Is Jesus the only way?

hummerpoo

Gone but not forgotten
Waking this old thread:

In the spirit of philosophical theological debate and not with the intent to offend anyone, I respectfully disagree.

Jesus is the only way to people that believe Jesus is the only way.

Here is what I mean: Christians believe Jesus is the way to salvation because this is what their "divine" or "divinely-inspired" writings tell them. This concept of course reinforces the community's belief in Christianity. While many people in this thread and elsewhere proclaim that they "know" this to be true, it is only true because they choose to believe so because of the scriptures and those before them that claim to "know." The reality is that no one really "knows" unless he/she has communicated with or experienced the divine. It is a concept accepted by "faith" in the community from which it originated.

In contrast, other religions throughout the world do not share in this belief because members of these communities have different experiences, perspectives, and writings that convince them otherwise. In the eyes of many of these people, the Christian way of thinking about salvation is wrong.

In essence, you have multiple groups of people declaring their beliefs about the world and the afterworld are superior to others because their writings tell them so.

Who is correct? What is the actual answer to original question of the thread?

...Only God knows.

Metaphorically speaking, I believe God is like a diamond. Every religion or belief system in the world is trying see and understand the "brilliance" and "sparkle" of what we call God. While we quibble about what this is, we often fail to see that we are all looking at the same thing. However, like a diamond in the light, when we look at God from different angles, this brilliance looks differently to different people. No matter what anyone may profess or claim to know in this earthly realm, this is a truth.

Consequently, I have a hard time believing that "Satan's den" is in the cards for the many exceptionally good people of other faiths - such as the Dalai Lama, Ghandi, etc. - that have and are practicing the positive principles that are universally accepted as "good." They were/are the way they were/are because this is how they see "the light." Are all of these people wrong? Only God knows the answer.

Thus, it seems to me, if I want to hedge my salvational bet, it would be wise to focus on right thought and good works throughout my life. This is to me faith in action. It brings inner peace in this life; whereas, the alternative sows discord and discontent. Whether or not this does me any good after I leave this earthly realm, I do not know. In the end, God will decide.

Gordon covered the personal relationship initiated by God, which remains unacknowledged by your post, quite well. The other aspect that I noticed is a quite low threshold of orthopraxy (right behavior). When compared to other religions (belief systems) orthodox Christianity is, to my knowledge, unique, in that no man can, of his own nature or effort, attain a level of righteousness acceptable to Holy God.


>>You might ask, as many have, "What is the essential nature of one of whom it is said 'In the beginning God'?"<<
 
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Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Question Hunting One;

These various facets of the diamond. Did God make them or is that man's addition or way of seeing the one same true God?

We could say that within Christianity we have the many facets called denominations. Did God create all of these facets as a way to bring more individuals to salvation? Making it easier to worship the same true God by letting each individual or smaller groups form their own beliefs? Or did man form all of these facets to make it easier to believe in the same one true God?
 

gordon 2

Senior Member
Waking this old thread:

In the spirit of philosophical theological debate and not with the intent to offend anyone, I respectfully disagree.

Jesus is the only way to people that believe Jesus is the only way.

Here is what I mean: Christians believe Jesus is the way to salvation because this is what their "divine" or "divinely-inspired" writings tell them. This concept of course reinforces the community's belief in Christianity. While many people in this thread and elsewhere proclaim that they "know" this to be true, it is only true because they choose to believe so because of the scriptures and those before them that claim to "know." The reality is that no one really "knows" unless he/she has communicated with or experienced the divine. It is a concept accepted by "faith" in the community from which it originated.

In contrast, other religions throughout the world do not share in this belief because members of these communities have different experiences, perspectives, and writings that convince them otherwise. In the eyes of many of these people, the Christian way of thinking about salvation is wrong.

In essence, you have multiple groups of people declaring their beliefs about the world and the afterworld are superior to others because their writings tell them so.

Who is correct? What is the actual answer to original question of the thread?

...Only God knows.

Metaphorically speaking, I believe God is like a diamond. Every religion or belief system in the world is trying see and understand the "brilliance" and "sparkle" of what we call God. While we quibble about what this is, we often fail to see that we are all looking at the same thing. However, like a diamond in the light, when we look at God from different angles, this brilliance looks differently to different people. No matter what anyone may profess or claim to know in this earthly realm, this is a truth.

Consequently, I have a hard time believing that "Satan's den" is in the cards for the many exceptionally good people of other faiths - such as the Dalai Lama, Ghandi, etc. - that have and are practicing the positive principles that are universally accepted as "good." They were/are the way they were/are because this is how they see "the light." Are all of these people wrong? Only God knows the answer.

Thus, it seems to me, if I want to hedge my salvational bet, it would be wise to focus on right thought and good works throughout my life. This is to me faith in action. It brings inner peace in this life; whereas, the alternative sows discord and discontent. Whether or not this does me any good after I leave this earthly realm, I do not know. In the end, God will decide.

By the way, is not your diamond a mandella as you understand it...?
 

Hunting One

New Member
Excellent thoughts Gentlemen. I will try to answer everyone's questions/statements:

Hummerpoo stated:
"...When compared to other religions (belief systems) orthodox Christianity is, to my knowledge, unique, in that no man can, of his own nature or effort, attain a level of righteousness acceptable to Holy God."

