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The Gospel of John, The Period of Conference, Conference With the Disciples, Part XIX, John 14:5,6 - Lesson 127
Read Verses John 14:5,6 for review: Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Last week we discussed what it means when Jesus said he is the way to the Father.
It means exactly what it says.
There are no alternate ways to God.
It is so ordained and it will always be true because truth said it and truth always speaks truth.
And Jesus Christ is the truth.
We said last week that this means that anything, any dogma, any religion, any philosophy, every scientific, political or social theory that does not match up to Jesus Christ will ultimately prove itself false.
Jesus Christ is the standard that all must be measured against.
Man loves and desires to invent what he calls truth but whatever comes from the mind of man apart from Jesus Christ is a false and dark way.
Jesus Christ is not only the way to the Father, Jesus Christ is not only the truth of the Father but he is also the life of the Father.
By him all things consist.
By him do all things have life.
Without him nothing has life.
Christ is the life of this way.
He is the animating motive power by which we come to the Father, because he is life.
Without life imparted to us he is still the way to the Father, without life imparted to us he is still the truth of the Father.
But without life imparted to us we would not be able to go to the Father.
So he tells us that he is life, he is the motivating power by which we are able to come to the Father.
Without life, without Christ we are dead and unable to know the way.
We are unable to know truth.
So by Christ and Christ alone we know the way, we know truth, and we are given life.
That is why he can say with the authority of the Father that: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Is there another Christ?
Is there another who is the way to God?
Is there another who in his person is the truth of God?
Is there another who imparts life so that man can now know the Father?
Religions of the world pretend to know.
Religions of the world offer detailed directions.
They offer sets of instructions to get to the Father.
They say follow these roads, follow these steps, and you will get to the Father.
By your works you will get to the Father.
But Jesus Christ says no!
All of these directions to the Father are apart from him and they are false because the Father only reveals himself to us through his Son, Jesus Christ.
He does not reveal the way to him apart from Jesus Christ.
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
It is impossible to come to the Father except by the way to the Father and that way is Jesus Christ!
There is no other way!
There is no other life giver, no other truth, no other way to the Father but Jesus Christ himself!
You come to the Father by the way of the cross or you don't come at all.
Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus!
These are the terms of God's mercy.
Take it or leave it!
God says it! That settles it! |