As we near the end of our series on the names of
the LORD, this post will focus on Jesus as the Word, the Way, the Truth, and
the Life. What do these names reveal to
us about our LORD?
John’s gospel was written with an emphasis on the
deity of God. He opens his gospel by
declaring that “the Word” existed at the beginning, was with God, was God,
created everything connected to our reality, and became flesh to dwell among
us. What an amazing declaration!
John 1:1–4 & 14 “In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The
same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without
him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the
light of men….And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
This
statement proclaims the eternal nature of our Savior both in fellowship with
God and as the very expression of God.
We are temporal creatures that exist in a time-space continuum; we are
created beings. God had no beginning and
will have no ending; He exists outside the time domain. As our Creator, He is the source of our
life—both physical and spiritual. It is
through His provision that we can interact with the world around us. He is the
light that provides us with the ability to think, reason, and make
choices. Most amazing of all is that He
“was made flesh” and lived among us. Why
would He do that? Following are a few
select scriptures that answer that question.
John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son
into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved.”
1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners….”
John 10:9–10 “I am the door: by me
if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find
pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and
that they might have it more
abundantly.”
Galatians 1:3–4 “Grace be to you and peace from God the
Father, and from our Lord Jesus
Christ, Who gave himself for our sins,
that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the
will of God and our Father:”
Hebrews 2:9 & 14-15 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little
lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and
honour; that he by the grace of God
should taste death for every man….that
through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the
devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage.”
1 John 3:5 & 8 “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins….For this purpose the Son
of God was manifested, that he might
destroy the works of the devil.”
Jesus
came to earth as a man to provide a way of salvation for sinful man. He came to gift us an abundant life. Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross to
deliver us from this present evil world—a world in which the devil holds the
power of death. Jesus came to destroy
the devil and his works. It is in light
of these truths that John records the following words of Jesus.
John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I
am the way, the truth, and the life: no
man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
There are people in the “professing” church today
who refuse to accept this truth; in fact, they refuse to accept God’s word as
the truth. I believe that many in the
seeker sensitive movement, that preach the prosperity gospel, that are members
of the New Apostolic Reformation movement, and that identify themselves with
the emergent church movement fall into this category. Some have an agenda to support ungodly
lifestyles or to fleece the flock to support their own lavish lifestyle. Others just take the position that they we cannot
know truth and want to position themselves as more loving and tolerant than
those “fundamental” Christians. They put
down those who stand on the truth of God’s word, and they promote good works over
the gospel of saving faith. Many in the
“professing” church express the belief that Jesus is only one way to
salvation—not the only way. Satan has
truly infiltrated his tares into the harvest.
He has successfully infiltrated the church with false apostles and
deceitful workers claiming to be ministers of righteousness.
2 Corinthians 11:13–15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful
workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an
angel of light. Therefore it is
no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of
righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
2 Timothy 4:3–4 “For the time will
come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall
turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Titus 1:10–11 “For there are many
unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.”
Romans 1:28 & 32 “And even as
they did not like to retain God in
their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those
things which are not convenient….Who knowing the judgment of God, that they
which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest
any man should boast.”
This is not an unexpected outcome. As you can see, God has warned us clearly in
His word that this was to be expected.
Thankfully, the enemy is as good as defeated and the victory sure. One day in the not so distant future (in my
lifetime I believe) Jesus will come to take His family home to the Father.
John 14:2–3 “In my Father’s house
are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
1 Corinthians 15:51–53 “Behold, I
shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For
this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 “For the
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Just a few years after that, He will return as
King of kings to establish Himself on the throne of David in Jerusalem.
Luke 1:30–33 “And the angel said
unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold,
thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name
JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the
Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David….”
After He has ruled for 1000 years, Satan will be
allowed one last hurrah before being miraculously defeated and thrown into the
lake of fire. The great white throne
judgment will take place, and all who are not found in the book of life
(everyone who rejected the gift of salvation made possible through the death,
burial and resurrection of Jesus) will be condemned to the lake of fire for
eternity. (See Revelation 19-20.)
Are you ready?
Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?
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