When Jesus was preparing to die and leave His followers in this world, He promised them He was preparing a place for them and He would come again to take them home with Him (John 14:3). Thomas asked Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” (John 14:5). Jesus replied, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

This claim is exclusive. Jesus said He is “the truth”, not “a truth.” Today people often want options. They may say, “I have my truth and you have your truth.” Many look for “a truth” that will serve them, but the only way Christianity truly works is by acknowledging it for what it is: the truth. You may find aspects of truth in many places, but only in Jesus will you find “the truth.”

There are many paths one may pursue in this life, both religious and secular. Jesus is not merely one way (option), or one path among many acceptable paths; Jesus is the way. Many say we are all going to heaven, we are just taking different roads to get there; however, Jesus spoke of Himself as the exclusive way. The one way that leads to life is narrow and few find it (Matthew 7:14).

When people say, “this is the life,” what do they mean? The good life may include different ideas to different people, but Jesus is “the life” beyond comparison. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Did Jesus make abundant life available? He said in the very next verse, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Truly Jesus lived the most exemplary, sinless life (John 8:46; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Peter 2:21-24). But not only that, He died and rose again to give us eternal life; the only way to have life is to be in Jesus, the Son of God (John 11:25; 1 John 5:11).

With these thoughts in mind, consider how we must follow the commands of Jesus and imitate His example in the way we live each day as communicated in 1 John 2:3-6:

 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Only by following the way of the Lord Jesus Christ will we have the truth in us that leads to eternal life (Hebrews 5:9). This week we have the blessing of having brother Phil Sanders with us in our Gospel Meeting. Brother Phil addresses a vast multitude of households each week in the television program “In Search of the Lord’s Way.” Will you be with us each opportunity you have to consider the way that leads to eternal life?

-Mark Day

Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

The Lord gives Paul his mission statement in Acts 26:18. In regard to Jews and Gentiles he was to…

Open their eyes…Paul preached both among Jews and Gentiles, but his specific work was to be an apostle to the Gentiles. His preaching was always to the Jews first, and then to the Gentiles. (Romans 1:16) He would preach to the Jews and when they rejected the Gospel, then he turned to the Gentiles. By preaching to the people Paul would instruct/enlighten the people so they could see their lost condition. Cf. Ephesians 1:18. He was able to accomplish opening their eyes only by preaching the gospel of Christ.

…turn them from darkness to light…They were walking in the darkness of ignorance and sin, but Paul’s preaching would bring them to knowledge and salvation. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-6.

…and from the power of Satan unto God…Only two spiritual realms exist. There is no neutral position in reference to Satan or God. One is either serving the Devil or God. Romans 6:16 teaches, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” When one heeds the Gospel, he turns from Satan to God. Colossians 1:13 described those who had obeyed the Gospel, God had  “delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son…”.

…that they may receive forgiveness of sins…When those to whom Paul preached and had their eyes opened, when they gave heed to his preaching, i.e., obeyed the Gospel, they would receive 2 blessings.  They would also be forgiven of all sin. Colossians 1:14, points out that when a person has been translated into Christ’s Kingdom (previous point), “In whom (i.e. in Christ – JDS) we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Romans 6:3 and Galatians 3:27 teaches us that to get “in Christ” we are baptized into Christ. That is the reason that the message preached on the day of Pentecost was to “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” Acts 2:38.

…and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. The inheritance those who obey the Gospel can look forward to is eternal life in the hereafter. “”And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” To be sanctified is to be set apart for God’s service. These blessings are shared by all who are sanctified by faith which is in Christ. One is sanctified, not by faith only, but by the faith of Christ.

Paul preached the Gospel by inspiration in the 1st century, and these were the blessings those who obeyed that Gospel would enjoy. Today, we preach and teach the Gospel, not by inspiration, but according to the Inspired Book, The Bible. When people obey that same Gospel Paul preached, they enjoy the same blessings as those in the 1st century.                – Jerry D. Sturgill