Is accepting Jesus the only way for people to get to heaven? (John 14:6)
Some who call themselves evangelicals are openly insisting that faith alone in Jesus is not the only way to heaven. They are now convinced that people of all faiths will be in heaven.
John 14:1 - 14
ESV - 1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
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Asked September 26 2021
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Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
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Grant Abbott
Supporter
In Acts 4:11-12 it says: “Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
I tried many churches to find salvation to no avail. I tried reforming myself but reformation didn’t work. I promised God I’d do better after I sinned, but I couldn’t even keep my own promises! Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). The apostle Peter proclaimed to a hostile audience, in Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” The apostle John wrote, "He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36). Again and again, Scripture stresses that Jesus Christ is the only hope of salvation for the world. "For there is on God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). Only Christ can atone for sin, and therefore only Christ can provide salvation. John MacArthur No other faith system leads people to the one true God. Some people chafe at such an exclusive stance, but the words of Jesus and the apostles leave no other option (Ac 4:12 again; 1Ti 2:5). QSB I repeat, Christ Jesus is unique as the One and Only Savior: Acts 4:12; John 14:6 (See also 1 John 5:12).
ainsley chalmers
Supporter
The scripture in many places is very clear on the exclusivity that Jesus and Him alone is the only way to heaven. However, how God will judge, post death, those of different beliefs is His business alone and not ours. However, to the living we can definitely share that Jesus is the only way, truth and life to God (John 14:6).
Mark Vestal
Supporter
It is of utmost importance to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15), the gospel of our salvation (Eph 1:13) that was given to Paul, from the gospel given to biblical Israel (such as the book of John) when studying the bible. Jesus and the 12 apostles were for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, which was not you or I (Mat 10:5-6, Mat 15:24). During God's dispensation of grace (Eph 3:2) that we live in today, there is no difference in Jew nor Greek (Gal 3:28). Believers today are members of the church, the body of Christ (Col 1:24). God now sees Christ in us, and not who we see when we look in the mirror! All of our sins were forgiven when Christ died on the cross (Col 2:13, 2 Cor 5:19). This event happened whether someone believes it or not. Salvation occurs after hearing this gospel and at the moment of belief in it (Eph 1:13), the finished cross work of Jesus Christ (Rom 4:24-25), and nothing of ourselves (Eph 2:8). Salvation is the gift from God made possible by His grace (Rom 5:18), and our belief is acceptance of His free gift (Eph 2:8). Asking for forgiveness of sins would indicate that someone lacks faith and understanding in what Jesus Christ completed on their behalf (1 Cor 15:3, Gal 2:20). Christ's death was sufficient to God for the forgiveness of our sins (2 Cor 5:19, 2 Cor 5:21, Rom 6:22). If there's something we're doing ourselves with the belief that it is to obtain or to maintain our salvation, then boasting becomes an issue (Eph 2:8-2:9). Look at it this way, if you're asking for forgiveness, who's doing the asking? That's right, you are, and you can't save yourself. Faith in what Christ did is the only thing that saves today (Gal 2:16). Asking for forgiveness of sin was a requirement under the law of Moses for biblical Israel, but we are no longer under the law, we're under God's grace (Rom 6:14). Praise God! You'll find doctrine for how we are to live today in the 13 epistles of Paul, Romans through Philemon (Rom 3:21). The sin barrier between God and man was removed by the death of Jesus Christ (Rom 6:22, 2 Cor 5:21). God can now work through us once we've removed ourselves from His path (Col 2:14, Phil 1:6). We can now focus on what we can do for Him once we've stopped focusing on ourselves and our iniquities (Rom 7:22-25). Our apostle Paul received the revelation of the fellowship of the mystery from Christ resurrected (Eph 3:9), which was before kept secret since the beginning of of the world (Rom 16:25). Had this mystery information been known prior to Christ's death, the princes of this world would not have crucified Jesus (1 Cor 2:8). Christ's message to Paul, our gospel, differs from that of the 12 apostles to biblical Israel (James 1:1), who had to do works to prove their faith in 'times past' (Rom 11:6, James 2:24). We who are living during the dispensation of God's grace (Eph 3:2) are to simply have faith in the finished cross work of Jesus Christ (Rom 3:28, 1 Cor 1:23). Works for salvation actually put us in debt with God as this shows lack of faith (Rom 4:4). Basically, we don't work in order to be saved, we work because we are saved (Eph 2:10, Eph 4:12). When you’re a passenger in a vehicle, you have faith that the driver will safely get you to your destination. Jesus Christ is our driver, our ‘spiritual vehicle’ (Rom 5:10, Rom 8:32), and the Holy Spirit is our 'seat-belt' (Eph 4:30), that seals our souls until the day of redemption (Eph 1:13)! Since we're unable to find our own way to salvation we need someone who can, a savior. That's what it means to have faith in Christ, belief that He died on the cross for the forgiveness of all our sins (1 Cor 15:3), was buried, and rose again (1 Cor 15:4), so that we may have everlasting life (Rom 6:22, 1 Cor 15:22). We are not righteous enough for God on our own merits (Titus 3:5). The REAL good news is that our belief in what Jesus Christ did on our behalf makes us the righteousness of God (1 Cor 1:30, 2 Cor 5:21)!
James Kraft
Supporter
Jesus is the only way of salvation. There is no other way to be saved than what He did plus nothing. The broad road that leads to destruction is trusting in anything else to save us than what He did. The Blood of Jesus covers us from all sin, past, present, and future sins we have not even thought of yet. Romans 4:7-8 Colossians 2:13. Jesus said, I am the door. That means He is the only door to heaven. No one comes to the Father but through Me. We cannot be saved by keeping the law, because we have all already broken Gods laws. We cannot be saved by doing good works because good works cannot pay for sin. We have to have a savior, and Jesus is the only savior. First Corinthians 15:1-4. That Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, that He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures. The second we believe that gospel we are saved forever. John 3:18. Ephesians 1:13-14. Our guarantee of eternal life. Galatians 1:6-9 Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let them be accursed. As we said before, so say I again. If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received from us, let him be accursed. The way is so narrow there is no other way. Jesus plus nothing equals salvation by grace. Romans 11:6
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