No One Comes To the Father, But Through Me: John 14:6
“no one comes to the Father if not through me.”
Jesus begins and ends this passage by focusing on himself. Friends, salvation can be found in no other person or path. It cannot be found in philosophy, in science, in achievements, in wealth, in family, in humanism, in Buddha, in Mohammed, or in anyone or anything else. Our world presents many options and paths—some of which even sound convincing—but the only way to the Father is through Jesus. The only hope of a resurrection is found in the one who was resurrected. The only hope of eternal life is in the eternal one who is the life. And the only truth in this world is found in the person of Christ, who has revealed to us the mysteries of God’s redemptive plan.
Jesus Christ is not only the focal point of all of scripture, but he is the point on which all of history revolves about. You might enjoy talking about politics, but politics has no eternal significance. You might enjoy talking about sports, but sports has no eternal significance. You might enjoy talking about literature, but literature has no eternal significance. The only thing that has eternal significance in the history of mankind is Jesus Christ and the work that God had done and is doing through him. That is the bedrock of your faith—I urge you to stand upon it without wavering and without doubting when the winds of trial fill your days. Trust in Him, and Him alone, dear friends, even though the world would tell you otherwise.
Posted on April 12, 2008, in Expositions and tagged Christ, David, Jesus, John 14:6, Life, Messiah, Truth, Way. Bookmark the permalink. 33 Comments.
The Preacher's Study 
Wow – this is like a book. Not read it all yet, but when / how did you put this together? Did it come out of a sermon series, or do you produce devotional material for your church?
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Thanks. Yes, these are devotions that I have written for the folks in my church. About 4 years ago I became convicted that as a Shepherd does not feed his sheep only twice a week, that I ought to find a way to offer some spiritual “food” in a way that my congregation could eat daily if they chose-devotions like this are a result of that conviction.
Thanks again, and I am glad that these have been a blessing to you.
In Christ,
Win
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Great words!
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Thanks. Blessings to you,
win
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I was talking to a friend about this passage today and he asked if Jesus was talking about himself as God, as a man or as God and Man. I wasn’t sure how to answer.
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Susan,
Thanks for the question. The answer would be as God and Man. Jesus is speaking as man when it comes to his role as mediator of the new covenant. In other words, one has to identify with those you are mediating for (Jesus had to be human to mediate for humans), so it is out of his work as the human mediator that he can say that he is the only way to heaven…or in other words, that it is only those under his covenant headship that are brought into the eternal kingdom. At the same time, Jesus is speaking as God because only God has the authority to make such a claim to be able to bring mankind into the kingdom. He was the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins and to be so had to be free from sin himself. No mere human can claim such a power and Jesus testified that he was truthful in raising from the Grave three days after his crucifixion. Many have claimed to be mediators between God and man; only Jesus (as God) demonstrated his ability to do so.
This is a great illustration of how the dual nature of Jesus is inseparable. As the Chalcedonian Christological Statement reads, Jesus is fully God and fully man, “without division and without confusion” of his two natures.
Good question,
Win
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Question:
I seem to recall that the Catholic church recently retracted, or at best modified this statement, declaring that those of any faith who lead a good life to go to heaven. This means Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc can find their way to heaven just like Christians.
Can you share some light on this? Am I mistaken in this?
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Mike, sorry that I did not get back to you sooner on this, I had been out of the country teaching. The question you ask is a good one, though I would be surprised if they were holding that Islam or Buddhism were paths to heaven, that seems somewhat out of character for them. I have heard a Roman Catholic Priest argue that protestant were just mis-informed Catholics. I am not sure how far I would press this difference, though certainly several of the liberal mainstream denominations have or are going in the direction you describe.
Blessings,
win
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Is Jesus Christ equivalent (if i may put it that way) with God?, if yes is there any difference?
