Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
Unless You Believe
Jesus earnestly warned certain rulers of the Jews in his day, "if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (Jn. 8:24). And again, "Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, but they are they which testify of me, and ye will not come to me that ye might have life" (Jn. 5:39-40). The most important thing that you can know in this life is that Jesus is the only Savior. In a time such as ours, when men and institutions are attempting to relegate the gospel to the dusty shelf of unimportant theories, Peter's courageous testimony to the judges of Israel concerning Jesus needs to be repeated at every opportunity: "Be it known to you all . . . that there is none other name under heaven given unto men whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:10, 14).
Jesus said, in all humility and love, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me" (Jn. 14:6). And to help us to see through the many claims of false teachers with their delusive visions and dreams, Jesus made this extremely enlightening statement, "Every man that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me" (Jn. 6:45). What a helpful truth to have from God, to be told that whoever really hears from God falls at the feet of Jesus! Who does that leave out?
From what Jesus said, we know that Muhammad did not hear from God because if he had heard and learned from the Father, he would have repented of his sins and gone to Jesus. His doctrine does not lead others to Jesus as the only way to God. We know that Buddha did not hear from God either because his way does not lead to Jesus as the only way to salvation. Because of what Jesus said, our eyes are open to the fact that the Hindu religion will not lead to eternal peace and rest for anyone, and we are free to condemn Shintoism as worthless, concerning the salvation of the soul. The strange religions of the peoples of Africa and the south Pacific islands are exposed by the light of Christ as being evil, not good.
Faith in Jesus is the only way to salvation from the coming wrath of God; Jesus himself said so. And the reason he said so was not to boast of his place in the Father's kingdom, but to light the way for those who from the heart want to know and do God's will.