Most Christians believe that no man can come to God except it be through Jesus. This means that anyone who wasn’t born into a Christian family and doesn’t believe in Jesus can not pray to God or even be saved. This couldn’t be farther from the truth and I’ll show you why. The verse they use to back up this false idea, that not even Jesus meant to give is in the gospel of John:
I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me. (Jon 14:6)
They use the interpretations they hear form the pulpit that their preachers got from bible school and they interpret metaphors literally when they were never meant to be taken that way. People just can’t think for themselves and think critically.
Jesus never spoke without using a parable (Mat 13:34). When Jesus said, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (Joh 6:53, 54) Does that mean we literally eat his body and drink his blood? Of course not. He was speaking metaphorically.
The Truth originates from God. Jesus got the Truth From God and that is why he is CALLED the Truth. This is a metaphor. He is not and could not possibly literally BE the Truth since Truth is not a tangible thing and Jesus was obviously tangible.
Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me;
Joh 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
Joh 8:28 …but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
It is the same way with the verse in John 14:6. The words “I” and “me” represent his teachings and the words that he spoke that he received from God. When you say, “I believe in Jesus”, what are you really saying? You are actually saying that you believe in what Jesus taught and what he said. But the “devils also believe and tremble”. So what are you really saying? It means you receive what Jesus taught as truth and live by those words. It is not enough to merely, believe.
When Jesus refered to the way, the truth and the life, he was speaking of the words that God had taught him. The words he spoke were not his own, but God’s words. The Truth is Universal — Not limited to Christianity
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In fact, no one can even come to Jesus unless God draws him. So obviously, many come to Jesus because they have already come to God! This is exactly the opposite that orthodoxy is teaching. If God draws men to Jesus, it’s usually because they have already come to God first!
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Joh 6:45 Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
When men live the truth that their hearts and consciences tell them, they are coming to God through the truth. Jesus was called the truth, because he spoke the truth that he received from God and NOT because he was God. The Truth came TO Jesus FROM God. God is the origin of Truth. He wants men to come to him in spirit and Truth.
Men who have never heard the name of Jesus believe in God and pray to him. Do you think that just because someone has never heard the name of Jesus that God will not hear them when they pray to him? Any man who prays to God in sincerity and with a true heart God hears.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
It’s not true that no man can pray to God without going through Jesus.
This is a gross misinterpretation fostered by orthodoxy. The problem Jesus was referring to is that there are many theives and robbers who are not true shepherds of the sheep who are disguised as wolves in sheep’s clothing. This is why Jesus said no man cometh unto the father but by me — there were so many wolves in sheep’s clothing. Jesus was a true shepherd who protected the sheep, and not as the hireling that ran away and left the sheep to the wolves. Jesus came to save the sheep from the wolves.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Every true shepherd that God has sent is the way the truth and the life. They must all follow the truth and not that of a hireling to get to God. This is why Jesus said “no man cometh unto the Father but by me“. There were and still are many false ways the theives will use to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” God’s sheep. ALL of those that live the truth of God, will come to Jesus — the truth. It is not always the other way around.
Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Any man can come to God through the truth, no matter where or what religion he or she is in.
Do you think that Christ is the only prophet that God has sent to man thoughout all ages and in every place on earth and to every man, moman and child that has ever existed? To think this is absolutely ludicrous! If “God so loved the world” then he sent his messengers to all men, not just the Jews. Jesus was the messenger of Truth from God. He was a representative of the Truth that God taught him. He even said that his words were not his own and he spoke nothing be what his Father sent him to speak.
Joh 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
It is the Truth, that when we live it, that saves us. Believing is Jesus alone does not save. Don’t believe it? That’s what Jesus taught. Here’s the proof:
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. ….
Mat 25:46 And these (the goats) shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Who are the righteous? Those that did good works. The righteous are those that go into “life eternal”. It is not ONLY to those who believe. It is those that do Jesus’ teachings that go into eternal life.
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
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ah ah ah… you must interpret scripture with scripture or you present an unbalanced message. Paul clearly says in Romans chapter 4 that Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him as righteousness: a righteousness which is by faith alone. He even goes on to clarify, how was Abraham declared righteous? Was it by works? No! It was before he did any works. In Ephesians 2:8,9 we are told “By grace are saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast! For we are His workmanship, created in Christ unto good works that we should walk in them.” This is the proper order: first the New Creation or the New Birth, then the works come out of a heart of true faith, a faith which alone produces the fruit of the recreated spirit. This is the difference between the belief of devils and the belief of a man or woman who receives the Good News and is born of God. The fruit is secondary, the root is primary.
The problem here is you assume that when you start believing that’s when you get “saved” (whatever “saved” means…). Righteousness is not by faith alone. It is by living “right” and “doing” righteous works. That is how Jesus defined righteousness, contrary to what Paul taught. (Read Mat 25:31-46)
It’s about doing good works and keeping the spirit of the law, and not the letter Jesus said.
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Sorry to disagree, righteousness is primary. Fruit is a consequence of righteous living.
And these (the ones who had no good works) shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous (the ones that did good works) into life eternal. (Mat 25:46)
You need to quit reading Paul’s rubbish. He taught many things that were contradictory to Jesus and his disciples. He even contradicted James:
Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Paul was teaching false doctrines, which is obviously why James wrote this.
What’s more is if you don’t get it right in this life, you reap what you sowed in the next one. (Paul borrowed this saying from Jesus, by the way)
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Thanks for the encouragement. Sometimes I really need it. I spend long hours and a lot of hard work and get no money for it. I do it only to spread the real truth to people who are wandering through this world of gross darkness seeking for even glimpse of hope.
I’m confused about why you think this says anything other than what it says. Can you clarify?
“I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me. (Jon 14:6)”
This is one of the most succinct Scriptures ever printed. It can’t be wiggled away from. He says “I am” not “I have.” He says “no man” not “no man except those who’ve never heard of me …”
What am I missing?
This verse has to be interpreted wrong:
Joh 6:45 Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
1. It is possible for someone to come to the Father first before coming to Jesus, according to Joh 6:45.
2. In fact, according to Joh 6:44 no man can even come TO Jesus UNLESS the Father draws him.
This explanation certainly makes more sense than the conventional reading.
I have heard the strict interpreters say there is NO exception to this scripture and it leads to an exclusive club of believers. I have often argued that if “no man comes to the Father” except through Jesus, then newborn children, who come from unbelieving families and the mentally challenged as well as every rabbi or holy man of the Jewish faith is doomed to an eternity in Hell. I have never been able to accept that as the way God loves the world….Thank you again for your site and your alternative to traditional viewpoints.
The problem lies not in any exception, but in the interpretation to the scripture. The problem, as is with so many of their doctrines, is that they interpret literally scriptures that were meant to be metaphors. Translating this literally, as with so many other things that they interpret in this manner, creates a contradiction with other scriptures. What is even more shocking is that they insist on their ridiculous interpretation.
What they are doing is making their religion exclusive and all the others are false. The only way to salvation is if one joins Christianity, a man-made religion that is based on so many falsehoods. God is no respecter of persons nor is he a respecter of religions. I doesn’t matter what religion you are in or where you were born or what the color of your skin might be — God looks on the heart and all men are judged ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS.
Christian Exclusivity
Jesus Forewarned