Door to salvation – Fearless Living

Jesus spoke these words in comfort to the disciples as He was preparing them for His death and departure. Some of the most comforting words Jesus spoke come in John 14:1-4 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ²In 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? ³And 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. ⁴And 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 statement? 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 not 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. Thank you Jesus.

Have a blessed day as you ponder the narrowness of the Way to God but also the broadness of it’s extent. Not one is excluded from coming to Him. All can come to Him in faith and will be saved. His arms are wide open to everyone of faith.

Linda

Many translations use the word gate instead of door, but the sheep pen used by shepherds was a rock enclosure with only 1 gate or door into the pen. They would sleep at the door preventing anyone or thing from entering and harming their sheep. This is a wonderful picture of Jesus as our protector or guardian of our safety. One we are in his ‘pen’ no one or nothing can ever take us away from Him.

Jesus adds to this idea of guardian by saying He is the door. John 10:7 -9 “⁷So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” When we accept Jesus into our life we have entered by the door- the only door to salvation. Act 4:12 confirms this truth, “¹²And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Many might say there are many ways to be saved, many doors or gates but Jesus is emphatic that He is the only true door to salvation. He warns that others -thieves and robbers have or will come, but He admonishes us to not listen to their lies and depend upon Him for salvation.

Why choose Jesus? His door leads to love, compassion, freedom from sin, an inheritance sealed with by the Holy Spirit, life eternal, …. the benefits are many for those that choose to enter into a relationship with Jesus. He is the only one who can redeem us from our sin-filled state of being, Romans 5:8-9 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” Meditate upon His goodness and love for you today and His mercy in loving you even when you still in sin- He sent Jesus to redeem you! Praise God!