day. It’s our freedom!

Here’s why. It is so easy to drift into thinking that God accepts us based on what we do versus what He has done for us. Let me give you a real example. How often are you tempted to believe that God loves you more on the days you perform well for Him (read your Bible, pray, etc.)? Or, maybe, you’ve said, “I know God forgives me, but I just can’t forgive myself.”

The sweet and liberating truth is that Jesus is the way. There is nothing we can do to work our way up to God. To be in God’s presence requires perfection because He is perfect and holy. You see, one sin, one negative thought, word, deed, or even attitude disqualifies us from a relationship with God on our own. But we aren’t perfect. Of course, we are not perfect. The only WAY we can experience eternal life is by turning from ourselves as a source of salvation and turning to Jesus Christ and to Him alone. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). We’re invited to believe in Him, we don’t have to trust ourselves to be enough, to do enough to get to Him. He came to us.

When you think about Jesus as the way, truth and life, I hope it reminds you that you don’t have to be the way, figure out all the truth on your own, or bring life to everyone including yourself. And you don’t have to be. We rest in what God has done for us and then overflow His life through us toward others. We receive His grace and, yes, that is humbling. We can rejoice and live freely in it because we are fully loved, fully accepted, fully forgiven in Him!

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You that You are the way, the truth, and the life. Because You are the way we do not have to be. We simply put our faith and trust in You and receive Your grace, Your unmerited favor in our lives. Thank You for making it available to all of us, daily. Will You make us aware of the places we’re still trying to earn Your love? Thank You for your invitation to follow Your way, to know the Truth, and to experience life in Your name. Amen.