Jesus Is the Way - by Jim Tharp

"Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:5-6)

Some years ago, a poor Texas sharecropper received word that a wealthy relative in England had died and left him over a million dollars. But the miserable old fellow went on scrounging and worrying and cursing through life until he died in abject poverty. A few neighbors chipped in to give him a decent burial.

God in His love has sent the message to every sin-cursed son of Adam that He has made provision for their eternal life. But millions go right on laboring and doubting and walking in darkness. They refuse to believe the greatest story ever told.

The appalling ignorance of salvation involves the devoutly religious and the brazenly sacrilegious, the profoundly intelligent, the pathetically ignorant, the fabulously wealthy, the wretchedly poor, the genuinely sincere, and the despicably hypocritical. But not everyone!

Millions have believed. They have listened to His Word with conviction. They have believed in their hearts that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He lived a life of perfect righteousness for them, died on the cross to pay for their sins, and returned from the grave to be their Eternal Savior and Lord! They saw the light, heard the call, and felt the change. You will find them on every continent. They come in all colors. They belong to all denominations. They represent every age.

Christians around the world form an impressive minority. They shine in the darkness. They know where they are going. They seem to know that their convictions and values are held in contempt by the present order. Still they go on—in radiance, love, power, and purpose. Having tasted the Bread of Eternal Life and drunk the new Wine of the Spirit, they refuse to turn aside to the carnal elements of a condemned world.

Why don’t you come and go with us? It is the only way to go! Let me tell you how to turn into this way. It is simple, but it is not easy!

For God So Loved the World

1. Realize that God loves you. Stop blaming Him for war and tragedy and death. Quit fussing at Him for your personal heartaches and disappointment. Open your mind to the truth that our rebellion against the goodness of God has let evil forces loose in our world. But despite all this, “God Is Love.” (1 John 4:16) He has never willed any harm to one of His creatures or children from all eternity. In the very face of our rejection of His will, “. . . God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

All Have Sinned

2. Acknowledge that you are a sinner. Do not try to justify any action in your past that violates God’s Word. Do not seek to excuse any attitude in the present that His Word might condemn. Allow yourself to be the sinner you are. Only sinners who acknowledge their sins can be saved: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) It is only a short step from owning up to sin to repentance for sin. Repentance is agreeing with God about your sin and changing your mind about your sinful way. It is having done with sin and going God’s way.

 

Christ Died for Us

3. Trust in Christ alone as your Savior. Believe that His suffering on the cross paid in full for all your sins. Do not try to be your own savior through self-improvement and self-righteousness. Make certain that you see that all your good works glorify God and understand that they are the result of salvation not the cause. Salvation is a free gift. Christ took your rap. Any effort on your part to save yourself would be to hold Christ’s work for you on the cross in contempt. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9)

Take Up the Cross and Follow Me

4. Surrender your life to Christ. Make Him Lord of your life. God loves you and has planned a life of happiness and meaning for you. But you cannot find this on your own, no matter how brilliant or wealthy or famous you may become. A self-managed life is a self-destroyed life; He alone can take your life and make it count. Jesus said, “. . . Whoever decides to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:34-37)

Confess Me Before Men

5. Confess Christ to others. Do not try to be a secret disciple. “...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) Christian baptism became the immediate public testimony for new believers in the early church. When one takes up his cross to follow Christ today, he should enter into the fellowship of the church right away. He should identify with Christ’s followers, study the Word, and learn how to effectively share his love for Christ with others.

Following Christ is the only way to go! Those who take these five steps above will discover how real the Spirit of God will respond in their lives.

What really happens when you believe in Christ as your Savior?

• You receive “everlasting life.” (John 3:16, John 6:47, Romans 6:23)
• You are “born again.” (John 3:3, I Peter 1:23)
• You are “a new creation.” (II Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15)
• You are adopted as one of “the children of God.” (Romans 8:15, I John 3:1-2, Ephesians 1:5)
• You are assured of “peace” and “forgiveness.” (Romans 5:1, Ephesians 1:7)
• You are made a “partaker of the divine nature.” (II Peter 1:4, Ephesians 4:22-24)
• You receive “the gift of the Holy Spirit” to indwell, cleanse, empower, and guide you. (Acts 2:38, Romans 8:9-10, Acts 15:8-9, Acts 1:8, John 14:26)

If you have just now or recently become a Christian, let me welcome you to the Kingdom of God and congratulate you on making the most important decision in your life. Also, I want to help you in your Christian life. You must attend to three basic needs in your spiritual life. These needs, given below, must be met right away if you are to make progress in your Christian experience.

Three Basic Needs in Your Spiritual Life

1. A Spirit-filled Pastor to love you and minister the Word to your hungry heart.
2. A Christ-centered and Bible-believing church where you can find loving fellowship, small groups for spiritual growth, and a place of service to Christ.
3. A daily schedule that gives priority to private prayer and Bible study.

May you continue to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (II Peter 3:18) Jesus is the only way!