Is Jesus the Only Way to Salvation? - John 14:1-10

Faith Fellowship Boca · Is Jesus the Only Way of Salvation?

I.  How are we Saved?

Approach #1 (World) – God will accept any honest attempt.

   

Rabbi Schmeley Boteach – “I am absolutely against any religion that says one faith is superior to another.  I don’t see how that is anything different than spiritual racism.”

 

 Approach #2 (Bible) – God has his prescribed way.

  

John 14:6  -  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

 

 

** In this Proclamation, Jesus is:

1. Limiting our options.

 

See:     Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:32-46)

            Parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13:18-30)

 

Key Teaching –  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed.”  (Matthew 25:41, NIV)

 

2.  Revealing the option that God ordained.

 

Deuteronomy 5:32 – “You must therefore be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn to the right or to the left.”

 

Isaiah 30:21 – “And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”

 

John 14:9 - Jesus said to Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

 

 

 

II. When did God Decide the Plan of Salvation?

 

Option 1: Arminianism (i.e.: IN RESPONSE to the Fall/Lapse)

 

Order of Incidents:  God Creates, God has foreknowledge of the Fall, Decree to Provide a Savior, Decree to provide a means for repentance and belief, Foreknowledge of those who will repent and believe, Decree to save those who repent and believe.

 

Note: Arminianism removes the emphasis of salvation away from God’s sovereign will and onto the will of a person.  In short, salvation is dependent on human will more than God’s will.  Christ’s death did not accomplish anyone’s redemption but merely made salvation available for all.

 

Option 2: Infralapsarianism (i.e.: AFTER the Fall/Lapse)

 

Order of Decisions by God:  Creation, Mankind has Freedom to Sin, Who will God save 

(predestination), Provide a Savior 

 

Note: Infralapsarianism focuses on God allowing the fall and providing salvation through election.

 

Option 3: Supralapsarianism (i.e.: BEFORE the Fall/Lapse)

 

Order of Decisions by God:  The Election of the Chosen, Creation, Mankind has Freedom to Sin, Provision for Salvation through Jesus Christ

 

Note: Supralapsarianism focuses on God ordaining the fall as a means of salvation that was predetermined before creation. 

 

** Which is True?  No one knows.

 

 

III.  In coming to earth, Jesus revealed God’s…

 

…Way

 

Acts 4:12 – “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  

 

Application: Jesus does more than tell us about the way to God, he leads us along the path.

 

…Truth

 

Psalm 86:11 – “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I might walk in your truth.”

 

Application:  Jesus does more than teach us truth, he is the truth of God.

 

…Life

 

Romans 10:13 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  

 

Application:  Jesus offers us what he IS himself…a life that is NOT in bondage to death.