Jesus as the Way the Truth and the Life John 14:6 - Term Paper Example

Jesus as the way the truth and the life John 14:6 Introduction Christian believers have over long time been praying without any failure to mention Jesus’ name in the prayers. In every bit of prayers there will be the mentioning of the name Jesus or the Son of God. Holy Spirit and God the Father are also often mentioned in the prayers. However, the names Jesus and God are usually the easiest names for Christian to mention even at times faced with same form of trouble or distresses. When taking oaths and vows in courts and weddings, the parties that include witnesses and brides swears in the name of the Father who is God that they will stay truthful and evidence given shall all be nothing but truth. True and devoted Christians will easily recognize the book of John 14: 6 where Jesus proclaimed that “I am the way truth and life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” It is important for all Christians to know that mere knowledge and grasp of this Biblical verse is not enough to enhance the true spiritual growth. The verse is very broad making it necessary to teach Christians concerning all the entities and spectrum of application of this particular verse. Teaching on this verse will help broaden their understanding and building of very strong Christian faith. Whatever the case, Christian must know the many reasons why Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus as Life During His mission in the world, Jesus kept reiterating concerning His relation with God and the Holy Spirit. He said that God is in Him and He in God, thus God and Jesus are nothing but one. God is the giver of life as well as the creator of heaven and all that is inside. Referring to the book of John 1: 1 onwards “In the beginning there was word, the Word was with God and God was the Word. It is because of the Word that everything on the earth was made.” Life is the basic component of all living creatures on the surface of the earth1. Therefore life could be the Word spoken instructing the availability of the earth and everything that exists in it. If the Word was life, then according to the indicated book of John 1:1 the life is God. Since Jesus and God are two in one as Jesus is in the Father and Father in Son (mentioned somewhere in the Bible), then Jesus the Son qualifies as Life. It is also important to consider the events at the last supper when Jesus was dividing bread and wine to the disciples. During the event, Jesus broke the bread and instructed His Disciples to take for it represented the body of Christ, which is immortal. He also gave wine to His disciples instructing them to take as a representation of His blood that shall leave them without thirst. The reality of Jesus as life also featured in during an event in the well in Samaria. Here Jesus went to quench His thirst and happened to meet a Samaritan woman who had gone to fetch water. The Samaritan woman had an instrument for drawing water from the well but Jesus had none. So Jesus requested the Samaritan woman to provide Him with water but the woman refused citing the big names like Jacob linked to the well and the grudge existing between the Samaritans and Jews. With all the hurdles presented by the Samaritan woman, Jesus did not give up, but continued tirelessly to convince the woman as this was His purpose of saving the woman from her daunting sins. In the process of argument, Jesus regretted why the woman did not recognize Him as of more importance than just the physical water. Jesus then declared to her that He was the living well springing waters of life, and that those who drink the water from that well will never feel thirst again in their life. The woman then accepted Jesus’ persuasions and called for salvation, which later saw Jesus promising her life eternal life if she continued to believe. In light of the event at Samaria, it is clear that Jesus leveraged the woman from all her sins that weighed down on her. 2As indicated in the book of Roman 6: 23 that the wage of sin is death, the woman after being set free from the bondage of sin was sure of eternal life even after death. Other events that confirmed Jesus as Life were the several healing of sick and dead. During His mission, Jesus moved across the world healing the sick who suffered from very serious illnesses and proclaiming life over them upon believing. He also proclaimed life over the dead whose relatives and friends demonstrated faith and hope in Him. For example, Jesus healed a man who suffered from leprosy for several decades, and after having tried several means of finding life. He enabled several blind persons to see upon recognizing and declaring Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus also restored a woman who had suffered endless hemorrhage for twelve years back to her normal life. Jesus also raised restored Jairus’ daughter back to life after death. It is also imperative to consider the use of Jesus’ name by disciples and believers of to heal and proclaim life over the dead. Peter, John, James, Matthew among other disciples of Jesus traversed the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus and proclaiming life over the sick and dead only in the name of Jesus. They also used the powerful name of Jesus to disposes demons from the possessed people. The Gospel according to John the Baptist was also presentational of Jesus as the true savior and owner of life. In his Gospel, John the Baptist called on people to prepare the way for the Lamb of God informing them that whoever will believe in Him shall not perish, but have an eternal life. The Life definition of Jesus also manifested when He commanded the lake and the storm that almost drowned the boat to calm. Life consists of many other things apart from the basic breathing and healthy living of human beings. it also consists of the natural calamities and unfortunate events. Commanding and receiving immediate allegiance from the storm and winds of the sea demonstrates that Jesus Himself had some aspects authority in life to dictate what happens in the life of human beings. Food is a basic component of life and required by everyone to sustain healthy living. Food is a wonderful gift from God, but there are certain moments that one may miss it. During His mission, Jesus multiplied two fish and five breads to feed over five thousand people, with extra remains of twelve baskets. No one has the power to genuinely multiply food as Jesus did unless he has certain authority over life on the world. Rom 623 Jesus as the Way God considered man as sinner and hard to trust especially after Adam accepted Eve’s persuasion to eat the forbidden fruit. God’s love and trust for man as was before reduced to destroy and compromise the good relation