In these verses, we discover three glorious names which Jesus gives Himself–He is the way, He is the truth, and He is the life. To be sure, He is the only way, the only truth and the only life. Entirely exclusive while all the while offering inclusivity, He offers the only way to all, the only truth to all, and the only life to all.
Jesus is the way: No one may come to the Father except through Him. He is not only the path, the journey, the manner of life or action we are to take, He is also the only door through which anyone may enter into the presence of the Father. Faith in Jesus is the key to heaven–it is also the key to the fullness of life in the here and now. The person that believes in the Lord is on the right road. Through His blood we may draw close with boldness and have access with confidence into God’s presence.
Jesus is the truth: When we search for truth we need look no further than the truth that is in Jesus. He is absolute truth, ultimate truth, true truth. He satisfies every desire of the human mind. Being very God of very God, He is boundless and measureless in the depth of the riches of His wisdom and knowledge. He is truth, reality, and fact. Truth is not relative–truth is Jesus. We are to know Him, study Him, learn from Him, and follow Him. As his disciples, we are to bear His image. We grow in this process by studying and applying His Word to our lives and through prayer.
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that … they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2-3)
Jesus is the life: Those who believe in Jesus not only have eternal life, but also have access to the abundant life in the here and now as they walk in the power of the Spirit. Christ is the source of all life. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing of eternal value because those works always lack life.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Take It to Heart
Jesus clearly says in our verse for today that He is the only means of entrance to the Father–shutting out all other ways to the Father. He stresses that, contrary to what many might believe, salvation is not obtainable through any other means. Only one way exists, and it is through the purifying and redeeming blood of the Lord Jesus.
“It avails nothing that a man is clever, learned, highly gifted, amiable, charitable, kind-hearted, and zealous about some sort of religion. All this will not save his soul if he does not draw near to God by Christ’s atonement, and make use of God’s own Son as his Mediator and Saviour. God is so holy that all men are guilty and debtors in His sight. Sin is so sinful that no mortal man can make satisfaction for it. There must be a mediator, a ransom-payer, a redeemer, between ourselves and God, or else we can never be saved. There is only one door, one bridge, one ladder, between earth and heaven – the crucified Son of God. Whosoever will enter in by that door may be saved; but to him who refuses to use that door the Bible holds out no hope at all. Without shedding of blood there is no remission. Let us beware, if we love life, of supposing that mere earnestness will take a man to heaven, though he know nothing of Christ. The idea is a deadly and ruinous error. Sincerity will never wipe away our sins. It is not true that every man will be saved by his own religion, no matter what he believes, so long as he is diligent and sincere. We must not pretend to be wiser than God. Christ has said, and Christ will stand to it, ‘No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.’” (John Charles Ryle)
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