TULIP GEMS

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life

 

 

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

 

As noted in a previous article “Yahweh: The Great I AM” God revealed himself to Moses, at the burning bush, as I AM, THAT I AM (Exodus 3:14).

 

Jesus used the same name for Himself in His seven, great I AM statements found in the Gospel of John.  In our July/August 2014 Tulip Gems Issue, we examined John 6:35, where Jesus said, I am the bread of life.

 

In our September/October 2014 Issue, we studied John 8:12, where Jesus said, I am the light of the world.

 

In our November/December 2014 Issue, we considered John 10:9, where our Lord Jesus said, I am the door.

 

In our January/February 2015 Issue, we meditated on John 10:11, where our Lord Jesus said, I am the good shepherd.

 

In our March/April 2015 Issue, looked at John 11:25-27, where our Lord Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life.

 

Now, if the Lord wills, we’d like to take a closer look at our Lord’s sixth great I AM statement, found in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth and the life.

 

To better understand our Lord’s statement, it might be a good idea to read it in context.

 

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

 

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.

 

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:1-6

 

Our Lord Jesus was now at the end of His earthly life and ministry. He knew that He would soon be arrested (later that same night) when He spoke the words above. He would be crucified for our sins on the very next day.

 

He had just told his disciples so. And so it came to pass. His miracles, His matchless teachings, His sinless life, His love for His own had all now been fully manifested.

 

And now, in John 14:1, He tells them to believe in Him as (in the same manner as) they believe in God. This is a claim to Deity.

 

And then, He tells them that He goes to prepare a place for them (in Heaven) and that He will come again and receive them to Himself. And He tells them how to get to Heaven. He gives them the way to Heaven.

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:1-6

 

This is a claim to Deity.

 

Notice the definite article “the” before the words “way”, “truth” and “life”. Jesus is neither merely a way, nor a truth, nor a life. Rather He is the only way, the only truth and the only life.

 

No one comes to the Heavenly Father but by Him. How could it be otherwise when He is our Creator (John 1:1-18 and Hebrews 1:1-4)?

 

How could it be otherwise when He our Redeemer, is the only sinless substitute, acceptable to God, to pay for our sins at the Cross?

 

When Jesus said, “I am the Way” He excludes all other ways. This statement implies that we are lost. We cannot find our way without Him.

 

When Jesus said, “I am the Truth” He excludes all other religions and philosophies. This statement implies that we are in error. We will never know truth without Jesus.

 

When Jesus said, “I am the Life” He excludes all other sources of life. This statement implies that we are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins.

 

Death means separation. In physical death, the soul is separated from the body. In the Second Death, the resurrected body of the damned (along with their cursed soul) will be separated from God and all His blessings forever.

 

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. John 8:24

 

 

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

 

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

 

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:12-15

 

 

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

 

 

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. The sheep hear His voice and follow Him. The will not hear the voice of strangers (false religious teachers) but will flee from them.

 

Our Great High Priest after the order of Melchisidec offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins at the Cross. He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

 

His many miracles of healing were signs that He was, in fact, the promised Messiah. Even more important, His Substitutionary Death for His elect sheep, is a sign that he is the YAHWEH-SHEPHERD David wrote of in Psalm 23.

 

The Hebrew Prophet, Isaiah, foretold Messiah’s Substitutionary Death, in our place, for our sins, in Isaiah 53.

 

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

 

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

 

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Isaiah 53:4-7

 

God accepted His sacrifice, in our place, for our sins. We know this because God had raised Him from the dead, physically, visibly, bodily.

 

There were over 500 witnesses to His resurrection. Some later sealed their testimony with their own blood, rather than deny our Lord Jesus.

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

 

Biblical Christianity is an exclusive “religion.” It is not just one of many, equally valid religions or philosophies of life. Rather, it condemns all other religions as false!

 

To this agree the words of the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul:

 

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12

 

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 1 Timothy 2:5

 

This is why all other religions hate and persecute Bible-believing Christians.

 

Christ told His disciples to believe in Him. Do you believe in Him? Is Jesus your way, your truth and your life? Or do you trust some false religion of good works as your way to Heaven?

 

None of us are good enough to go to Heaven. We need the Saviour. And God has provided the Saviour—Jesus Christ our Lord. We don’t need a false religion or a tradition. We need a person—Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

 

 

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

 

Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

 

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7

 

 

 

 

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

 

 

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

 

 

 

In light of our Lord’s statement, recorded in John 14:6, what is your verdict? Is Jesus a liar? Is Jesus a lunatic? Or is Jesus LORD of all?

 

As for me, He is the way, the truth, and the life.  He is my way, my truth and my life.

 

He is YAHWEH—The Great I AM.

 

 

 

 I am the Vine