Author: The Center City Christian

Real Talk – The Way, the Truth, and the Life

John 14:5-6 KJV

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

As His disciple, Thomas asked, “how can we know the way?” Jesus replied that He is “the way” and that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” How many ways are there to God? If we believe that God’s Word is truth (John 17:17), the verses above tell us that Jesus is the only way. How so?

In the next verse, Jesus says, “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.” (John 14:7 NIV) Mark 15:37-38 tells us that the curtain in front of the temple was torn in two when Jesus died on the cross, showing that His sacrificial death opened up the way to approach our holy God.

The following are some examples of a believer’s relationship before God the Father through Jesus Christ:

Jesus is their mediator (Romans 1:8; Hebrews 7:25); their advocate, interceding for them before the Father (Romans 8:34). Their lives are covered and safe with Christ in God. And that means their imperfections too (Colossians 3:3).

Is this path to God too narrow? In actuality, it’s wide enough for the entire world. Each person has a choice to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. If our perspective focuses on how limited it is, perhaps we should be praising God for giving his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)!

God's Love

As the way, giving our life to Jesus is how we come to God. As the truth, He is the fulfillment of God’s promises. As the life, He is the source of eternal life that begins now and lasts forever.

Images by Wirestock Creators via Shutterstock.com and Chris M. Moore via Freely Photos

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Real Talk – Faith and Deeds

James 2:14-18 KJV

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Faith and Deeds

When I first read James, I thought to myself, oh snap, did I give misinformation!? I take that very seriously. I’m not a teacher. Nor am I ordained in any office of the five-fold ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). But I do believe that just by posting this, I will be judged more strictly (James 3:1).

At first, it seems James’s teaching in the verses above and Paul’s in the following verse contradict each other:

Romans 3:28 KJV

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

But if we look more closely, we see that they complement each other.

Intellectual assent is an agreement with a set of Christian teachings. If we only agree with these truths, our faith is incomplete, and our lives will remain unchanged. Because if we truly believe, it will transform our conduct and our thoughts. That’s major!

It’s one thing to read God’s Word, to understand, and to agree. But it’s something else to believe faithfully and not waver (James 1:6).

Our good deeds will never earn our salvation. Instead, a changed life and good deeds are the results of true faith. Paul teaches to those who try to be saved by deeds instead of true faith. James warns not to confuse intellectual assent with true faith. “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19 KJV)

In summary, we cannot earn our salvation through acts of loving service or our obedience. However, these actions do demonstrate our real commitment to God. Good deeds do not replace but rather prove our faith in Christ.

Interesting Fact: Jesus’ brother James, a leader in the Jerusalem church, wrote this letter. Not the apostle James.

Image by Freely Photos via Freely Photos

In Athens

Acts 17:16-34 KJV

16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

33 So Paul departed from among them.

34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.