Why Is Jesus the Only Way to God?

If there is one thing the Bible is very clear about, it is that salvation is found in no one else but Jesus. This message is repeated throughout the Old and New Testaments. God condemns all other gods as false, ⁽¹⁾ and the first of the Ten Commandments is to worship no other God but him alone. ⁽²⁾ The Old Testament prophesied a future Savior, whom Jesus claimed to be. ⁽³⁾ He even proclaimed himself the only way to God. ⁽⁴⁾ His followers preached that salvation is found in Christ alone. ⁽⁵⁾

Christianity’s message that Jesus is the exclusive way to God has led to numerous accusations of intolerance. But I would answer these charges this way. Let’s say I’m hiking over a high mountain, and my guide says there’s only one safe passage to follow – would I call him narrow-minded? Or what if I had a severe illness and my doctor claimed there was only one medicine that could cure me – would I accuse him of being intolerant? I don’t think so. Exclusivity doesn’t inherently mean intolerance.

The question of why Jesus is the only Savior is central to understanding the Gospel. The short answer is that only Jesus can address the barrier between God and humanity, namely our sin.

Let’s first look at that barrier. One of the main Greek words translated “sin” carries the idea of missing the mark. For example, if I tried to shoot a paper bullseye, I’m sure I would miss it by quite a lot! In the same way, sin is anything that deviates from truth and uprightness, even slightly. Its impact is universal. ⁽⁶⁾ We don’t need to read the Bible to know that no one is perfect.

If humanity is to be reconciled to God, the problem of sin must be resolved. That is because the Lord is holy and cannot have fellowship with sinners. ⁽⁷⁾ I imagine it this way. Let’s say a scientist wanted to approach the sun to study it up close. Such a task would be impossible because of the heat generated by our closest star. The researcher would be burned up in an instant! In the same way, God’s holiness doesn’t allow sinful mankind to approach him. 

But what if that scientist had special protection from the heat? He could then get as close as needed to do his research. In the same way, God has provided a way for sinful people to approach him without being burned by the purity of his holiness: the cross.

Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin. ⁽⁸⁾ Because Jesus is both fully God and fully human, he alone could become the perfect mediator between God and humanity and atone for human sin. God couldn’t simply forgive humanity without the penalty for sin being paid – that would be unjust – so Christ came to earth to bear our punishment.

When people believe in Jesus, he forgives their sins, enabling reconciliation with God. ⁽⁹⁾ What’s more, Christ gives his own righteousness to his followers, enabling them to stand before God without blemish. ⁽¹⁰⁾ Returning to my sun illustration, Jesus is that “special protection” that lets us approach God.

The problem with other religions is that they fail to solve the problem of sin. Religious activities, moral rules, or even sacrifices do nothing to remove its stain. ⁽¹¹⁾ They’re an attempt to approach the sun without a shield to protect against the heat. We can try all we want, but without the protection that God has provided, we will only end up getting burned.

⁽¹⁾ Isaiah 45:5-7

⁽²⁾ Deuteronomy 5:6-7

⁽³⁾ John 4:25-26

⁽⁴⁾ John 14:6

⁽⁵⁾ Acts 4:12

⁽⁶⁾ Romans 3:10-18,23

⁽⁷⁾ Isaiah 59:2

⁽⁸⁾ John 1:29, 1 John 2:2

⁽⁹⁾ Colossians 1:13-14

⁽¹⁰⁾ 2 Corinthians 5:21, Philippians 3:9

⁽¹¹⁾ Colossians 2:21-23,Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 10:3-4