Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:5-7)
Jesus says he’s the only way to God! No one comes to the Father except through him.
If that is true, Jesus is saying that the only true religion is Christianity and that all other religions are false.
Does this make Jesus arrogant?
Not at all! If Jesus really is the only way to the Father – the most loving thing that Jesus (and his followers) can do is tell people the truth. There's no point pretending there's lots of ways to God, if God himself tells us there is only one way.
Just before the bit quoted above, Jesus says he is going to prepare a place for his followers in his Father’s house. I used to picture Jesus going into each room and making the bed and placing a towel and soap on the end of each bed. That’s a little bit silly.
So how does Jesus prepare a place for people in heaven?
He goes via the cross. Jesus’ death for sinners and resurrection to new life is the way that he makes access to God possible. Trust him.
Jesus IS the only way to God. It would be unloving not to tell people that truth!
Image by Kenny Louie. License.