"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
John 14:6
John 14:6
Today, let's take a look at the role of Jesus in the salvation of His people.
In this part of the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus had just told His disciples that He was going away to prepare a place for them, and that He would return to take them to that new place. Thomas responded to this by asking Jesus how they would know the way while He was gone.
Jesus gave them three descriptions of Himself. They were:
So, three ways in which Jesus is all and only. This is powerful as it stands, but for a moment, think of how completely this covers the needs of a man.
We humans have three basic components that make up everything that we are: our spirit, our soul and our body. When we are unsaved, our spirit is dead from the death originated all the way back to Adam and Eve. Our soul (that which forms our personality, makes our decisions and such) is enslaved to following the lusts of our physical bodies (1 Cor. 15:45.) Our bodies are cursed to eventual death. During the time that our bodies are living, they are forever in pursuit of the lusts of the body, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16.)
Here, Jesus shows how He fulfills the needs of each of those areas.
Using Ecclesiastes 3:21 as an example of the spirit of man:
In this part of the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus had just told His disciples that He was going away to prepare a place for them, and that He would return to take them to that new place. Thomas responded to this by asking Jesus how they would know the way while He was gone.
Jesus gave them three descriptions of Himself. They were:
- {the} way (Greek: οδος - hodos, meaning either the highway, or the act of using a highway...a road, path or journey.
- {the} truth (αληθεια - alethia, which means truth.
- {the} life (physical vitality, bodily functioning)
So, three ways in which Jesus is all and only. This is powerful as it stands, but for a moment, think of how completely this covers the needs of a man.
We humans have three basic components that make up everything that we are: our spirit, our soul and our body. When we are unsaved, our spirit is dead from the death originated all the way back to Adam and Eve. Our soul (that which forms our personality, makes our decisions and such) is enslaved to following the lusts of our physical bodies (1 Cor. 15:45.) Our bodies are cursed to eventual death. During the time that our bodies are living, they are forever in pursuit of the lusts of the body, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16.)
Here, Jesus shows how He fulfills the needs of each of those areas.
Using Ecclesiastes 3:21 as an example of the spirit of man:
"Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"
And, 1 Corinthians 2:11:
"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."
We can draw the conclusion that the spirit of man is a moving, flowing, active part of the individual. Knowing this, we see that Jesus, in being "the path or the journey", provides both the roadmap and the road itself for those that will follow Him.
Our souls are the heart of our being. As we can see in a few of the relative verses:
We can draw the conclusion that the spirit of man is a moving, flowing, active part of the individual. Knowing this, we see that Jesus, in being "the path or the journey", provides both the roadmap and the road itself for those that will follow Him.
Our souls are the heart of our being. As we can see in a few of the relative verses:
"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."
Luke 1:46-47
"And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch."
Mark 14:34
"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour."
John 12:27
"Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."
Acts 2:27
Luke 1:46-47
"And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch."
Mark 14:34
"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour."
John 12:27
"Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."
Acts 2:27
The soul is the seat of emotion, of reason and of decision. When we are unsaved, it has no option but to follow physical lusts. After salvation, it has both the good of a reborn spirit to follow, and the deadly urges that still originate in the cursed flesh. How can we know which way is the right way when we must choose?
Simple. Jesus stated as the second description that He is the truth. When our soul is standing at a fork, where the choice is the lie of sin or the truth of God, Jesus provides the truth. As such, it can be truly said, that:
Simple. Jesus stated as the second description that He is the truth. When our soul is standing at a fork, where the choice is the lie of sin or the truth of God, Jesus provides the truth. As such, it can be truly said, that:
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]."
1 Cor. 10:13
1 Cor. 10:13
Finally, the body is cursed, sinful and well on it's way to death and the grave. Yet, when we are saved, we are promised that at the rapture, be we either dead or alive, we will be changed:
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality."
1 Cor. 15:51-53
1 Cor. 15:51-53
Check out that last line. We are looking at a swap out, so to speak, of our current mortal bodies. In the place of the dying flesh, we will be changed, taking possession of new, incorruptable bodies. See how well that stands with Jesus' last description above? Jesus provides the physical life to His people.
And, to what end does He do these things?
By doing these things for His people, He provides the bridge by which we may approach God Almighty, our heavenly Father. Jesus flat out states that He is the ONLY way that people will ever be able to go into the audience of Abba God.
Jesus will have all those that are given to Him by His (and our) loving Father. God has done all the work, God has taken every step, God has paid every debt. All that is left for us is to enter into the joy of our Lord (Matt. 25:23.) Praise God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ!
Grace and Peace....
And, to what end does He do these things?
By doing these things for His people, He provides the bridge by which we may approach God Almighty, our heavenly Father. Jesus flat out states that He is the ONLY way that people will ever be able to go into the audience of Abba God.
Jesus will have all those that are given to Him by His (and our) loving Father. God has done all the work, God has taken every step, God has paid every debt. All that is left for us is to enter into the joy of our Lord (Matt. 25:23.) Praise God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ!
Grace and Peace....
