The Gospel of Heaven: Is Jesus the only way?

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’.” - John 14:6

This scripture for many of us has kept us safe. If Jesus is the only way then we believe in Jesus and we’re assured of not going to hell. For others of us, this scripture has been used to justify our actually going to hell. “Jesus is the only way and if you don’t turn to him then you’ll receive eternal damnation!”

Now here’s the thing. When we look at this plain reading of scripture, then right off the bat, we have a very exclusive passage that basically says that around 6 billion people in this world will miss out on a heavenly eternity and end up in hell. Is this kind of damnation part of God's character?

Let’s start with the first two words, “Jesus answered,” that alone shows us that we’ve taken something out of context. What was it that Jesus answered?

The conversation actually starts in John chapter 13:

"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come". - John 13:33

This is bad news for the disciples. They've given up their families, their livelihoods, their possessions, their homes in order to follow Jesus. Now Jesus is leaving and they can't join him?

Jesus, sensing the disciples' panic tells them that he's preparing a house for them. They are to wait for him. Is Jesus talking about heaven here? The kingdom of God here on earth? The disciples think he's talking about a real, physical space house where they will meet Jesus.

If we look at John 14:5, we understand why the disciple Thomas says,

“Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” – John 14:5.

He thinks that they're meeting Jesus in a physical place. Jesus responds, "I'm am the way the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father but through me”. 

There is so much here that Thomas is asking. This isn’t just one question. This is a bunch of questions mixed in with frustration.

• Why do you have to leave?

• Where’s this house that we’re headed?

• I’ve given everything to be with you and I can’t leave now!

• Give us directions to this place you're building. Can you give us a map?

• Can you give me a concrete answer please because I need to know what the rest of my life will look like?

And now that we take a look at the context can we also agree that Thomas is NOT taking this moment to say to Jesus,

“Jesus do you think Hindus, Muslims, and others who don’t believe that you’re the Christ will go to this place called Heaven?” Who’s in and who’s out Jesus?”

 For us to see this as a conversation about who goes to heaven and who doesn’t is blindly arrogant. It fails to take into account the rich story of relationships, of sacrificing, of taking big risks in order to follow Jesus.

In this light, Jesus is saying, “Listen, you don’t need to understand all this. You simply need to trust me. Don’t look for a way apart from me. Don’t look for a route or destination – some concept or technique or system of thought that is separate from me. I’m not trying to give you information or instructions so you no longer need me and can instead depend on the information or instructions. No – just trust me.

If Jesus is the way, the truth, the life then it's not about going to heaven, it's about walking in Jesus's footsteps. What do these footsteps look like? look at me, my life, my way, my deeds, my character.” And what has that character been? Is it one of exclusion that keeps people out for not believing the right thing? Of course not! Jesus’ way has been compassion, healing, acceptance, forgiveness, inclusion, and love from beginning to end. Then why would we interpret in the exact opposite way?

The Bible has been interpreted and misinterpreted for centuries. An important aspect of Forefront is calling it out. Beware of misused Scripture!