Jesus Is The Only Way To God? True Of False

John 14:5-21

Jesus is the Only Way to God – True or False?

Introduction

A. How many people like things done your way?

B. I do!

C. There are things that I want done the way I want them done, or else do not do them!

D. Often someone will come to me and tell me their idea of how to do something

E. I will listen, and many of times, their right that way would work better, so I will switch my ways and try the other way

F. Today we have many different ideas on How to get to God

G. The famous expression all roads lead to Rome now should be stated all roads lead to God.

H. Is that true?

I. Or is Jesus the only way to God?

J. Today we are going to look and see if Jesus is the only way to God

K. We are going to look at three areas put them all together and answer our question

L. We are going to look at:

a. What is salvation?

b. I just have to be good right?

c. If you first don’t succeed try try again.

I. What is Salvation?

A. Explanation

1. Unfortunately there are many different views of Salvation, let me give you some of them, by no means is this an exhaustive list

a) The first one is Liberation Theology. Liberation Theology believes that salvation means deliverance from oppression. Sin is not the obstacle. The obstacle is oppression and exploitation of powerless classes by the powerful. In order to obtain salvation in their thinking is through political reform and revolution. God is not talked about. Worry about the injustice that is happening her on earth is all that is mentioned.

b) There is also Existential Theology. In Existential theology, salvation means: “A fundamental alter of our existence, our outlook on and conduct of life. Obtaining “authentic existence” or being called by God (or the gospel) to one’s true self and true destiny.” What prevents man from obtaining salvation is that he is imprisoned by his ego rationality and past identity forming experiences. He is living an inauthentic existence. Salvation then occurs by putting to death self gratification and security apart from God. All faith must be put in God. However, their definition of faith is abandoning the quest for tangible realities and transitory object

c) Secular Theology believes that salvation is moving away from God and learning to live independent of God. What prevents people from experiencing salvation is God. God is the opposite of salvation. If you need God then you are not saved according to the Secular Theologians. The only way to obtain salvation then is by getting rid of all religion and the need for God. You then must find a way to life self-sufficient and fully human. This finding yourself is accomplished though introspection, affirmation and the practice of scientific (e.g., antisupernatural) inquiry

d) That brings us to Evangelical Theology. The meaning of salvation if to change position before God from guilty to innocent. What prevents us from receiving salvation then is Sin. Sin breaks our relationship with God. In order to reestablish that relationship we must be justified by faith in the finished work of Christ and receive the Holy Spirit of God in regeneration, indwelling and sealing unto the day of redemption.

B. Application

1. So what is Salvation?

2. Salvation is the change of position before God from guilty to innocent

3. Let me unpack that definition

4. When we do wrong we are guilty

5. Salvation then is changing from that guilty stage we are at to an innocent stage

6. Once we are pronounced innocent, then we can enjoy the benefits of being innocent upon death here on earth

7. Those benefits would be spending eternity with God

8. To be in heaven with God

C. Illustration

1. At the end of a president’s term, he usually will pardon a whole lot of people. When he is pardoning this people is essence what he is doing is changing their position before the united states from guilty to innocent

2. He is saying that despite that fact that the person was convicted of the crime, with is presidential powers he is making that person innocent

3. When we are talking about Salvation that same concept is at work, except rather then a human doing the act, God is pronouncing people innocent

II. All I have to do is be good right?

A. Explanation

1. If I live a good life and do not do anything wrong I will go to heaven right?

2. Unfortunately this is the answer that is given a lot of times

a) Parents just wanting their kids to be good

b) Not wanting to try and explain things so that makes it easy way out