Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, NIV)
Next month, the PGA Tour comes to the Nicklaus Tournament course at PGA West for the American Express event. The pros standing on the tee box of the fifth hole, a 364-yard devious par-4 with a double fairway divided by a huge bunker running down the middle, face a choice as to where to hit their tee shots. They might play their drive down the narrower left fairway for an easier shot to a very narrow green, or they might choose to play to the right fairway, which is a bit wider and shorter but more troublesome because the out-of-bounds stakes creep in on the right. They can pick which path they want to follow to the green because both paths lead to the same place.
Unlike the pros standing on the fifth tee, as steadfast and devoted followers of Jesus, we don’t have to make a choice about which pathway leads to heaven, because there is only one: belief and faith in Jesus Christ.
There are many declarations of this truth in Scripture. As an example, in Acts 4, Peter told the religious leaders of Jerusalem that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (I recommend apologist Greg Koukl’s ebook, JESUS, The Only Way: 100 Verses, which collects biblical references to match Jesus’ claim in John 14.)
Remarkably, between 45% and 55% of Americans believe that there is more than one way to salvation.Spanning the past 15 years, a number of surveys and research studies have measured the attitudes and beliefs of Americans regarding religious and theological issues, including whether there are multiple pathways to salvation. Remarkably, between 45% and 55% of Americans believe that there is more than one way to salvation.
As followers of Jesus, we have an obligation to witness for him in our everyday life. My sense is that we may be reluctant to do so because this issue is a “hot button” topic that we fear will subject us to being called “arrogant,” “intolerant,” or “narrow-minded.” To say there is only one way is to tell others their way won’t work—not when it comes to salvation. However, if we are properly equipped with apologetic responses at our fingertips to support our truth claim as well as to answer questions like, “What about those who haven’t heard about Jesus?” or “Aren’t all religions the same and lead to the same place?,” our fears will be unfounded.
As we endeavor to change the conversation with our friends and others about Jesus, it is incumbent upon us to remember Peter’s prescription for effective evangelism: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15). If we work at being gentle and respectful, we are more likely to be successful in bringing our friends along with us on the one true path.
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Mark “Ole” Olson
December 14, 2020
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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