Why Jesus Is The Only Way

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Jesus claimed that He was the way. He claimed that He was the truth. He claimed to be God. Up in smoke goes the theory that Jesus was just like Mohammad, or Buddha. No, Jesus was either who He said He was or He was a raving lunatic.

I am going to come at this from a different angle then you are used to. God is perfectly just. If He were not, He could not rightfully judge the world. When any person goes against what he or she knows to be right, that person is a transgressor and a debt is incurred. Every time a person sins, there is a payment owing. The payment owing, is to God because He is the judge and sin is extremely expensive. So expensive in fact that God requires something very precious indeed for that sin, and payment will and must be made to satisfy justice. God requires blood for sin. That is the currency that God works with. But you say, "That is sick, why would God require something so vulgar for sin?" We humans in this world and in this society especially have become so hardened by our own sin and the sin around us, that we don't see the severity of it. The Mayan's understood. Tribes that have no contact with modern civilization understand. They would and do sacrifice animals and drink the innocent blood to atone for their sin. Some like the Mayan's sacrificed their children draining their blood out to satisfy the gods. Some tribes took their infant children and threw them into the mouths of crocodiles and the blood would stain the water satisfying the gods for one more year and the people would rejoice. These people went about it all wrong but they understood that their sin required payment and that payment was innocent blood. In modern civilization we just keep sinning until the guilt becomes unbearable turning instead to alcohol, drugs, antidepressants to battle the guilt, pain and misery we feel until finally we end up in a mental hospital or commit suicide.

So herein lies the problem. Our sin is not being dealt with, and we just continue breathing God's good clean air like everything is OK. We keep living in sin with our backs to God, mocking Him, shaking our fist at Him, blaming Him for all our problems. All the while, the payment that is required continues to grow as our sin grows, along with God's wrath, that is like a fist ready smash the ungodly heathen that continue to follow their lusts as though there were no God. The only reason He has not destroyed the whole human race is because of His goodness and longsuffering. But it's not OK! Justice must and will be served! It will either be our blood that is shed and our souls flung into hell, or someone else that takes our place. Those are the only options. Telling God you're sorry isn't good enough, being a member of a certain denomonation won't cut it with God. It doesn't mean "jack" to Him. Praying a prayer, getting baptized, dressing modestly, being a good person won't satisfy justice. Payment MUST be made and only blood will do! You see, the life is in the blood. That is why it is so valuable. Our sin is so horrible, that God cannot justly allow us into His presence. We cannot get to heaven without blood atoning for our sin. No matter how good we are. Mother Teresa, the pope, little old baptist grannys, preachers, priests, atheists, teachers, presidents, princes, and kings... All under the penalty of sin. (For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God)

So you think that you're a pretty good person. Not according to God. According to God all people have been declared GUILTY. Everyone deserves the fires of hell for eternity. Everyone deserves to have their blood shed for the sins they committed. Everyone deserves to die on a cross like Jesus. Everyone deserves to have the awesome wrath of God punish them forever.

But here is the good news. While we were yet sinners, even before we were born, God commended His love towards us and came to this earth in a body just like ours. His name was Jesus and He lived sinless. He lived perfect. He lived the life that we didn't. And He died on a cross where He shed His blood that was worth more than all the sins of the world put together. It was worth enough that it could pay God for all the sin from the first person Adam, til the last person that will ever be born. "Why?" You ask. Because He was not only a man with a man's body, He was God with eternal life. He had to be, so that the payment would be sufficient. It was and God accepted the blood of Jesus for our sin.

The thing is, if we die we still go to hell. So what makes this blood atonement effectual for us? Going to church and wearing the right clothes? Being "good Christians?" No. God says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved". He promises. This salvation that Jesus secured for us is entirely objective. The blood is real. The cross is real. The payment was made and justice was served. Jesus took the full brunt of God's wrath. He paid it all. There is no reason for anyone to die and go to hell. But if you insist on clinging to your sin and your righteousness, that is where you will go. No doubt about it. Count your righteousness but dung and believe that Jesus paid it all. Jesus is our only hope. Faith in His blood is our only chance. There is no other.