WHY IS THERE ONLY ONE WAY?

MATTHEW 26:36–46

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will”

(Matthew 26:39).

Modern man likes to argue that there is something wrong with the God of the Bible because He does not save everyone. “Why is God so narrow-minded?” they demand to know. “Why has He only set up one way? This Christian God seems to delight in punishing people. He only wants to save a few people.”

When we survey the history of the Bible, and see the longsuffering of God, we have to wonder at people who think God has not done enough for us. When we read the New Testament and comprehend even a small part of what the Son of God went through to provide the only way of salvation, we can hardly fault God for not going far enough to redeem humanity.

The real reason for this question

The reason unbelievers have so many problems with the God who is revealed in Scripture is that mankind is terribly wicked, and we don’t understand what a holy God is like. Until we understand how holy God is, we will never understand how gracious He has been in putting up with us. Because we have a high opinion of ourselves, however, we continue to sin against Him in our presumption that He owes us more grace than He has given us.

If we understood what the gospel is saying, we would understand that this problem is not an intellectual but a moral one. It raises a question about God’s integrity that simply reveals our own lack of integrity.

The real question

The question we should be asking if we are really concerned about God’s ways, is not “Why is there only one way to God?” but “Why is there any way at all? How is it that God would be so merciful as to grant us repentance after we have repeatedly rebelled against His authority and His majesty?” That is the real question.

CORAM DEO

Think back over Bible history at all the times God was insulted in His holiness and grace, and then think back over your own life. Considering our behavior, do we dare say that God has not done enough for us? Ask God today for a renewed thankful heart.

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