“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” – John 14:6
“Are you sure about the definite article?”
That was the question I was asked during my ordination examination. In my statement of faith, I quoted John 14:6, and the problem one of the examiners had regarding my statement of faith was the definite article.
“Are you sure you don’t want to change it to an indefinite article ‘a’?”
At which point I wanted to blurt out, “You do know this is a direct quotation of Jesus in the Scriptures?” but I decided to be cordial and just replied, “Absolutely, unequivocally certain that the definite article stays.”
“The.”
Who knew such a tiny word to cause such a stir. But this definite article makes all the difference in the world. And that’s the problem so many people have with Jesus.
Few people have problems with Jesus who is a way, truth, and life. Few people will argue with the historical impact for good that Jesus has made in our world.
The issue is with that tiny word – THE.
THE changes everything.
No matter what we are facing in the world, Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world precisely because Jesus is THE way, THE truth, and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through him.
There is no other pathway to salvation and eternal life. This is the Jesus our world needs more than ever!
Praxis: Faith in Action 