Gospel
The Way
Jesus taught: 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. ” (John 14:6 HCSB). There have been countless sermons preached, lessons taught, books written about what this means. A multitude of different meanings often assigned to this statement, most according to the individual’s concept of religion. There are those who teach and believe that He is talking about the church. Others say it is a system of religious practices and beliefs. Still others teach that Jesus was talking about a particular system or dogmas of a particular doctrine of belief that applies to one particular religious group or discipline. With so many different ideas and concepts, how cans the real true meaning by uncovered? The answer will be found in the true biblical teaching.
True understanding begins where all things must begin, and that is with Jehovah-Adonai, the one true GOD, creator of all things. The most outstanding characteristic of GOD is; 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. .8 The one who does not love does not know God because God is love. 1 John 4: 7-8 (HCSB). Consider 1 Cor. 13:1-13, a great chapter on the vital need for sincere, true and abiding love that should be found in everyone who professes to be a follower of Christ Jesus. Think of the many scriptures in the Bible that refer to the great need for the application of love in the lives of all Christian persons.
Jesus also taught the great truth that He and GOD, the Father, are one in John 10:30 and John 17:11. Seeing then that GOD and Christ Jesus are in perfect harmony, and “GOD IS LOVE” then would not Christ also be LOVE. Jesus teaching that He is “the way, the truth, and the life”, is not the way “LOVE” in keeping with the nature and characteristic of both GOD and Christ Jesus.
Love transcends all creeds, fabricated disciplines, dogmas and religious concepts, and is easily the most important characteristic that a Christian can have, and express toward others, as well as toward GOD and Jesus. Without love, we are like nothing but a tinkling bell and clanging cymbal, loudly proclaiming what we are not, only pretending. Search out all the many scriptures that teach love as a necessary application in every person’s life. Remember, 16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. John 3:16-17 (NASB77)
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3 (NASB)
2 ⌊I want⌋ their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ. 3 All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him. Colossians 2:2-3 (HCSB)
The term “knit” demonstrates how each Christian person interconnects to others of like faith and commitment. In knitting, each stitch or loop, is joined and supported by those surrounding each stitch, so that each stitch is strengthened by those around it. What a perfect description of how Christians are to be joined together in love for GOD, Christ, and one another Have you ever witnessed the frustration of a person engaged in knitting a garment, blanket or another item when a stitch is dropped, or missed? The connecting stitches come loose, and begin to unravel, doing much damage and requiring the person to backtrack and repair the missing stitch. How often does the same thing happen when one Christian drops out, or is missing, or does not exhibit sincere love for other Christians that come together? Where love is not shown, or given, toward others in the congregation of followers of Christ, how much damage is done and the body collect weakened?
When sincere love is not present in the Christian community of professed believers, on an all-inclusive basis toward every believer, how can the non-believer be encouraged to follow Christ? If those who regularly attend worship services do not have sincere Christian love toward others in attendance, how can we say we are following Christ? How can the world be shown the love of GOD and Christ, if, as followers of Christ, we do not have love within our hearts?
The greatest of all things is deep, abiding and sincere love. It is greater than faith, greater than hope and thereal strength that binds Christian people together.
1 If I speak human or angelic languages but do not have love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have ⌊the gift of⌋ prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited,
5 does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked and does not keep a record of wrongs.
6 ⌊Love⌋ finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.
7 ⌊It⌋ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for languages, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end.
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things.
12 For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.
13 Now these three remain; faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (HCSB)
The Lord Jesus demonstrated the greatest of love when He offered Himself as a sacrifice in our place.
15 " If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15 (NASB77)
8 "My Father is glorified by this that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. John 15:8-11 (NASB)
Imagine a world filled with loving Christians.
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