The Way

Most religions tout a way of life, a path to follow, a journey that needs to be accomplished.  What separates our journey from theirs? Our path and way of life from the rest?  This one thing: Everything has already been done, by God, in Jesus, to make sure we are successful now and victorious in the end.  We can't be moral enough, righteous enough, or even philanthropic enough to make the journey we must take more successful.  The work has been done.  In John 15 Jesus tells those listening that, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (ESV)  

Other religions, other journeys require that you do this or that, say this or that, live this way or that way, give this or that, and the list goes on.  This list of dos and don'ts give the follower a faint hope that at the end of their journey they might do enough to enter a better place or at least not have to suffer a greater suffering.  That's not the case for those who follow the Way.  Jesus said of Himself in John 14:6, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV)  This Way, this path is not just a thing it's a person, a God person: Jesus.  This Jesus is the Son of God and is Himself God.  (Don't worry about trying to figure all that out yet, we'll discuss Jesus being God and man and Son of God and God Himself more later and I'll share some resources that will help you with understanding it better.)

This Jesus was God's answer to man's problem and through Him God made a way and gave those who would be God's people the tools to have a successful life and, in Jesus, God also secured, for them, a victorious eternity.  Jesus is the beginning of this amazing and glorious journey and He is the Way, the path which we follow.  He is also the Truth and the Life and we will discuss those aspect of the Christian life as well, in detail, on other pages.      

It must be understood, however, right from the start, that Jesus is the only access to the good news, the gospel, the eternal path, the glorious journey.  Only through Jesus can one be saved from eternal torment and equipped to live a life of purpose and power and one that will reveal that God is glorious. (Click Here to Learn More)  This is the life that you have been offered.  In John 10:10 we read the following, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.  (ESV)  In John 10:10 and following we see there are two types of shepherds (Saviors), one that is more like a thief who cares nothing for the ones in their care and who takes and destroys anything that is theirs and then there is Jesus who gives His life for the ones in His care, grants those same ones life and that life to the fullest.

In history past mankind has looked for salvation in rulers, kingdoms, nations, and each other and in the end they found out what we still find out today: rulers take, kingdoms crush, nations rob, friends fail, family disappoints, and neighbors envy.  But God, in Jesus Christ: loves, sacrifices, gives, restores, and never fails.  That is the journey that is worthy of our time and effort and life.  But it starts in Jesus.  

So how do we know how to walk this path, take this journey, and follow Jesus well?  That is a great questions and it will be answered in the next two sections: The Truth and The Life.  God bless you and welcome to the best life you can have on this side of Heaven.