enjoyed. God was a frequent visitor and consultant of man in the image of Adam before eating of the forbidden fruit. This however changed and man stopped living because of God’s love but because of God’s mercy. This continued for a long time even as God raised prophets and preachers to spread and teach His Words across the nations. To all the prophets and preachers, God communicated and promised the coming of the Son and Lamb who would be the light of the world to foresee the welfare of human beings. Such messages appeared in the books of Prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah, Zachariah, Hosea, and Amos among others. In all the communication concerning the coming of the Messiah, God reiterated the importance of Jesus as the mediator who would refine the relationship between God and man. Refining the relation would involve spilling of the blood and crucifixion of the innocent Son of God. When He came to the world, Jesus moved across nations and tribes proclaiming Himself as the only way to heaven. It was through Him that God’s love for the world resurrected. This is evident in the book of John 3: 16 “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have an eternal life.” From this Bible reading, it is clear that God had to use someone to restore His lost love for the world. Despite of the many prophets and preachers, God failed to use any of them as the avenue to restore His love for the world3. He instead waited until such a time that He sent one of His own, Jesus to come and repair the bad relationship through unconditional forgiveness of sins. 4Unlike in the past before the coming of Christ, human beings had to perform several rituals to gain God’s acceptance after sinning, Christ made it easy by teaching confession of sins and asking for God’s forgiveness. Instead of the many rituals and sacrifices made in the past, Jesus would be the later and permanent sacrifice of God. Through the name of Jesus, God heard and hears grievances of men. In His teaching mission on the world, Jesus repeatedly directed human beings to present prayers to God through His name. In fact, Jesus maintained stern warning that any prayer targeted to God without mentioning of His name cannot bear any fruit. Another reference to book of John 3:16 “….whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have an eternal life” is a clear indication that a man without Jesus is dead. Believing in Jesus is the only sure way of gaining God’s love and mercy to continue enjoying the eternal life. According to the quoted book, Jesus is the way and the avenue that one must follow to reach the point where there is eternal life. Any movement made without Jesus and away from the Jesus is likely to lead one into total destruction and possibly hell. For long did God rejected sacrifices made by men on the grounds of impurity and offered blasphemously. This however turned not to be the case after God used Jesus to demonstrate to the world the kind of sacrifice desired by offering His son for crucifixion by man. It is through the sacrifice and acknowledgement of the same that God gives hear to the cries and requests of human beings. Being in the way of Jesus in doing His will and desires for they also represent the wills of the Father in heaven. His being on the world represented the presence of God within His people. God used Jesus to live and exchange daily activities with human beings, “God is in me and me in Him.” It is also in the name of Jesus that disciples moved across the world proclaiming salvation and freedom of men from the chains of Satan5. Those who tried administering without the name of Jesus failed in their missions. When chained in prison, Paul called on the name of Jesus to find leverage and release from the prison. Chains broke and door wide opened to allow exit of Paul. Ananias and Saphira who forsake the name of Jesus to do things as they pleased failed in their missions. Judas Iscariot having been deceived by the devil perished after forsaking the way of Jesus and betraying Son of God for crucifixion. Paul used the name of Jesus to proclaim salvation and restoration to people. In the name of Jesus Peter led his fellow disciples in administering to the world and performing great miracles. This was a continuation of Jesus’ promise when commissioning the seventy two to go and preach to other nations “In my name you will cast demons, heal leapers, and raise the dead. Freely you received, freely give it out” (Matthew 10:8). Jesus as Truth Truth is the state of being the fact or reality without any forms of manipulations. Truthfulness comes about when states the real facts about an issue or meeting or fulfilling any agreements made with other people. Unlike human being who lies and fails to meet promises made, God is very truthful of every single promise and covenant entered with human being. Since God and Jesus are the one and the same, Jesus is must be very truthful in just the same way as God. To Abraham, God promised to numerous descendants in the number of the sands of the sea, and so He did. To David, God promised to raise a powerful descendant who will rule over everything that was, is and has to be, and so was the coming of Jesus Christ. To Abraham again, God promised a son in spite of the old age, and so was the case. To the prophets, God promised the coming of the Messiah and so was the birth of Jesus in Jerusalem. God promised Moses of great triumphs in war against enemies of Israel, and there was no time that Israelites encountered defeat in war under the leadership of Moses. God promised Moses that He will frustrate and humble the King of Egypt to release His children, and so was the case. 6Jesus Himself promised the disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit after His departure to heaven, and so was the case. In all the mentioned instances, God and Jesus remained truthful in what they say and do. Everything promised comes to pass as initially forfeited. Conclusion Christians believe and trust in Jesus as the only way, truth and life worthy for anyone who intends to go to heaven. Christians should practice their roles limitlessly and work hard to do only good things recognized by God the Father and His Son Jesus. Believing alone without demonstrating can only equalize to faith without action, which is dead according to the book of James 2:17. Jesus is bearer of human life and it is therefore important to thank God through His Son Jesus for every living opportunity granted. Christians should also ensure that like Jesus, they live truthfully by fulfilling every promise they make. Bibliography Parrett, Gary A., and S. Steve Kang. Teaching the Faith, Forming the Faithful: A Biblical Vision for Education in the Church. Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Academic, 2009. Read More