Jesus said that He is the only way to heaven, is that true?

Commentary By:  Gordon King

John 14:6

‘Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” ‘

Is this true?  Is Jesus really the only way to heaven?

Matthew 7:13-14

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.“

I believe that there are many Christians out there who don’t believe that this is the truth!  They believe that there are many roads which lead to heaven.  They feel that Jesus is the way for them, but what the heck, if other people believe in other ways which lead to heaven, than why should they even care?  Does it matter?  Should it matter?

Right this very moment we are living in a world which makes claims that there are many ways to heaven, and even go as far to say that “all” ways lead to heaven!  Oprah Winfrey is a big fan of this train of thought, and teaches millions that this is the truth, while at the same time she claims to be a Christian.

So as a Christian, as a believer in the word of God, the bible, should we hold fast to the statement made by Jesus Christ Himself in John 14:6?  Or are we being intolerant of other religions, of other world views?  Should we be more accepting of other religions who claim that they are the only way to heaven?

Isn’t it funny in a curious way, that Christians are being attacked for believing in “one way to heaven”?  When in fact, most other religions believe the same thing!

First of all I would like to say that if you are a born-again, bible believing follower of Jesus Christ, then you should believe what the bible says to be the inerrant word of God Himself!

2 Timothy 3:16-17

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.“

You got that!  “All” scripture is “God-breathed”!  That means that “all” of it is the truth, from God Himself!  And if this is so, then we need to believe all of it to be the truth.

Acts 4:8-12

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹ If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹ Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.’

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.“

Once again scripture tells us that salvation is only found in Jesus Christ, no one else!

We can only be saved by God, not by man, and Jesus Christ was both God and man!  Jesus tells us Himself that He is God!  While He did not come out and say “I am God”, He did tell us that He is God, and so does scripture.

John 1:1

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:14

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 10:30

“I and the Father are one.”

John 8:58

‘Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” ‘

John 20:28

‘Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ‘

2 Peter 1:1

“Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:”

Hebrews 1:8

‘But of the Son he says,  “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.” ‘

The scriptures are very clear on telling us that Jesus Christ is God!  I have only given a few verses above, there are many more, including Old Testament prophecies regarding the birth of Jesus, His life and His death.  They could only refer to one man, the God-man Jesus Christ!

So if we are believers in Jesus Christ, then we must also believe in His word, the bible.  We must believe the whole thing, not just bits and pieces of it to fit our life style and our mood!  Not to conform to the ways of man and the world, but to conform ourselves into the likeness of Christ!  If what the bible tells us is not the whole truth, then are we truly saved?  If Jesus said that He is the only way and He is not, then Christianity is a lie!  This is why its so important to believe the entire word of God!

Jesus Christ claimed to be God.  So, either He is God, or He is a liar!  Or else He was a mad man claiming to be God.  And if He was either a liar or a mad man, then tell me how He could have fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophecies about Himself, which were written hundreds of years before His birth?!  And tell me why hundreds of people who saw Him raised from the dead would remain faithful and true to Him, even in the face of death?!

Jesus Christ has more written about Him than any other person in history!  There is more documented proof of the life of Jesus then any one else, period!  Even unbelievers around the time of Jesus documented the miracles which He performed, the crucifixion, and the conversion of thousands of unbelievers.  Check it out yourself, research ancient historians who documented the life and death of Jesus Christ.

Some ancient historians who documented such things are: Josephus (37-101AD), Thallus (52AD), Tacitus (56-120AD), Mara Bar-Serapion (70AD), Phlegon (80-140AD), and Celsus (175AD) a Greek philosopher and opponent of Christianity.

“And with regard to the eclipse in the time of Tiberius Caesar, in whose reign Jesus appears to have been crucified, and the great earthquakes which then took place … ” (Origen Against Celsus, Book 2, Chapter 33)  Phlegon (80-140AD)

“Jesus, while alive, was of no assistance to himself, but that he arose after death, and exhibited the marks of his punishment, and showed how his hands had been pierced by nails.” (Origen Against Celsus, Book 2, Chapter 59)  Phlegon (80-140AD)

“Jesus had come from a village in Judea, and was the son of a poor Jewess who gained her living by the work of her own hands. His mother had been turned out of doors by her husband, who was a carpenter by trade, on being convicted of adultery [with a soldier named Panthéra (i.32)]. Being thus driven away by her husband, and wandering about in disgrace, she gave birth to Jesus, a bastard. Jesus, on account of his poverty, was hired out to go to Egypt. While there he acquired certain (magical) powers which Egyptians pride themselves on possessing. He returned home highly elated at possessing these powers, and on the strength of them gave himself out to be a god.”  Celsus (175AD)

“It was taught: On the day before the Passover they hanged Jesus. A herald went before him for forty days (proclaiming), “He will be stoned, because he practiced magic and enticed Israel to go astray. Let anyone who knows anything in his favor come forward and plead for him.” But nothing was found in his favor, and they hanged him on the day before the Passover. (b. Sanhedrin 43a)  Jewish Talmud (400-700AD)

The point is, if you are a Christian, then you should believe in the bible, the entire bible!  All of it true, none of it contradictory to itself.  You should believe that Jesus Christ is God!  You should believe that He died on the cross and arose from the dead after three days!  And you should believe that Jesus Christ is the “Only” way to heaven!

John 3:16-17

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.“

Jesus Christ lived, He performed miracles, He was hung from a cross and died, He arose from the dead after three days!  There is documented proof of all this, even from unbelievers! 

If we believe that there is more way to heaven than by Jesus Christ, then Jesus was a liar!  But, if Jesus is God then He is all-knowing, and unable to lie!  Therefore, if we believe that Jesus Christ is God, that He is our Savior, then we must also believe everything written in the bible!  Jesus Christ is God!  He is the only way to heaven, there is no other way!  All other ways are false and a deception from Satan himself!

Satan is a great deceiver!  And remember what scripture tells us, he is able to transform himself into an angel of light!  Satan is not the only one to be able to do this, so are his angels, demonic spirits!  They are all created beings, and they all have the same abilities.  They will come dressed as light, appearing godly, but beware, for they are really ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing!

2 Corinthians 11:14

“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”

Satan uses “religion” as a ploy, as a deception and distraction from the truth.  This is how he enables people to further distance themselves from God!  It’s nothing new, it’s been happening since the fall of Adam and Eve, do this, worship this other god, follow these other beliefs, perform this work, and you too shall get to heaven!  And he shall use political correctness as a weapon, attacking true believers for standing firm in their faith.  Making it appear that all ways lead to heaven, that all religions are actually the same.

If you are a born-again Christian, then you should believe all of what the bible says to be the truth!  All of it!  Jesus Christ is God, He was crucified and died on the cross, He was buried and resurrected after three days, He ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father!  He is the “only” way to heaven, period!

I speak these words not to offend, not to condemn, but to share the truth, in love and forgiveness.  There are those who condemn Christianity without even giving a moment of their time into researching the life and death of Jesus Christ!  They just believe that they are right, that their worldly ways and human wisdom is greater than God Himself.  Shouldn’t we all take the time to at least make sure that Jesus is not God, before we commit our eternal destination to destruction?!  Most of us put more time and effort into researching a new car, then we do our eternal destiny.  What a shame!

Ask yourself this question if you don’t yet believe in Jesus Christ, “Am I feeling convicted of my sin?”, “When I hear talk of Jesus Christ, do I feel guilty inside?”, “Do I get nervous around Christians?”   If you can honestly say yes to any of these questions, then maybe God is trying to tell you something!

Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!

God bless my friends!  Maranatha!