There IS ONLY ONE Savior:
I once ask an acquaintance of mine that was a Jehovah witness and didn’t believe that Jesus was God, I ask him who was the Savior and how many was there?
He didn’t have any problem saying that Jesus was the only savior.
And then I read this to him found in Isaiah 45: 21Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. 22Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
Jesus Christ is God in flesh 1st cor. 5” 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
RECONCILIATION — the process by which God and people are brought together again. The Bible teaches that God and mankind are alienated from one another because of God’s holiness and human sinfulness.
Although God loves the sinner (Rom. 5:8), it is impossible for Him not to judge sin (Heb. 10:27). Therefore, in biblical reconciliation, both parties are affected.
Through the sacrifice of Christ, people’s sins are atoned for and God’s wrath is appeased. Thus, a relationship of hostility and alienation is changed into one of peace and fellowship. Listen as I read today’s text found in:
John 1:1-14
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe.
8He[John] was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power[or, the right, or, privilege] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Jesus claimed to be the incarnate presence of God, yet people said to him, you must be someone else — a prophet, or John the Baptist back from the dead” (Matthew 16:14). Jesus made claims to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God, yet people confronted with this truth said, “Surely, that’s not who you are. You must be someone else. The miracles are impressive, but you could not be Messiah. We know where Messiah comes from and what he will be like, and you don’t match the description we had in our minds” .
John spoke the truth when he said, John 1:10 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
The scripture is clearly telling us who Jesus is, and yet there are people that still seem so uncertain about his identity?
Some folks act as though they have never heard of, or understand the word “Trinity” (God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit), and its implications.
At Christmas these people sing songs about Immanuel,* and hear the Scripture read which says, Matthew 1:23 23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us, But some how they never seem to understand its meaning. They have heard the word “incarnation” and never realized it meant that God had come “in the flesh” to live among us.
Jesus has said about himself: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Just what does that means? The first thing we need to understand about Jesus Christ is:
He is the Way. He is not just one of the ways among many. He is THE way. The only way. If what he said is true, then there are not many paths to God; there is only one.
We might be surprised if we would take a poll and ask people who they think Jesus Christ is, we would get a variety of answers, similar to the response Jesus received when he asked his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”
Mark 8:27-2927And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? 28And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. 29And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
Matthew 16:16-17 16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:[son of John] for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
At that time the people were wrong. The opinion of the majority did not change the truth. Peter knew who Jesus really was, and in spite of what everyone else thought, he held to the truth.
So let me say again, what did Jesus mean by saying? “I am the way”? He meant that he was the way to God. He meant that there was no other way.
The Buddha is not the way. Mohammed is not the way. Krishna is not the way. Jesus is the way.
Listen as I read what Jesus said, he said, John 14:6-7 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Now, if a person does not want to believe that, it is their prerogative. But there can never be any question about the fact that Jesus made this astounding claim: to see Jesus is to see the Father. There is no other way to God except through him. He is the exclusive Savior. He is the universal Savior. There is no other savior, and he is the Savior of all. There is one Savior, Jesus Christ, and he is available to all people.
In the New Testament we find people who worshiped all kinds of things. We find animists, that is, those who worship the spirits which they believe inhabit things like trees and mountains, rivers and sky.
(This is the religion portrayed in the Disney movie Pocahontas.) There were those who, like the Samaritans, worshiped a god who was an aberration of Israel’s God.
There were those like the Romans and Greeks who worshiped a variety of gods. Some worshiped animals or ancestors,
But all were called to repentance and to the worship of the one true and living God. Paul wrote to the Romans explaining that salvation came from the Jews, who had been privileged to receive the revelation of the one true God.
He said, Romans 9:5 5Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
The early Christians wanted to bring the truth of a universal Savior to the whole world. It was out of love for other people, they understood that their message was the only hope for a lost world.
This is why today we are concerned about missions and reaching those who do not know Christ, because there is no hope outside of Christ for them to be saved.
Did you know that at some of these big Evangelical services held in these hugh places like ball stadiums, that these renowned popular preachers has agreed with the catholic high Archie that they would not try to win their members?
Instead if one should come down to receive Jesus as Lord & Savior they would send them to the catholic corner so to speak. These poor folks are deceived into thinking that their being directed truthfully, these people who’ll do such as this will answer one day to God almighty at their judgment seat which ever it may be.
In speaking of Jesus, the Bible says, Acts 4:12 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
This exclusive message is difficult it seems for people in our culture to hear. It is reported that Surveys of American opinion is that the people of the United States are more open to spiritual things than ever before.
But this openness to spirituality is just as likely to lead to involvement in New Age spirituality, goddess worship, Eastern mysticism, or satanic cults as it is to Christianity.
We live in an age of spiritual confusion that is uneasy about absolute truth, and wants to be able to choose from a smorgasbord of religions.
We are greatly influenced by the television and movies, books and magazines, Internet religion and deceivers, which Christ warned about.
Jesus said, Matthew 24:4-5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
His words are being fulfilled in our day as never before, and in the days ahead it will only get worse. People will be confused and give up trying to understand, believing it is impossible to really know anything.
The Bible says that in the last days knowledge will increase in Daniel 12:4---
This is what creates confusion, because right beside truth are other competing philosophies claiming to be true, and sorting them all out can seem impossible.
The devil operates in two ways. One way is by withholding information as when the former communist Soviet Union withheld the Bible and Christian literature from its people.
But the other method is by overwhelming people with too much information. When that happens people give up and just believe whatever “feels” right. That is why it is so important for us to read the Bible and understand what it is saying.
It is important to read the Bible, because it is important for us to understand the claims of Jesus Christ.
And he says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6).
Jesus is the exclusive Savior because: He is the Truth. Jesus spoke to his disciples saying, John 6:63 63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life
What did Jesus mean by saying, “I am the Truth”? He was not just saying that he was truthful, or that his teachings were true; he was saying that he was Truth incarnate. He is the embodiment of truth. He not only spoke truth; he is Truth.
Why is truth so important? Because our eternal destiny hinges on whether or not we have understood the truth and acted on it. If our lives are not built on the foundation of truth they are built on a lie and our whole life becomes a sham.
As Christians we are awaiting the appearance of Truth at his second coming.
The Bible says, Titus 2:12-1312Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
In Jesus’ prayer for us in the garden he prayed, John 17:1717Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. What is the truth? The truth is a Person.
As God, Jesus Christ was preexistent and active in creation. Colossians 1:14-17 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
The Gospel of John gives this witness to the deity of Christ: John 1:17 17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
In 1 John 5:2020And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Jesus himself declared the truth of who he was. He said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). He said, “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35), “I am the Light of the world” (John 8:12), “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 14:11).
When Jesus said to the Pharisees, “I and the Father are one,” the Bible says,
John 10:33 33The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
So here we see that they knew & understood the claim that Jesus was making!
Jesus is the Way. He is the Truth. And He certainly is the LIFE
