Salvation is a matter we all must consider at some stage in our spiritual lives, and in this post I’d like to briefly present an alternative to the common Christian view that Jesus is the only way to have peace with God.
During times when I have been immersed in Christian life and enthusiastically proclaiming the Gospel message, there has been an urgency to my endeavours owing to a passion for Jesus and a fear that everyone who isn’t saved is going to hell. This is the basis for Christian evangelism, and this is why Christian evangelists can often seem pushy. It’s because they genuinely feel they have an exclusive claim to truth, and that the only way to avoid eternal punishment is by becoming a believer.
But if God is the omnipresent creator of the universe, then He has created every religion, not just Christianity. He is the creator of millions of Muslims, Jews, Mormons, Sikhs and Jehovah’s Witnesses. He is also the creator of all those people who are atheists, or agnostics. He has created literally billions of people who have lived and died outside of the Christian faith. Can it really be the case that all of these lives, with all their richness and diversity, are meaningless, because they are empty of Jesus Christ?
An alternative view would be that creation is a rich tapestry in which every thread, or every person, has a distinct and meaningful role to play. Existence can be seen as a grand performance in which God is expressing His infinite power by creating great diversity. Everyone who has lived and died has played out their role in God’s Grand Game, and God will bring everything together in a coherent way in the future.
Some Christians argue that nonbelievers are judged ‘by the light they have received’, meaning that even if they haven’t heard the Gospel, they are still morally culpable, as they have been exposed to good and evil and have had to choose accordingly. This is a way of accommodating all those outside of the faith into the Christian worldview.
But I wonder whether every life might be valuable to God in its own right, because if God is the sovereign creator, sustainer, and animator of all there is, then everyone’s life has unfolded in exactly the way God intended, even if they did not embrace Jesus as Lord and Saviour and live a Christian life.
The above article is an extract from my essay entitled An Almighty Predicament: A Discourse on the Arguments For and Against Christianity which is currently available for free as an eBook. To find out more and get your copy, visit the Books page.
Perfect Chaos 
90 responses to “Is Jesus the Only Way?”
[…] Source: Is Jesus the Only Way? […]
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The more I study God’s Word the more certain I am that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I also understand that God is sovereign over all things. It is not my own skill that opens the Word to me but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
That being said I cannot claim to know the things that God has not clearly revealed in His Word.
I think of John 9:1-12 where Jesus healed the man born blind. Where Jesus explained that this man was born this way that God could demonstrate His power in him. I also think of the Exodus and how the Pharo of Egypt had his heart hardened against Israel 10 times.
I do not know exactly what reason God has for all things that exist in the world today, but I believe that He is using it for good. I trust in Him. I do believe that the only way to God is through Jesus.
The Word of God is clear to me.
John 6:44 (ESV)
44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
John 14:6 (ESV)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
I do not know God’s plan, but I do know He gave us sound direction to move through a world filled with pagans. It is interesting to me. In the first century that included the Gentiles that Jesus sent Paul to preach to. I love how that is described in Ephesians 2.
God Bless.
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Thank you for your thoughts and insights, Danno. God bless you!
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Thank you, Steven, for liking my Thoughts on Easter! I clicked on your blog and after reading your essay on An Almighty Predicament, I’d like to share some thoughts, if possible. I’m not one to get into theological debate, but I hope that the words I share will be helpful to you somehow.
With regards to non-Christians, I agree with you that everyone is loved by God, valuable, and has a role to play in God’s plan. I believe that all people, regardless of their religion, reflect the character of God to some degree because we’ve all been made in His image. Everyone’s life has significance in God’s eyes. But while God created all people, he didn’t create all religions. They were man’s invention to try to find a way to God, although the Bible clearly teaches that there is one way to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me.” (John 14:6) God’s love for and value of each person was shown through his willingness to sacrifice his life and comforts for their benefit; his salvation is offered freely to all, but not all will receive it. So, yes, all people are loved and valuable and have a role to play in God’s plan, but it’s presumptuous to say that all will be saved regardless of whether they’ve trusted Christ as Saviour or not. As Romans 10:9, 10 teaches: “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Secondly, you wrote “If God is omnipresent, it logically follows that there is no free will. My understanding of omnipresence is literal, in that I believe every atom in existence is a part of God and therefore under God’s control. In this context, freedom to make decisions aside from or contrary to the will of God is impossible.” There’s a big difference between omnipresence and pantheism. God’s omnipresence was illustrated as David cried out, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7) God’s reach extends to every corner of the universe and every man’s heart. Your belief that “every atom in existence is a part of God” sounds more like pantheism to me (the view that God is in everything and everyone and that everything is God). While I do believe that God works through all circumstances and choices to carry out his purposes, it’s quite the stretch to say that we have no free will. If that were the case, there would be no sin, no punishment, no need for a saviour, no morality, etc. It would basically invalidate everything the Bible teaches. I’m not sure where you got this idea from, but it seems to be throwing a monkey wrench into your own testimony and personal experience of a loving God who has saved you, brought you joy, and whom you have witnessed miraculously heal and deliver others. If that doctrine were true, it would also invalidate the testimony of millions of Christians who willingly chose to believe Christ. Yes, Jesus drew us to himself, but we chose to believe of our own free will. Did God coerce you to believe him, or to write your blog, or was it a choice of your free will? Yes, God is omnipresent; yes, God is sovereign over all; but no, it does not follow logically that there is no free will. From the time of Adam’s creation, man has had free will to choose God or his own way. God is sovereign and man has free will; the two are not mutually exclusive. (Deut. 30:19,20)
I’m praying that the Lord will grant you discernment as you try to sort out what you believe. Blessings to you, my friend.
