Why Jesus?
In a world of options and choices, where everyone seems to be choosing and doing what is right in their own eyes, the question that often comes up is “Why do I have to believe in Jesus?”. The answer is quite simply…there is no other name given to humanity by which they must be saved (Acts 4:12). After all, Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the only life (John 14:6). The exclusivity of Jesus and His written word have always been under attack. But unbelief, doubt and deceptive, lying teaching is now coming from within the so-called “church”. Articles and surveys abound, demonstrating that many evangelical, “born-again Christians” believe there are many ways to heaven; look them up for yourself. Even “pastors” are preaching that people can get to heaven without Jesus. I always chuckle to myself and wonder why these people would want to go to heaven in the first place. The first person they are going to meet is Jesus, and the person they have put their hope in to get them to heaven is most likely not going to be there, and they will sadly find out that heaven is not for them because they have not put their faith in Jesus. They will rather get to spend eternity with the one they have put their hope in, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:42).
Why is Jesus the only way? It’s quite simple really. Everyone needs a savior to free them from the effects and consequences of sin. Everyone on the planet is guilty of sinning, not merely against another individual, but against God Almighty. We have all broken His law and fallen short of His “glorious standards” (Rom. 3:23 NLT). We are sinners by nature, guilty by birth since we are born into sin. There is not one who is without sin and without guilt, deserving death (Romans 3:9-18). The penalty for sinning against Holy God is death (Rom. 6:23; Gen. 3:3). As Paul writes, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath” (Eph. 2:1-3). Simply put…sin leads to death, and dead people can’t do anything to save themselves, especially put their hope in another “dead” person to get them out of the mess they are in. All other religions are guilty of pointing people to another “dead” person for salvation. Life is not found in Muhammad, Moses, Buddha, Gandi, Pope Francis, Tony Robbins or Oprah. Forgiveness of sins is certainly not found in another who needs forgiveness of sins. So…the question is why Jesus?
Only one person could pay the penalty for sins which is death, and that person had to be sinless – Jesus was the only sinless person to ever walk the face of the Earth: He who knew no sin became sin for us (2Cor. 5:21). But there was only one person who had never sinned and that was God Himself. Only God could die for the sins of the people since that was the only offering God would accept as payment for sins. A sinless, perfect lamb had to be offered for the sins of the people. The blood of that perfect lamb would have to be shed to atone or cover over the sins of the people, for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness and remission of sin (Heb. 9:22) Since that could not be found in any human, only in God, God had to come down and be the offering for sin. God became flesh – Immanuel (God with us) in the person of Jesus (God saves), to bear the due penalty for our sins in His flesh (1Pet. 2:24; Isa 53:4-5). When Jesus was crucified on the cross and shed His blood for every sinner who would put their faith in Him, atonement was made, propitiation was rendered – that is payment was made to God on our behalf for all of our sins, and God was pleased to accept the sacrifice of His Son for the sins committed against Him by all of humanity. (Rom. 3:21-26). God laid on Jesus our iniquity – He paid our debt – and now we go free (Isaiah 53).
So you see friends: it’s only Jesus because only Jesus is God, and only God could pay the ransom requirement for our sins. Jesus is God; Jesus is our perfect Lamb sacrificed for the sins of the whole world. It’s the only offering God could ever accept as payment for our sins. What is mercy – that God would not give us what we deserve, which is death. What is grace – that God would take our place and offer up Himself as payment for our sins…forgiveness, redemption, freedom, life. The ransom for a life is costly (Psa. 49:7-9), and only God could pay the acceptable ransom.
There is only one way to heaven…Jesus is the only way. No one gets there without the shed blood of Jesus applied to their sins. It requires faith in Him and His finished work on the cross. Remember this…we were dead in sins, unable to save ourselves, “but because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:4-8).
Sinners are dead. Only God can make alive. Only God can Save. Only Jesus (God in the flesh) is the acceptable payment for sins. Think of this: Dead people need life. Life is found in no one else: “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1John 5:10-12).
Do you have life? Share how you got it with someone who doesn’t or who thinks they have it without Jesus…that’s deception! Tell them the truth…it’s ONLY JESUS!
Be fruitful and multiply by making disciples who love Jesus!
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