March 28, 2019 -- John 14:6 -- Sure about heaven?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6 ESV

This is a passage that is so familiar to many people. It is often read at funerals as a passage of assurance and comfort. I wonder something though. When this passage is read do those who hear it understand what Jesus is saying?

Let me ask a different question: How does one ‘get to heaven’? In response to this question many answers are offered:

~I have been good, so I hope the good I do outweighs the evil I do (it doesn’t)

~Whatever I’ve done isn’t as bad as what others do, like serial killers or politicians (you are just as guilty)

~I just expect in the next life there will be peace and fun times (this is a groundless hope without Jesus)

The words of Jesus are actually pretty shocking. The way to ‘get to heaven’ is through Jesus Christ alone. God has set the standard for entry into His holy presence and that standard is to have one’s sins fully cleansed. Any stain of sin, a lie, an impure thought, an episode of unwarranted or unrestrained anger, failure to honour God as His Name is due honour—any one of those sins just listed is enough to bar heaven’s gate against you.

Who then can enter heaven? In fact it is Jesus alone Who earned the right to enter heaven. He was without sin. He not only did everything commanded by God in the Law., more than this even, whenever an opportunity to do good was presented to Him, Jesus acted on it. As such, He was the sinless One. God the Father put on Jesus the sins of us all. At the cross Jesus took on Himself the punishment of God against sin. Those who believe in Jesus and follow Him have their sins washed away and by His holiness have the right to enter heaven. Those who believe in Jesus have His goodness, His righteousness credited to their account.

There is no other way to heaven. There is no other religion or god who can give access to the One True God. There is no other Saviour, but Jesus. And the Bible shows us this clearly. The Spirit of Truth, a.k.a. the Holy Spirit, shows us this in the written word—the Bible. The Spirit confirms all that Jesus says is true.

Jesus, Who is like You? A man might die for his child. A soldier might give his life in service to his country. But who gives himself to death for his enemies? Who offers kindness and forgiveness in the place of insult and scourging like You do, Lord Jesus. Therefore You are honoured and praised and Your precious Name is above every Name on earth and in heaven. Blessed as You. We believe, help us overcome any lingering doubts, so that our faith and our confidence rest on You alone. Amen.