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Your first sentences already grabbed my attention – more specifically, the part about everyone who isn’t saved is going to hell . I know many people who are believers for that sole reason – they are afraid of going to hell. And while I know this is no reason to believe, how do you (yes, you in particular ;)) go about approaching situations like this?
My thoughts on the rest of the post are, that if God, in his omnipotence, created all diversity – even the non-believers – and their lives are unfolding according to His plan, wouldn’t that ultimately mean that God is intending for them to go to Hell? It seems a bit contradictory to me if God is A God of Love, yet His unfolding plan ends in some people not being saved.
Thank you once again for creating an open environment where people can discuss things like this.
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Hi Katelynn!
Many thanks for reading, and for your questions, which I feel are really good and important.
The reason I have had such a hard time moving away from Christianity is because of the fear of hell. Actually, there is a lot of disagreement among Christians concerning the doctrine of hell, and what exactly we are to understand about terms such as Gehenna, Sheol, and Hades, which are found in the Bible and which Christians often group together under a loose concept of ‘hell’. The issue doesn’t seem to be black and white.
I recommend my blogging friend Amanda’s series on hell, which explains in more depth. This post I wrote provides an intro:
https://perfectchaos.org/2018/05/03/the-bible-and-hell/
I feel that there is certainly a contradiction between saying God is all-loving, and that He sends people to hell. The main point for me is that I am convinced God is in control of every area of our lives from our conception. So if He is going to judge us for sin, He is really judging His own actions, which seems absurd. This is one of the main reasons I am reluctant to embrace the Christian worldview and all that comes with it.
In summary, I feel the excellent points you raise point to problems in the Christian worldview. I believe it’s certainly possible for God to make people suffer torment in the afterlife, but the idea that He would do that seems illogical to me. We need to consider who or what exactly God is. Is He an embodied being, sat on cloud somewhere in heaven, detached from reality? Or is He omnipresent and actively unfolding all events in creation from the beating or our hearts, to the growing of plants and trees, to the movement of celestial bodies? These are questions I believe we should think deeply about, because they directly impact the way we understand ideas like divine judgment and sin.
Thanks again for visiting and for your interest in discussing these things!
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Thanks very much for following my blog!
You raise important points that have so many sides to them. For me, I look to God’s word for understanding his will and purpose because I believe it is clear that our Creator must transcend us so much that we are dependent on his coming to reveal spiritual truth to us.
When I study the overarching trajectory of God’s word, I see so much that both convicts me and inspires my hope. One of the realities that convicts me most is that every person begins life in the universe that God created as a being created in his likeness, yet none of us loves or lives as we should; all of us become selfish and pursue our own ends without giving glory to God. Therefore, God judges every person according to the life they lived on earth and he has already forewarned us of his verdict: “no one is righteous; no one seeks me.” Which means that when God sees the world’s religions, he doesn’t see people who are seeking him, he sees people who are seeking things that they have made up to suit themselves.
I have come to believe that the grace God has shown the world in Jesus Christ is the only path to know God in both spirit and truth.
Thanks again for followng my blog and for this interesting blog!
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Hi David!
You’re welcome, thanks for checking out my blog too and reading my post 🙂
I have a rather different view of God, which is that He is sovereign over creation and unfolding all events in accordance with His will.
Christians often pray to God to bless their marriage, or their job, or their health, which demonstrates they understand that God is in control of their lives. But then they deny this and maintain we have free will, which to me is a rather confused perspective!
Having been a dedicated Christian in the past, I do understand and respect where you’re coming from, it’s just that I believe God is everywhere and not detached from events in the world, as you imply.
All the best!
