Why is Jesus the Only Way?

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6)

Undoubtedly, you have heard a Christian say that Jesus is the only way. We base this belief upon Jesus' word quoted above from the Bible. Why did He say it?

1. He is God's one and only Son

A popular saying is that we are all God's children. However, when Jesus claimed to be God's unique Son, he meant something all together different. When it is said that all people are God's children, the idea is that we are all created by God and receive some level of blessing from Him. What Jesus meant when He said that he was God's Son is that God is not his creator but his real father. Just like we share the genetic make up of our earthly fathers, so Jesus is of the same essence of his father. Earthly mortal men beget earthly mortal children. Jesus, being "begotten" of God is divine like the Father, eternal like the Father and shares the same character like the Father. He has a unique, eternal relation to the Father. Listen to what Jesus said:

"If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:7)

"Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began." (John 17:1-5)

Jesus is set apart from all other religious leaders and prophets who are mere men. He is nothing less than God come in the flesh.

2. He was sent into the world from heaven by God

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16)

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty...I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 5)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men...The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth...No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,who is at the Father's side, has made him known.(John 1)

All other religious teachers, philosophers, leaders of religions began life at birth, and built their ministries on their own wisdom or a perceived calling from God. Jesus is set apart from them in that he was with God from the beginning, was given a mission by God, came down from heaven, was born of a virgin and took on humanity to carry out his mission.

3. He Made Atonement for our Sin

Jesus gave his life for us as a substitute for our sin. God sent Jesus to be our representitive. He became like us by taking on humanity. He lived a perfect life for us, never sinning and pleasing God without blemish. Then he died on the cross to pay for our sin.

God was so pleased with Jesus' pure and sacrificial life as our representative, that whoever puts himself under Jesus' lordship and associates himself as Jesus' follower by believing in his name, he counts all our sins forgiving and views us as having the same innocence as Jesus. He looks upon us as a son or daughter with the same affection he has for Jesus. That's how pleased he was with Jesus! And this is what it means that Jesus atoned for our sins.

But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2)

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

No mere mortal can make atonement for the sins of the world. No other religion or philosophy or path offers payment and forgiveness for sin. Jesus is the only one who offers it.

4. He Sits and the Right Hand of God in Heaven

It is written that God was so pleased with Jesus, that he raised him from the dead and exalted him to the highest position at his right hand with all authority. He is called Lord or lords and King of kings. He is called the ruler of God's creation and the Judge of all men. This means that every man, woman and child are under Christ's authority. There is no founder of any religion that is his equal. It is written that He is above all. That means that Jesus is not one path among many. He is the one way.

If all this it true of Jesus, it is only reasonable that Christ is the only way to heaven. Why should there be another way? How could there be another way? Why would anyone choose another way?