Based on John 14:1-24 (New King James Version)
“‘Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.’ Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.’”
One very popular concept out there is that many of us follow the same god. As part of that concept, there are those that believe that Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and other monotheistic religions ultimately lead to the same person, the same god. With all due respect to those folks that believe that, there is a flaw in that reasoning. But as opposed to just saying that the idea doesn’t work, I will try to explain briefly why it may not be logical.
For starters and as an example, why would the same god give a different message to different people? Why would He tell the Muslims one thing and the Christians something else? Let’s dig a little deeper. Why would He tell different groups of people that they should make each other disappear off the face of the planet if they are supposedly on the same side, following the same god? Some may say, “Those that kill people (like ISIS) are radicalized”. But radicalized means that they are following their belief to the utmost degree, not that their belief has changed from the original. A “radicalized” Christian, for example, following God to the utmost degree would not go kill people for a different faith. It’s not what Jesus taught. Actually, quite the contrary. A radicalized Christian would do “crazy things” like helping as many people come to God as possible, helping people in their moments of need, and dare I say, love their enemies (even ISIS). But, if it were the same god sending all of these conflicting messages, it would be at the very minimum, very confusing. And, who would want to believe in a god that puts its followers against each other? The only conclusion is that the sources are different; not the same god.
A clearer example that could help us understand even better is our own human nature with regards to parenting. If you have children, would you teach one set of values to one and a different set of values to the other? Would you tell one of them, “Do well in school”, and the other, “Don’t worry about school”? Would you tell one, “Be honest and don’t steal from anyone” and the other, “Rob from as many people as you can”? Wouldn’t you teach them the same values, and also to help each other as much as possible? If you instilled conflicting values between them, wouldn’t that be confusing to them? Would they be able to help each other if one thought one thing was correct and other thought something else?
How does this then relate to today’s passage? Jesus was very clear and concise on the way to get to God. There aren’t “many ways” to God. There is only one, and it’s through Christ. No one can get to the Father (to God), except only through Him. I know that some folks will say that this is very narrow minded, but there can only be one perfection; not many perfections. But, it’s either you are willing to believe it and accept it, or not. It’s your choice.
But here in lays the difference and why Jesus is worth following, and why I personally believe in Him. Out of all the different religions, there is only one that not only spoke about God’s love towards us, but demonstrated it in the most sublime manner. No other deity died for love. God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross so the “entire world” could be saved through Him; not just a select group of people. It is God’s desire that every single person come to the knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sins, so they can live forever. And He loves us to the point that He wants it to be our choice; not an edict or something by force. He wants for us to be with Him because we want to be with Him; because we have come to understand His love. And when we come to Him, and we follow Him, by doing those things that He lovingly teaches us, our lives can be changed here and forever. That is how we start experiencing God in an intimate and personal manner; where He becomes real to us; by obeying and following Him.
So, are you living the type of life that only Jesus can give, right here and right now? Lord bless! John