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Jesus Christ is God, for example, look to the language of John 1:1-2. For many, the language of the Trinity can be a hard one to wrestle with, but the Bible affirms that Jesus is God, God the Father is God, and God the Holy Spirit is God; three persons in one essential being. All three are inseparable yet still three distinct persons.
Can I address a specific matter for you?
win
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This is wonderful. I’m a truck driver/christian and would like something like this for handouts when I am talking to other drivers. Do you have this on any printed material that I could purchase from you. I’d also include this a a care package that I want to start handing out to homeless people that stand on street corners asking for money. Thank You
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Thanks, Wayne, I am humbled that you would consider using this as a handout and as part of care packages. And the answer is yes, please use anything that is of value.
Here are some options…
-If you would like, I can email you PDF files of this tract in booklet format and you can go ahead and print them as needed.
-If you want, I can just go ahead and print you out as many as you would like and send them out to you at no charge, though if you were willing to make a donation to offset printing and postage, that would be appreciated.
-A third option is that I did write a piece entitled “Saved From What?” That can be gotten from either Amazon or Lulu for about 6 bucks each if you buy in a quantity. This is a little more expensive, but they look pretty professional.
drop me an email if you like and I can work out something that will enable you to use this as you reach out to other truckers. Also, thank you for taking your faith to the road; too many professing Christians do not take their faith into the field of work to which God has called them. Thanks for doing that.
Blessings in Christ,
win
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In Bible study last night we had an interesting discussion and I was embarrassed that I really couldn’t come up with an answer. I know from this verse “no one comes to the Father but by me” but the comment was if God is a compassionate God then when he comes back are there going to be people who do not know him, such as children or people in remote parts of the world. I have often thought that creation itself is a testimony that there is a God. But to have someone bring the gospel to you is different than being out in the parts of the world we don’t even know about.
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You are right, Susan, that the created order does testify to her creator. This is what David speaks of, for example, in Psalm 19:1. In addition, when Paul speaks to those in Lystra who think he is a god, he says that the very common grace of God (rains, food, etc…) is a testimony to his being (Acts 14:17). To make matters even more certain, Paul writes in Romans 1:18-20 that the created order is a demonstration of the invisible attributes of God, yet people still choose to reject that testimony and are held liable for sin by worshiping the creation of their own hands. The vastness of the universe, the complexity of a cell, the complex information contained in DNA, the unique attributes of finger prints, the design of a bird’s wing, all of these things cry out to an all-powerful creator God.
So, what then are we to make of those who die in the deep jungles of Africa or in the mountain passes of Tibet who have never heard the Gospel nor have ever had the chance to do so? First, it ought to be a rebuke to us that we are taking so long to go into all of the world. More specifically, to answer your question, the implication that Paul is making is that people are without excuse. They should look at creation and deep down know that their hand-made idols are a farce and that they should go seeking out the God that the created order testifies to. Yet, people do not go (typically) and then are justly judged for their rejection.
We need to make sure that we do not begin defining God’s compassion by the way we would prefer to see his compassion. He is a compassionate God as can be seen by the coming of his Son and the salvation accomplished on the cross. That compassion is also wed with justice and it would be unjust to ignore one person’s sin while recognizing another. Christ made atonement for the sins of those who trust in him as Lord and Savior, those outside of a relationship with him will be judged fairly, though against a standard that we can never reach on our own…
Great question, I hope that this reinforces your thinking and encourages you to continue this discussion with the person in your Bible study.
win
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Thank you so much for your insight and clarity of God’s word also for your time. May God bless you and your ministry.
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Thanks, Susan, I am glad this has been a blessing to you.
w.
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Thanks for the words. I have a question for you. As a “recovering Catholic” I am more concerned about the separation of Church and God than I am with the separation of Church and State.
I wholeheartedly agree with the notion that Jesus Christ is the one and only and if we believe in Him we are already saved and need not pray to anyone else. However, the Catholic church has elevated the Virgin Mary and teaches us to pray to her (The Hail Mary).
Doesn’t the Hail Mary, and any other proxies that go between us and Jesus go against what the bible teaches?