Steven
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Reblogged this on Anonymous Controversy.
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Thank you for the reblog!
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You have a point. We cannot fathom what God thinks and we can not judge other people. And we cannot say that we are going to be first in His kingdom unless we obey His will and follow His teachings. The Bible is a good resource to know of God’s plan for us.
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Hi Antwan!
Many thanks for reading my post, and taking the time to comment.
Best wishes,
Steven
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Hey Brother Steven,
Definitely thought provoking. It brings to mind Romans 1:20 (no excuse) and John 14:6, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I’m gonna have to stick with Jesus on that question brother. Jesus said what He said. It is hard to hear, but it’s the truth. It is not relative. Also, don’t forget about when Jesus preached to the spirits who “disobeyed long ago” when He died on the cross. That is what He was doing for those 3 days before His resurrection. 1 Peter 3:18-20, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built…” Everybody gets their chance, and the Gospel has been spread throughout the whole world. Jesus is Lord and He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, God made it so, and it’s a done deal. No other way to Heaven my brother.
Bless you!
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Hi there Ryan!
I certainly respect your views, and your trust in what you have read and understood in the Christian scriptures. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple for me, as I see problems and inconsistencies in the Christian worldview, which (although I have tried) I seem to be unable to suppress.
Perhaps, if you’re interested, you might read my essay about the struggle I have had with Christianity (you can download a PDF of the essay, entitled ‘An Almighty Predicament’, from my Essays page. The essence of my problems with Christianity is that I am certain we don’t have free will, which is of course a cornerstone belief of the Christian faith. I believe there is one almighty will in control of everything that happens.
In any case, thank you for reading my article and taking the time to comment. I also appreciate your amiable tone.
Blessings!
Steven
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Hey Brother Steven! I will check it out and put my best thought to it, and get back to you soon.
It is my pleasure brother, reaching out in love!
Grace and peace to you!
Ryan
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Sounds great, Ryan! Thank you so much, and take your time. If you’d like to email me my email address is on the contact page. Otherwise you’re welcome to leave a comment (I guess it depends how much you’d like to say).
Have a blessed weekend!
Steven
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Thank you. I will most likely email you. We are writers and thinkers, so you know how it is. Be sure to grab a free copy of my eBook on Amazon: One Man’s Very Strange Supernatural Life. Details on my blog!
I think it’s cool we met brother! I am about 5 pages into the essay, and I’m already hooked. Cool story about the Muslim guy! The way the news portrays it, it always sounds like Muslims are stabbing people all over the U.K. Glad to hear that is not the case.
I think our life experiences will strengthen each other’s faith in new ways! Looking forward to finishing the essay! Talk soon!
You have a blessed weekend too brother!
Ryan
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Hey Ryan!
I agree, it’s very cool that we met. So pleased to hear you’re enjoying the essay so far, I appreciate the investment of your time. I’ll certainly download your eBook – thanks for that! Hopefully I’ll have some time to get stuck into it over the weekend.
I must admit my experience with Muslims here in London has on the whole been very positive, though there are of course extremists.
Looking forward to your feedback on the essay 🙂
Blessings in abundance,
Steven
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Genuinely I wonder about this all the time. Although I was brought up Catholic, I have too many misgivings with the institutions of the Church to follow. However, I am spiritual and try to lead a good life. I try to be kind, thoughtful and forgiving. Is this good enough for God?
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Hey! Well, the Christian would almost certainly say no, as being good doesn’t make you right with God, you need Jesus for that. But that’s one perspective among many, and each person needs to weigh up what the Bible teaches and what makes sense to them. I believe God guides this process in all of us, whatever we end up believing!
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Thanks for that. 💙
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Thank you! Your blog is awesome. Looking forward to reading more 🙂
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I just came across your blog, Steven, and it couldn’t have been at a more opportune time. Sans delving into details, your insights and perspectives are equal parts needed and appreciated. Curious as to why you seem to have discontinued posting? Thank you for what is here for me to read and reflect upon.
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Hello Eric! Many thanks for your kind words, they are very much appreciated. I’m glad you are enjoying my content. At the moment I post regularly on Fridays, and occasionally during the week. I’m busy working on a project which is taking up a lot of my time at the moment. There have been times when I’ve posted 3-5 times a week to a set schedule, but I’ve had to stop doing that for the time being. I do still read other people’s blogs and respond to comments daily though 🙂
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Thank you, Steven. It seems I miscalculated your blogging history and schedule. Wishing you well with your time consuming project. Looking forward to your thoughts whenever you are inspired to write.
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Thank you, Eric! I’m going to follow your blog as well so hopefully we can stay in touch and exchange ideas now and again. Peace and blessings upon you!
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