“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“ (John 14:1; 6)
Jesus spoke these great words to His disciples at a point in his farewell discourse when
He knew that the disciples felt confused and troubled. Jesus knew that the events that
were to follow would cause them even greater anxiety, so He allowed them to voice
some of their questions. The answers that He gave should have made them realize that
they had seen God because they had seen Jesus for He and the Father are one. This
should have given them encouragement that would carry them through the dark hours
ahead, but, even so, they became greatly afraid as events unfolded.
Though these men were frightened, and confused, Jesus sought to give them hope. Though He would be departing from them, He was preparing a place for them in the Kingdom. He was sending them the Holy Spirit who would strengthen, encourage, and teach as well as fill them with boldness even in the face of violent opposition and martyrdom.
What great words of comfort Jesus speaks to the hearts of all mankind. He tells us not to be troubled, because if we believe in Him, we need not fear what is going on around us or what is happening to us. But Jesus adds words that can and do trouble the hearts of millions. He proclaims that no one can come to the Father, no one may enter the Heavenly Kingdom unless they believe in Him as Almighty God and as their sacrifice for sin.
The reason this troubles many is that Jesus’ words state emphatically not only can a person not make it to heaven based on their own good works, but that all other religions are vain and empty for they do not glorify Him. This is also troubling to many who call themselves Christians. These try to ignore or reinterpret what Jesus says so that people who profess other religious beliefs or spiritualities, people who worship other gods will not be offended, so that they can take comfort in the thought that since God loves all people, He will let everyone into heaven regardless of who or what they worship. But Jesus openly states that whoever has seen Him has seen the Father. Whoever has encountered Jesus have met God Almighty. Why indeed would anyone what to turn from the living, true, merciful, compassionate and Almighty God to worship inferior beings.
These promises of Jesus should be of great comfort to us all. They should give us strength and patience that will sustain us in our times of doubt and fear. Jesus promises never to leave or forsake us. And of greater comfort is the assurance that He is the only way to the Father because He and the Father are one. And because we are in Christ we have unity with the Father. This is an absolute truth we would do will to contemplate and cling to in the midst of the chaos, violence, and malice of the world today.