Thanks!
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Yes, you are absolutely correct. Sadly, like many protestants with their liturgy, I think that few Roman Catholics carefully and Biblically consider what they are doing when they do “hail Mary”s. The only mediator between God and Man is Christ the Lord; that makes Mary pretty irrelevant and sadly, often idolatrous. Good Comment.
win
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i want to understand the deeper meaning of being in CHRIST JESUS.
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Friend, being in Christ Jesus is trusting Him as your Lord and Savior. As Lord, Jesus must be master of your life–he said if we love him we must obey his command. And he is savior. He went to the grave to pay the penalty for the sins of those who trust in Him. God raised him from the dead three days later and offered a promise that he would raise us as well if we trust in him. Hebrews 11:1 gives us the basic definition of faith, being a belief that God will do for you that which he has promised to do. How can I help you in the process of discipleship. The first step is asking God for the faith to trust in him and follow him, recognizing that you cannot do so on your own because you are a sinner deserving of his wrath. God indwells his own with his Holy Spirit, but that too means we must labor to put sin to death in our lives so that we can keep our living sanctuaries or temples pure for the Spirit to dwell within. This is a starting point and we can go on from here as you open your Bible. Again, Earnest, how can I help you seek Christ?
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this was the perfect passage I needed to help a friend
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I am glad this was helpful. Blessings in Christ,
win
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Dear Win,
God bless you.
In Christ,
M. Berkin
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Thank you, and you too. win
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I’m so glad I found this! I have a friend who was asking why Christians don’t just go to God~ why Jesus first? I think this is perfect for her!
Thank you, Melissa
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Thanks, Melissa, May God bless you in your outreach to your friend.
in Christ,
win
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I am a Jesus follower, but not a worshipper. 1 John clearly says God is Love and Love is God. Jesus is the radical expression of God, not God asked jesus to die for our sins, but God gave the full freedom so we can love with no conditions. God risked He knew in freedom we do evil things, it is the evil that had the hay day in that Good Friday. God never intended to punish his own son but He had to restrain hiself on that Friday, there was no pyrotechnic disply and calling the angels. Even before Jesus died people did recognize god in him. Verse 14 6 is about the act of Love. People who love ( Jesus’s way , not as an idol) others see and experience God and come to God. This verse is not just about Christianity, it is about the entire humanity with Love. Love is indeed amazing.
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Thanks for one’s marvelous posting! I actually enjoyed reading it, you happen to be a great author. I will ensure that I bookmark your blog and will come back very soon. I want to encourage yourself to continue your great writing, have a nice day!
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Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate your encouragement.
Win
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preacherwin,
I am humbled by the scope of your vision and would very much appreciate your comment on a place I have found to address those in the wilderness who have not yet received the Holy Word of Jesus.
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…God’s children who live uninformed of Jesus, do not necessarily live without Jesus. By the mark of God the Father-Creator, He, with the Holy Trinity, therewith including Jesus Himself, and the Holy Spirit, lives inside of every child of God. Whether the uninformed man or woman ever heard the Holy name of Jesus, whether their tribal leaders worships idols,, or even make human sacrifice, the most important element in spiritual salvation is where that individual’s heart lives.
If the heart lives a life of Love, the heart lives with the grace of God (God is Love) as well as with the unknowing acceptance of the second person in the Holy Trinity (Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life) and the Holy Spirit.
Live in Love, and live with and in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, whether you are informed in traditional Christianity or not.
Fully admitting that human reasoning has ways of allowing coyote to play with the mind, I ask you, has my logic in this matter led me astray?
Thank you, in Jesus’ Holy Name.
Love,
Coyotebait
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Claude,
Yes, your logic has led you astray, I am sorry to say. You are allowing your desires to overrun what is taught in scripture, and within scripture we must remain if we are going to have sound theology and not fall into error.
