Is Jesus the only way?

[billie]

Maybe everyone else has gotten tired of beating their heads against the walls with you and your absurd questions.

Methinks you are right, G.

[Giaour]

I never said it HAD to be a burning bush.

I said that is the way Moses heard God.

It could be anything.

Like a voice in the wind like the road to damascus.

Or a stubborn donkey.

Regardless of HOW God will reveal Himself, He will.

[Giaour]

I offered and defended, you just poo pood it.

Nuf said.

[Joshua-777]

all I gotta say is, more reason to spread the Gospel of peace, so all can hear the good News of Jesus Christ, he is the only way, the truth and the life. Ya know I don't think the apostles did missionary trips spreading the Good word in vain, I think we as Christians should be doing the same, and Jesus will be revealed to all, and all will have a chance to accept him. I believe that is true/

[MeCajunboy]

As I was explaining my situation in another thread, a question rose up that I had asked my preacher. The question is as follows:

What about the people in the African jungle(or another isolated location) who have never heard the name of Christ, much less read a bible? Do they go directly to hell just because they were never given a chance to learn about this salvation?

Well this was answered quite well by Nebula. The answer was this...

Romans 2

11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

This shows that God has a different plan for those who have not heard the name of Christ and never will before they die. But this also brings up another issue: Is Jesus Christ the only way to the Father?

Jesus states:

John 14:6

Jesus said to him[Thomas], "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

So was Jesus only stating a partial truth? Can it be reconciled as both being truth?

Please give me your thoughts.

In love,

system

When you get the time to read Romans (completely through) you will become familiar with a person name "Paul." Paul tells us that God said, "Everyman will know him!" So there can be no excuses as "I never knew God or HIS word." Ever ask yourself how man came to know about sin? Or when man does wrong , How do they know they are doing something wrong as opposed to the good feeling you get by doing right, or the work of God. Also, if you've ever read about those darkest corners of the Earth in the thickets of Africa, how did man come to have their own beliefs or come to pray for the "God or rain or food" If they had never been approached by outside humans, How did they come to worship, even in their own way? GOD IS AWESOME!

Blessings

Cajunboy

[systemstrike_7]

As I was explaining my situation in another thread, a question rose up that I had asked my preacher. The question is as follows:

What about the people in the African jungle(or another isolated location) who have never heard the name of Christ, much less read a bible? Do they go directly to hell just because they were never given a chance to learn about this salvation?

Well this was answered quite well by Nebula. The answer was this...

Romans 2

11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

This shows that God has a different plan for those who have not heard the name of Christ and never will before they die. But this also brings up another issue: Is Jesus Christ the only way to the Father?

Jesus states:

John 14:6

Jesus said to him[Thomas], "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

So was Jesus only stating a partial truth? Can it be reconciled as both being truth?

Please give me your thoughts.

In love,

system

When you get the time to read Romans (completely through) you will become familiar with a person name "Paul." Paul tells us that God said, "Everyman will know him!" So there can be no excuses as "I never knew God or HIS word." Ever ask yourself how man came to know about sin? Or when man does wrong , How do they know they are doing something wrong as opposed to the good feeling you get by doing right, or the work of God. Also, if you've ever read about those darkest corners of the Earth in the thickets of Africa, how did man come to have their own beliefs or come to pray for the "God or rain or food" If they had never been approached by outside humans, How did they come to worship, even in their own way? GOD IS AWESOME!

Blessings

Cajunboy

I have read Romans and am well aware of who Paul is. Don't take this approach, it is irritating and completely immature.

This is easily answered. How do these tribesmen come to believe in something? Maybe lack of science. They cannot explain some things, so believe them to be unexplainable. But most importantly for self-preservation. Deep in our hearts, we want to live forever. This is our main desire. We want our lives to never stop, what is there other than our lives? Nothing. Well why not believe there is a place after death where we can live happily ever after? Sounds good to me. But who made this place, ah yes, a god or goddess. Or maybe we just reincarnate. We just become new people! Now the earth is god/goddess. I could probably right some ridiculous story about some gods and goddesses and have it stand up to scrutiny as well as these tribesmen could do, but they can do it nonetheless.

Now, we are speaking from a scriptural aspect here. Is Jesus the only way? According to scripture: yes and no. Which is it?

[Floatingaxe]

Yes, Jesus is the ONLY way. There is no other who would die for us and take our sins upon Himself. No other can claim that..no other can love like that. Because of that alone, I find Jesus as the most credible of all the so-called "ways" to eternal life, and reconciliation with God.

[nebula]

Hey, System -

Remember how I said I was reluctant to delve into my interpretation of the passage?

God created us with a keen desire to search out mysteries, yet God mischievously hid His mysteries so well! Often times He grants us glimpses of these mysteries, but often times He never lets us see the whole picture. In studying theology, we are often like the scientists several decades ago trying to figure out if light is a particle or a wave (if you have learned, earlier experiments on light showed that it acted as both, but scientists knew there was no way a substance can be both). As it turns out, light is neither but a different substance entirely. The point is we see this a lot in theology where two principles are in seeming contradiction when in fact they are not; it means we have to figure out the hidden principle that binds the two together. (I heard a brilliant example of this, but unfortunately I'm not able to recall it at the moment. sigh.)

Jesus did say, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me." And this is true.

Paul made a note about the "Gentiles, who do not have the law."

Does this principle negate what Jesus had said? No, it does not. However, I do know that "God is rich in mercy" and "does not desire that any should perish."

We are not given too many glimpses of the fate of men after they die, nor of Heaven and Hell. So I am hesitant to make too many definitive claims. However, I am fully convinced that there's more to Heaven than just getting in through the gates, and that we are given rewards and positions based on our actions here on Earth. Paul made a note of this in Corinthians when he spoke of what materials we build with.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

So this is what I challenge you with.

Read Romans 1-3 to see the context of what Paul is presenting when saying this one portion. What point is he trying to make, and how does this relate?

Can you do this?

[Guest Biblicist]

The way I see it. Questions like this one, "What about people who have never heard of Jesus?", and this one,"Why doesn't Jesus heal those who have amputated legs?" and the like, can only be answered by God and therefore should only be asked of God.

The only purpose asking these questions serves is getting away from the true issue. . .

[RustyAngeL]

Far fetched?

Like a talking donkey?

Or parting the sea?

Or raising the dead?

Or turning water to wine?

Oh Ye of little faith.

I'm sorry you dont like my responses.

Maybe everyone else has gotten tired of beating their heads against the walls with you and your absurd questions.

I think your right too. These questions have been answered over and over again and there each repsonse is ignored and answered only with another question.