In John 14:6 of the New Testament, Jesus says “…I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (King
James Version)
Or in the New American Standard Version: “I am the way, and the
truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.”
Many Christians interpret this passage to mean that only born-again
believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are allowed to enter Heaven – all
others are excluded, by which they usually mean that those rejected are
“going to hell.”
After reading all of Chapter 14 again in order to put this passage,
John 14:6, in context, I’ve come to a preliminary conclusion (or
possibly an interpretation) of what Jesus is saying. It appears, in
effect, that He is the Gatekeeper. He is not saying that the one seeking
entrance must belong to a particular religion or adhere to any special
doctrine. By saying that he is “the way, the truth, and the life,” He is
saying that He represents the perfection that He wants us to keep before
us as a standard:
Matthew 5:48
48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is
perfect.
~ New American Standard Version
I’m sure that nearly everyone has met or knows of people who live by
high standards, but who are not “Christians.” These may include people
who describe themselves as agnostics or atheists. Unfortunately, we’ve
met many “unbelievers,” as well as “believers,” who have become
disillusioned by the hardness of heart of those in Christian churches,
including clergy.
And let’s not forget the Hebrew Testament’s children of God. Surely,
some of them are in Heaven, too.
Continued tomorrow –
