We often hear statements such as:
“We are all taking different roads to the same place.”
Or:
“It doesn’t matter how you worship as long as you believe in God.”
Or:
“Everyone has his own path to God.”
Those statements may sound tolerant and comforting.
But there is a more important question:
WHAT DID JESUS SAY?
JESUS SPOKE OF TWO WAYS
Jesus said:
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:”
(Matthew 7:13, KJV)
Then He said:
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
(Matthew 7:14, KJV)
Notice that Jesus did not describe:
MANY DIFFERENT ROADS
↓
ALL LEADING TO LIFE
He described:
A BROAD WAY
↓
DESTRUCTION
and:
A NARROW WAY
↓
LIFE
That is very different from the idea that every religious path eventually reaches God.
JESUS SAID HE IS THE WAY
Jesus told His disciples:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
(John 14:6, KJV)
Notice the language:
THE WAY
THE TRUTH
THE LIFE
Jesus did not say:
“I am one of many ways.”
He said:
“I AM THE WAY.”
NO OTHER NAME SAVES
Peter proclaimed concerning Jesus:
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
(Acts 4:12, KJV)
Again, Scripture does not describe multiple saving paths.
SALVATION IS IN CHRIST.
Paul wrote:
“…that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”
(2 Timothy 2:10, KJV)
SINCERITY CANNOT CREATE ANOTHER WAY
A person may sincerely believe he is traveling in the right direction and still be wrong.
Solomon wrote:
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
(Proverbs 14:12, KJV)
Notice:
IT SEEMS RIGHT
↓
BUT
↓
IT ENDS IN DEATH
Our sincerity cannot determine whether a path is true.
God’s Word must determine that.
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH
Jesus warned:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…”
(Matthew 7:21, KJV)
These people called Jesus:
LORD.
Yet Jesus said not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter the kingdom.
Who will?
“…he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
(Matthew 7:21, KJV)
Jesus continued by describing people who would claim to have done many religious works in His name.
Yet He would say:
“…I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
(Matthew 7:23, KJV)
That should cause every religious person—including us—to examine what we believe and practice.
THE STANDARD IS NOT THE MAJORITY
Jesus said the broad way has:
“MANY”
traveling upon it.
And the narrow way has:
“FEW”
who find it.
Therefore, popularity cannot determine truth.
A doctrine does not become true because millions believe it.
A religious practice does not become authorized because thousands of congregations practice it.
A church does not become Christ’s church because it is large.
Truth remains truth whether many accept it or few accept it.
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
THERE ARE TWO WAYS
Matthew 7:13–14
↓
THE BROAD WAY LEADS TO DESTRUCTION
↓
THE NARROW WAY LEADS TO LIFE
↓
JESUS IS THE WAY
John 14:6
↓
SALVATION IS FOUND IN NO OTHER
Acts 4:12
↓
SALVATION IS IN CHRIST
2 Timothy 2:10
↓
WE MUST DO THE FATHER’S WILL
Matthew 7:21
↓
THEREFORE:
FOLLOW THE WAY CHRIST REVEALED.
The question is not:
“DOES MY RELIGIOUS PATH FEEL RIGHT TO ME?”
The question is:
“IS THIS THE WAY CHRIST REVEALED?”
The question is not:
“ARE MANY PEOPLE FOLLOWING THIS ROAD?”
The question is:
“WHERE DOES THIS ROAD LEAD ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE?”
Jesus said:
“…narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
(Matthew 7:14, KJV)
That makes our responsibility clear.
We should not search for the easiest road.
We should not search for the most popular road.
We should not search for the road that agrees with what we already want to believe.
We should search the Scriptures for:
THE WAY CHRIST REVEALED.
Don’t accept that conclusion merely because it is written here.
Open your Bible.
Read Matthew 7.
Read John 14.
Read Acts 4.
Read 2 Timothy 2.
Read Proverbs 14.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Then ask:
AM I FOLLOWING THE WAY CHRIST REVEALED, OR SIMPLY THE WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO ME?
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
(John 14:6, KJV)
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
TheBiblicalPattern.com
The Biblical Pattern 