Is Jesus Really the Only Way to Heaven?

This question inevitably confronts all Truth seekers. The sacrificial death of an itinerant Jewish sage for the sins of humanity, mocks our logic and sense of propriety. The idea that heaven is accessible only to a believer in Jesus Christ seems outrageously unjust! How can this possibly be true?

Nevertheless, Jesus makes astounding unequaled claims that provoke a response. “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me.” What a bazaar statement! It’s one thing to represent truth, but to declare that you literally are Absolute Truth, Life and the only Way is without precedent.

Yet the Bible actually says that Jesus is the only source of immortality (1 Tim 6:16) and his closest disciple declared that anyone not deliberately joined to Him is dead! (1 Jn 5:12) It is also written that, “there is only one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5) - not some spiritual entity revealed in successive incarnations, but the man, Jesus of Nazareth. The solitary man, of whom it is prophesied, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of the universe. (Phil 2:9-11) The bible is emphatic: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN given among men, by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

This exclusivity and transcendence radically contradicts all other philosophies and religions. The seeker’s holy grail, that elusive common thread of truth, is totally unraveled by Jesus. Even His enemies marveled, “Never a man spake like this man.” His inflammatory pronouncements leave no middle ground. Either Jesus was God incarnate, the only Saviour of mankind, or the most diabolical of geniuses.

The Bible depicts Jesus Christ as infinitely more than teacher, prophet, or even Saviour. “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible . . . and by him all things consist.” (Col 1:16-17, See Jn 1:3-4) It is also said that Christ is the only source of love and faith.(1 Tim 1:14) He is the alpha and the omega, the I AM who sustains the universe, and He is life itself. If you reject Him, by default you have embraced death.

But what about the Bible? Can that ancient written testimony be trusted? Absolutely, but there’s a problem. The Bible is a veiled book expressing a supernatural reality. It requires insight beyond natural sensual logic. True understanding is a state of the heart, not an achievement of the mind.

When Peter realized who Jesus was, Jesus responded, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this unto you, but my Father who is in heaven.” And Paul declared, “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor 12:3) The entire Bible is a revelation of Jesus Christ, but if you haven’t personally met Him the bible will frustrate you. Apart from a conscious encounter with the Bible's Author, my theology is merely theory. When I become literally joined to the Spirit of Truth, I am one with Absolute Truth, because,“He that is joined unto the Lord IS ONE spirit.” (I Cor 6:17) This oneness offers unassailable insight, perfectly illuminating and validating scripture.

Jesus revealed the key to bible interpretation when he challenged the religious leaders to “Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” Because those leaders were addicted of the letter of the law they were blind to the spirit of the law, and failed to recognize the Living Word as he stood in their very midst! Sadly, much of the church is blinded by this same legalistic mindset, limiting Jesus Christ to a deficient human concept.

Furthermore, hollow attempts to undermine the Bible’s veracity and historical integrity contradict centuries of sound scholarship, and the testimonies of millions from every culture, who have personally met the resurrected Jesus through mystical encounters, dreams and visions.

But, our heart protests, “What about the masses who have never had such spiritual experiences, or who have never heard the gospel?” The Bible makes this intriguing statement: “Peter...said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that fears Him, and works righteousness is accepted with Him.” (Acts 10:34-35) Is this a contradiction? Jesus said that we’re condemned if we don’t believe specifically in Him. (Jn 3:18-19,36; 8:24) Yet, here it seems to imply that anyone who simply does “good” is accepted by God regardless of belief.

A closer look at the passage, however, reveals that “accepted” is not referring to personal salvation. This verse is an announcement that salvation is no longer exclusively Jewish . . .“ But in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.” NASB Now, all humanity has access to the Messiah. The context of this verse is the gentile Cornelius, who was “a devout man, and one that feared God...gave much alms..and prayed to God always,” but it’s vital to understand that his distinguished piety and devotion could not save him. It did, however, predisposed him to receive the revelation of the gospel.

Without humility and the fear of God you cannot grasp Truth. Jesus explained it this way: “Every man. . .that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes unto Me.” (Jn 6:45) There are people in every nation, like Cornelius who have “heard and learned of the Father” and when told about Jesus Christ they readily embrace Him.

Yet, what about those multitudes who like Cornelius, have “heard and learned of the Father,” devoted themselves to Him, yet have never heard the gospel? The bible doesn’t offer immunity to a “good” person who has never heard the gospel. The bible is painfully clear. There are no inherently “good” people. Only God is good. (Mt 19:17) Our most noble acts are tainted with vanity and deception, and our pathetic gestures of self-righteousness are as “filthy rags” in God’s sight. (Isa 64:6)

Regardless of Cornelius' exemplary behavior, he was still polluted by sin. Imitating true righteousness is not humanly possible. It must be supernaturally imparted, and it's required for entrance into heaven's holy atmosphere.

The moral bankruptcy of every human is a basic scriptural premise. Jesus was adamant, “Except a man be born again” he can neither “see” nor “enter into the kingdom of God.” He used the imperative “must” only two times as a universal mandate. All must be born of the Spirit and all must worship in spirit and truth. No one, of accountable awareness, can enter heaven without a miraculous spiritual re-birth. There are no exceptions. Even Old Testament believers had to hear the gospel and receive it prior to entering heaven.(I Pet 3:19, 4:6) As offensive as it may sound, the conclusion is inescapable: “. . .If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” This is not some fanciful arbitrary rule to test humans. It’s simply the mechanics of creation.

The entire universe is a manifestation of the spoken thoughts of God. His thoughts are the essence of creation, and we, His created image, are defined by our thoughts. As a man “...thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov 23:7) We were designed to live by receiving and processing God's thoughts. (Rom 8:14) That's what believing is! And that's why believing is a matter of life or death. Repentance is to change one's thoughts. When our thoughts harmonize with Jesus Christ who is Life, then and only then, do we possess Life.

This is not some theological exercise. The stakes are unimaginably high! How desperate are you? Seek God with brutal honesty and you will find Him. Nothing else matters!

Copyright 2009 by Hayden Humphrey