Basic Truths Part 3: Jesus is the Only Way
You were created to share in close and loving relationships. The two primary relationships that you were to share in were with God and with others. You might look at many of the relationships in your life and only see a lot of broken and fractured pieces. This brokenness is not what God had in mind when He created the world. In fact, the first human beings, Adam and Eve, were created without all of the brokenness. They experienced fellowship with God and fellowship with each other in a way that you and I have never experienced it. They were without sin. But they rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden. Satan tempted them to eat the forbidden fruit from the only thing in the Garden that God said, ‘no’ to. (Gen. 3:6, 14-19)
If you have ever felt alone or separated from a true loving relationship... you now know where it all began. Right there in the Garden. That is where our soul began to perish. You have never experienced life the way that Adam and Eve experienced before that first sin; but you have daily experienced life on this side of the line: alienation, addiction, perishing.
The question is not how did we get here. The Bible makes that pretty clear.
The question is: Did God leave us alone to deal with our new condition?
The answer is NO!
He loved them, and He loves you.
He reached for them, and He reaches for you.
In fact, the Bible says that God reaches out to us long before we even give Him the time of day. (John 15:16)
The truth is... God doesn’t fit inside of a box. He can’t be defined in words that you can find in a dictionary. Wikipedia will never be able to fully define God in terms of time and space. (Isa. 40:12-18; 55:8-9)
Ponder this:
As a person who lives in a condition that is separated and alienated from a God that is beyond your ability to fully comprehend... what chance do you have? What chance do any of us have?
Do you understand what I am asking?
Where does your chance to begin the restoration of your condition even come from?
Friends... it’s Jesus.
Meditate on this truth: God took the initiative to reveal Himself in the person of Jesus. God reached out to you through Jesus. You can know your Heavenly Father through Jesus.
Jesus said, if you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well... anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. (John 14:7,9)
When you see Jesus, you see the Father. You must accept and believe in Jesus in order to know God... in order for your life to be liberated from your addiction.
There are not many ways to God. The Bible is clear on that. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)
The Bible tells us that not everyone is going to be saved. (Matt. 25:41-42).
The Bible tells us that it does not matter what you believe, or how sincere you are. (Acts 17: 22-31).
Before you move on to the next step:
When you read that you must believe, by faith, that Jesus is ‘the way and the truth and the life,’ because you can only come to God through Jesus Christ (John 14:6), what thoughts or feelings come to your mind?
Comments
But as we know we can be deceived in our hearts. As far as I know I do believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light. But as far truly KNOWING Him...I do know my life hasn't been changed where I have stopped struggling with the same sins, so something is a barrier preventing me from really knowing Jesus in a life changing way. I haven't really studied too much about Jesus and the stories of the New Testament that reveal who He is, so that I can see who God is. I haven't come to a place of truly appreciating the gift Jesus gave of His life, the suffering He went thru...it's more head knowledge than in the heart.
I remember watching the movie, "The Passion of the Christ" with my mom (who is not a believer, but who believes all religions lead to the same 'god'). It was heart wrenching and horrific to watch the horrible way He was brutalized but I found myself saying, "It wasn't really that bad, was it?" Doubting it. My mom made the comment about how it seemed to reflect human nature in general, how brutal humans can be, something to that effect. Perhaps that was my real feeling, too. I need God to break thru and give me a revelation of Himself and Jesus and what Jesus went thru for me, the love He had when He made that choice, etc. It just hasn't sunk in.
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine!...I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;...You are precious and honored in my eyes, and I love you...do not be afraid, for I am with you." (Is.43:4-5)