This name of God was spoken to Jesus’ disciples to give them hope and clarity as He was going away and He knew they would be confused and even bewildered. He wanted them to know that He was The Way. Given time all would become clear, but Jesus spoke these words in comfort to the disciples as He was preparing them for His death and departure.  Jesus said in John 14:1-4 “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.”   Jesus wanted them to know He was leaving but for them not to fear and know He was going to get a place in heaven ready for them.  Thomas did not understand and questioned Jesus in verse 5, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”  Jesus’ answer is profound and complete.  “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6    He went on to tell Thomas and the others how He and the Father were one and if they had seen Him then they also had see God the Father and knew Him to be true.

What did Jesus mean with His I AM statements?   I am the way– the way to heaven and eternal life,  the way to a relationship with God.   I am the truth– He is the truth of God, the gospel.  He is the Life-He is the giver of life-both physical and spiritual, the one who brings eternal life through faith in Him, the one who provides fullness of life here and now.   The way to God is only through faith in Jesus.   Jesus was God and knew that men would doubt, men would seek to earn their way to heaven, that men would claim they knew another way to get to heaven through faith in another person or things.  Jesus knew what was coming and His answer leaves no room for those thoughts.  He is the only way to God and He knows that way perfectly.   He is the truth of God, the Life giver for now and eternity and the pathway to reach full relationship with God is through Him alone.   Martin Luther had it right in His 5 Solices- Faith Alone, Scripture Alone, Christ Alone, Grace Alone and Glory to God Alone.  Our faith in Jesus rests on His Word, His person and His Work on the Cross on our behalf. 

Paul wanted believers to know Jesus was the only way to God and spoke in Acts 4:12 about this truth. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” One can only be saved by the only one who can save us = Jesus. He was the perfect sacrifice acceptable to God and His blood atones for our sin through our faith in Him. In 1 Timothy 2:5 we read, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” Jesus is the the one who cleanses us and presents us able to stand before God. The only way that can happen is found in Jesus.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can know the way of salvation and relationship with God, experience the fullness of the life He has for me and know as much truth about God as I can absorb. Thank you Jesus for providing a way for all of us to be with God, see His truth and promises of a life worth living now and in the future!

Linda