exclusivism — Faves of Dave - Bible Study

John 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Jesus has told his disciples that he is going away and they cannot follow him at this time. In this section, he offers them words of comfort. I believe the message is one that should comfort us as well. Just like Jesus’ group of twelve disciples, we’ve learned what Jesus has taught. We’ve been amazed by his miracles. But, when trials come and when death comes, we can become “troubled.”

Jesus understands their concerns and says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” In other words, “Don’t worry!” His next statement, “Believe in God; believe also in me” could be translated “Trust in God and trust in me.” He is not suggesting that he is not God. In fact, I would suggest that he is telling them that his word, ability, and intent are equal with God. The disciples, and ourselves, can trust that Jesus’ promises are true and good.

In verses 2-3 Jesus offers a logical argument that it would not make sense for him to tell them he was preparing a place for them if he were not going to come back and take them to that place. It’s a promise which should encourage them that this separation from him will not be forever.

In verse 4, even though Jesus has said he would return to take them to be with him, he says, “And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas’ response makes a lot of sense to me. It sounds like the same kind of statement I’d make. Essentially, he is saying, “We don’t really know where you are going. So, how could we possibly know how to get to this mystery place.”

Jesus answers this question in reverse. He tells them the way first, then the destination. He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The destination is with God and the way to get there is through Jesus. Notice that Jesus doesn’t say, “I am a way.” Jesus’ claim to be the exclusive “way” to the Father and Heaven is perhaps one of the single most “offensive” tenets of Christianity. But, that’s what the Scriptures record Jesus saying. This is consistent with Jesus’ earlier claim to be the Good Shepherd. Anyone else trying to get into the place of protection and provision any other way than the door to the sheep pen is a “thief and a robber” and is not welcome. (John 10:1) Any perceived ambiguity with Jesus’ saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life” should be cleared with the qualifying statement, “No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Have you ever stopped to ask why that is the case? Is God just being mean? The answer lies in the fact that acting contrary to God’s character and law leads to death. We learn this in the early chapter of the Scriptures. Since the first humans violated God’s law, and the rest of humanity are offspring from those first humans, we are all corrupted by their disobedience and we think, speak, and act in keeping with that brokenness ourselves. But, God doesn’t want us to suffer the eternal death that we deserve through our disobedience. So, Jesus the Son of God who “became flesh,” perfectly obeyed the Father and suffered death on our behalf. Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirement for our sin. He was the only one who could do it since he had no sin himself. The question then is how do we appropriate the benefit of his sacrificial death on the cross? If someone offers you a gift and you refuse to accept it, do you have any benefit from the gift? Of course not. You have not received it. Therefore, it does not benefit you at all. The benefit potential of you trusting in Jesus and his death on the cross is that you are made “right” with God and you have been forgiven of your sins.

Jesus isn’t just the way, and the truth. He is also the life. Jesus conquered death and came back to life and has promised to raise up to eternal life those who have placed their trust in him. The free gift offered to us is eternal life with God and in a relationship with him is no longer corrupted by our rebellious ways. Things will be the way God designed them to be in the beginning of time. Do you want that gift? If not, don’t expect to receive the benefits of the gift if you reject the gift itself.