one way – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

Many people wonder, “Why does Jesus have to be the only way to God?”

The short answer: because he said so.

Jesus told the people,

I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. (John 10:1)

There are many people that try to tell us how to go to heaven.

The Pharisees said it was by a rigorous keeping of not only the law, but of the rules and traditions that they held to as well. Even today, many people try to enter heaven through their efforts.

But Jesus tells us that anyone who tries to enter heaven through any other way than the gate, is a thief and a robber.

And not only do they try to grasp what they can never achieve through their own efforts, they will steal your souls and send them to eternal judgment if you follow them. Jesus said,

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10a)

Here, I believe Jesus is talking about the great Thief, Satan. But Satan will use people to try to lead us to spiritual destruction.

This is not to say that these people themselves are aiming to destroy us. Their intentions are generally very good. But they have been deceived themselves, and if we follow them, we’ll follow them right into the pit.

What then is the gate that we are to enter by? Jesus said,

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. (John 10:9)

The picture Jesus gives us here is very interesting.

When a shepherd went out into the field and put the sheep to rest, he would take them to a temporary fold that had only one entrance. And when the shepherd went to sleep, he would sleep right at the entrance. He literally was the gate.

Jesus is saying here that if you want to enter God’s kingdom, if you want to live a life that is truly blessed, it can only come through him. And anyone who tells you different is a thief who will lead you to destruction.

Again, Jesus said,

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10a)

But then, he concludes,

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10b)

Do you want a full life? A complete life? There is only one way. There is only one gate. The only question is, will you use it?

One way

Now we head into the tabernacle itself. The thing that is most interesting to me in its description is the “Holy Place” and the “Most Holy Place.”

In the Holy Place were placed the bread of the Presence, the lampstand, and the altar of incense.

In the Most Holy Place was placed the ark of the covenant. The Most Holy Place was where God was considered to be residing.

But in order to get to the Most Holy Place and into the presence of God, you had to go through the Holy Place. You had to pass by the bread of the Presence and the lampstand.

Both, as we’ve already seen, were symbols of Jesus.

In the same way, Jesus said in John 14:6,

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If we want to see the Father, we must go through him who is the bread of life and the light of the world. There is no other way.

It’s a teaching that many people don’t like.

Why does Jesus have to be the only way? Why can’t there be another way? Why not Buddha? Why not Mohammad? Why not through Hinduism or some other religion?

The reason is because God is holy and we are not.

And as we’ve seen before, in order for unholy people like us to have a relationship with God, our sin must be paid for.

Jesus is the only one who ever did that. He lived a perfect and holy life.

Buddha can’t say that. Mohammad can’t say that. No other person who has ever lived can say this.

And only a perfect, guiltless person could take the punishment for someone who is guilty.

There was a curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy place. The High Priest was the only one who pass through that curtain, and he could do so only once a year.

When he entered, he always did so with an offering of blood to atone for the sin of the people.

But when Jesus died, the writer of Hebrews says that Jesus entered the more perfect tabernacle in heaven with his own blood and atoned for our sin once for all. (Hebrews 9:11-12)

And because of that, the curtain in the earthly temple was torn in two. (Matthew 27:51).

The barrier that stood between God and us was taken down forever, and now we can have a relationship with God.

Buddha never atoned for our sin. Neither did Mohammad or any other religious leader.

Because of that, it is only through Jesus that people can come to God.

Do you want to know God? Then you need to pass through Jesus. He is the bread of life. He is the light of the world. And most importantly, he is the only way to the Father.