My main point is that no one can actually know what or what is not acceptable to God. We often think we know because of what people in our culture, community, and church tell us based on their individual and collective interpretation of holy scriptures. We accept these teachings based on our own faith and insist we are right in understanding historical interpretations. However, I believe when we do this and hold these positions we are no longer being humble before God. We think we know the nature and the intent of the Almighty. We tend to judge other people based on our assumptions about how we believe the Almighty will judge them. I believe our tendency to sit in judgment of others in these spiritual matters misses the point of what the scriptures tell us in the first place: God is the judge of all and decides what happens to everyone. We should not presume to know the will of God.


Artful Dodger asked:
"These various facets of the diamond. Did God make them or is that man's addition or way of seeing the one same true God?"

The diamond is a simple metaphor for God. The diamond is God, metaphorically speaking. The facets of the diamond are windows in which each individual and/or culture views God. When you look at a diamond from different angles under a light, each part of the diamond looks different. Similarly, each culture is looking at the same thing - God. However, we each see God a little differently - like a diamond in a light.

Artful Dodger asked:
"We could say that within Christianity we have the many facets called denominations. Did God create all of these facets as a way to bring more individuals to salvation? Making it easier to worship the same true God by letting each individual or smaller groups form their own beliefs? Or did man form all of these facets to make it easier to believe in the same one true God?"

These are excellent questions for which I do not know the true answers. Only God knows the origination and actual purpose of different denominations and multiple perspectives. What I do know is that they exist and seek the same thing. Since I do not claim to know God's will, they must be here for a purpose that has not been revealed to me. Hence, it seems wrong to me to sit in judgment of what I do not truly understand.

Gordon 2 asked:
"By the way, is not your diamond a mandella as you understand it...?"

In no way should the diamond in my metaphor be interpreted as existing in the physical plane as an actual object we can grasp and hold. God is the diamond we are all trying to see. God's brilliance and light draws us toward salvation. The road we travel during our lifetime is based upon our view of the reflection of the brilliance and light through the facet in which we look.


This is a good conversation, and I hope I have been helpful.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Hunting One, in the OP I ask if Jesus is the only way? I was seeking something towards how generations and nations of the various islands and far away villages could know that Jesus is the only way.

In your perspective, if one knows God, do they know Jesus? Some believe that since God is Jesus, to know one; you know the other.
In that perspective did the Native Americans 500 years ago know Jesus by knowing God?
In that same perspective do the Hindu know Jesus by knowing God?

I must admit that there is only one true God who is the Great Architect of the Universe. Yet Christianity, which I believe, tells me that I must also believe that God sent his Son to die for my sins. Therefore my path doesn't take any "works" so to speak in my journey to see this one true God.

Yet if Jesus is God, then to know Jesus is to know God. To know God is to know Jesus. I'm seeking a way for everyone to be able to be with God other than relying on man to reach them. We've already missed reaching many of the dead. I'm hoping their destiny was not caused by me or any other man.

Some suggest that it is the Spirit of God that convinces whom he pleases of his Son the Messiah. Christianity requires a Messiah and a belief in that Messiah. Some people believe it is up to man to reach the world placing the destiny of the world with man. Others place this burden on the Spirit of God as he is more capable than we.

What are your thoughts on Jesus? Do you believe the destiny of others reaching God lies with man?
 
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ez2cdave

New Member
Yes, Jesus is the ONLY way. There are NOT "many paths to God". There is only ONE and His name is JESUS !

John 14: 6 clearly states this, in Jesus' own words . . .

New International Version
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

New Living Translation
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

English Standard Version
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Berean Study Bible
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Berean Literal Bible
Jesus says to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, if not by Me.

New American Standard Bible
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

King James Bible
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

International Standard Version
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

NET Bible
Jesus replied, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

New Heart English Bible
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Yeshua said to him, “I AM THE LIVING GOD, The Way and The Truth and The Life; no man comes to my Father but by me alone.�

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus answered him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.

New American Standard 1977
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

Jubilee Bible 2000
Jesus said unto him, I AM the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes unto the Father, but by me.

King James 2000 Bible
Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.

American King James Version
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

American Standard Version
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.

Darby Bible Translation
Jesus says to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father unless by me.

English Revised Version
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Webster's Bible Translation
Jesus saith to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me.

Weymouth New Testament
"I am the Way," replied Jesus, "and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

World English Bible
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus saith to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one doth come unto the Father, if not through me;
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Yes, Jesus is the ONLY way. There are NOT "many paths to God". There is only ONE and His name is JESUS !

John 14: 6 clearly states this, in Jesus' own words . . .

New International Version
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 6:37
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

John 6:65
He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them."

John 17:6
"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.


Considering how one views the Trinity, and the fact that a person has to get to Jesus from God, does this change anything in how one knows Jesus or has Jesus? Does it change anything in how one knows God or has God?

I think the unity between God and Jesus is so close, you can't have one without the other.

Most definitely it true what Jesus said in John 14:6. But remember what he also said in John 6:37, 6:65, and 17:6

"those the Father gives me will come to me"

You are not going to get to Jesus without God and you are not going to get to God without Jesus.
 
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