There are a couple aspects that will be helpful to add some clarity. You mention that all of “God’s children” do not live apart from God. Here, I will say that you are partially correct, but only when you highly nuance that statement. Most people, when they use the phrase, “God’s children” are using it to refer to every man, woman, and child on the face of the earth as well as those who ever have or ever will live. Yet, this is not the Biblical definition of the Children of God. John separates those who are children of God from those who are the children of the devil — that there are two races living on the earth side by side. You can find that in 1 John 3:4-10 in a nice succinct way.
Thus, those who are elect are rightly called the children of God and those who are not elect are not so called,and properly referred to as children of the devil.
Because God elects from before the foundation of the earth, those who are elect can be spoken of as God’s children even before they come to faith — we just cannot tell it at that point. That person who is elect is still apart from a relationship with God, but is still under the providential care of the Holy Spirit who will bring that person to faith through the preaching of the word.
Those in nations or regions who have not yet heard the Gospel still stand guilty before God for suppressing the truth that God reveals in nature and in their persons (Romans 1).
The problem with saying that it just matters whether someone loves also leaves the question wide open to subjectivism. How are you defining love? Selfish love is still sin. We only truly love one another when we love God in Christ Jesus. Plus, we separate from what scripture teaches that it is only through Jesus that one comes to the Father in heaven.
Hope that this is helpful,
win
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Preacherwin,
Thank you for sharing. …Admittedly my post was inadequate in many ways. I hope this helps to explain it some.
————–
Every child, at conception, has the seed of the Creator implanted, at that time. The free-willed choice of that child to grow that seed or those of dark side earthly trappings,, will determine whether, he or she, is a child of God or child of he devil (not without the possibility of redemption until the day he or she dies)..
…My definition of Love:
Love is God, Love is Jesus, Love is the Holy Spirit. Because of this, in my view, self-“Love” is not even possible. Excessive, extreme self-“like” is, and yes, this is the “ultimate sin.
I guess my point is that if Jesus lives inside, He is accessible to a good person (an ego-defeating person, incapable of self-“Love”) whom has never heard of Jesus from any outside source. …And yes we need to reach these people through whatever means possible.
…Would appreciate your continued thoughts and guidance.
Love Jesus, inside out.
Love,
Coyotebait
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Claude,
We are in disagreement on a number of levels here, so let me unpackage this out a bit. When born, we do have an innate sense of God, I believe that is part of what the Apostle Paul is speaking of in Romans 1. We also witness the invisible characteristics of God in the world around us. Yet, due to sin, we repress that knowledge.
Yet knowledge does not make us a child of God. The demons know that God exists — they have that knowledge — yet they tremble because that knowledge is knowledge of judgment to come (see James 2:19). No, God’s election is what makes one a child of God. Jesus said that it was those (and only those) that the Father called to him that would come and those that came he would raise up on the last day (John 6:44).
Furthermore, it cannot be said that God loves indiscriminately — for God states that while he loved Jacob, he hated Esau (Romans 9:13 & Malachi 1:2-3). On what basis was this love or hate? On the basis of God’s election.
I agree that true love is not possible apart from Jesus, but there is a counterfeit love that floods our experience that is not. But the outward expression of even sacrificial love cannot be the only rubric by which we speak believers because the Bible does not leave it there. Even the Apostle John, from whose first letter you are referring, does not leave it there, but also speaks of those who are the children of the Devil (1 John 3). Paul tells us in Romans 10 that there must be belief in one’s heart and confession with one’s lips. Jesus tells us in John 14 that love is marked by our obedience to him — and in John 14 again, that it is only through him that we can come to the Father…not through some kind of mystical experience that you seem to be implying.
And, just to add clarity, Paul reminds us again in Romans 3 that no one — no one at all — seeks after God on his or her own. We are all rightfully condemned because of our sin and rebellion against God and his law. Apart from Christ as our mediator, we have no hope of anything but death, which is the rightful wages of sin.
Hopefully this helps as you continue to work through these questions.
Blessings,
win
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