Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.2 – January 2007
Christ Alone
A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on John 14:6
Scripture Readings: John 8:12-30; 14:6-11
Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have dealt with the ‘Scripture alone teaching’, which was the first of the five ‘solas’ from the Reformation. We now begin to look at the next ‘sola’, which is ‘Christ alone’.
So what does the Bible say when it speaks about salvation? Does it say that belonging to the church of Rome and being greatly involved with it will save you? Does the Bible say that in order to be saved you must unquestioningly submit to the teaching of popes, cardinals, and priests? Does the Bible say that regular participation in the sacraments can save you? Yes, said the Roman Catholic Church in the days of Luther and Calvin. The church, the clergy, the sacraments were all said to be vital to your salvation.
But the Reformers realised the Bible did not point to these things as ways to be saved. They did not deny their importance, but they saw the Word of God pointing to the person of Christ as the only way to be saved. The Reformers discovered anew that Scripture speaks of faith in Christ alone and not faith in Christ and in other things.
As the Reformation teaching about the uniqueness of Christ spread, many priests in the Roman church joined the Reformation and decided to become pastors. They could no longer accept that priests had the importance the Roman church claimed for priests. In the Church of Rome the pope, cardinals, bishops, the village priests, are all priests. But ex-priests preferred to be pastors because they saw in Scripture that pastors had to be servants, caring for the flock and pointing people, not to the clergy, but to Christ. And once they realised that it was Christ alone who really mattered, they were no longer comfortable with the elaborate vestments or robes that priests wore, especially those worn by bishops, cardinals and the pope. It was such a contrast to Christ who preached humility and hung on the cross in poverty for sinners.
So priests who had become pastors preferred to wear normal clothes without any adornments. And in churches that followed the Reformation, the altar was replaced by tables. The altar was where the sacrifice of Christ was repeated, or re-enacted. But Christ’s sacrifice was unique. It only had to be made once, and it happened when Christ sacrificed Himself on the cross. So a simple table with the plate and the cup of the Lord’s Supper on it was deemed sufficient. And all the ritual that went with the mass was replaced by the preaching of the Word.
Now all that took place a few hundred years ago. It was a wonderful return to the ‘Christ alone’ teaching of the Bible. But today the ‘Christ alone’ principle is once again in danger of being compromised, and it’s happening in churches that once embraced the teaching of the Reformation. So let us look at the Scriptural teaching of CHRIST ALONE.
1. The Only Saviour
Our text from John 14:6 has those remarkable words of Jesus: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Notice the repeat of the definite articles. Jesus says: I am the way, the truth, and the life. The Lord is saying that He is the one and only way, the one and only truth, the one and only life. He is very emphatic about it. “I am” all that, He says. And for good measure, the Lord adds, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” This is Christ’s teaching about Himself. And God inspired the apostles to say the same thing. The apostle Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). It couldn’t be clearer – there is no one else but Jesus through whom a human being can be saved.
This truth of Jesus being the one and only Saviour is not just true for those who believe it. All people are sinners, all are in need of salvation, and no one can be saved from their sin other than through Christ alone. This has to be the central message in witnessing and evangelism. The Bible does not say that the church has to cater for people by becoming the hub of social activities. First and foremost people need to hear that unless they are saved through Christ, they remain lost and will die in their sins.
But increasingly this message of Christ as the only Saviour is being challenged. Many in society think as follows – Christians can believe that salvation is only through Jesus. If that makes them happy then let them keep on believing it. But it’s not true for others, so please respect that and don’t push your Christian views on others. In other words, there are many religious convictions, the Christian faith is not the only one. One can be as good as the other. None is superior to the rest. Therefore, let people make up their own mind. There is no single truth. Many things may be true, even if they contradict each other. What is right is what is right for you. There may be truth when it comes to the law of gravity, or the laws of thermodynamics, but not in religion and in morals. Just be sincere in your own beliefs and then you’re a good person.
Now this is what we are faced with in the western world. It is called relativism. To insist that Jesus is the only Saviour, to say that apart from Him everyone is lost and will tragically end up in hell, is regarded as the height of arrogance. ‘How dare you think you alone are right! How dare you think everyone else is wrong!’ Expressions like these are the language of pluralism and secularism. Sadly a number of people within the Christian church have caved in to this kind of thinking. They hesitate to say that Jesus is the only Saviour. They no longer want to be seen as people who say that everyone needs Jesus. They hear other voices saying different things and are persuaded that they may also be true. To say ‘the Bible alone’ and ‘Christ alone’ is just too much.
But if you probe just a little, you will find those who say that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs don’t actually consistently hold to that principle themselves. For example, Westerners rejected the Hindu practice of burning alive the widow alongside the burning of the corpse of her dead husband. Many today would not agree with the ancient Canaanite practice of sacrificing infant boys to their idol god in order to have a good harvest. And today’s relativists wouldn’t think it was right for teenage girls to have their hearts cut out by the Aztecs in order to please the gods. Today in modern, secular Australia there wouldn’t be too many who approve of the Islamic practice of female circumcision. Or that you have to respect the beliefs and convictions of a terrorist. In other words, most people don’t really believe that all beliefs and practices are okay. In fact, Christians have experienced that tolerance for all beliefs is not really practised. As soon we say ‘Christ alone’ and all are lost apart from Him, then very quickly there is a wall of intolerance against Christians.
Christians must not look at the beliefs of other people with arrogance and bigotry but with a deep concern for their lost condition. The biblical teaching of ‘Christ alone’ makes us want to say that the only true God has revealed in the Bible a plan of salvation, which has at its heart the incarnation of the Son of God. This Son of God is not merely a great man, He is the Messiah, the Christ, who has always been God and has added human nature to His divine being, in order to be the Saviour for anyone in the world who believes in Him. Christ is of universal significance.
Can we prove that Jesus is God, for that seems to be the sticking point? Probably not to those who are determined not to believe it. The only thing we can do is to urge people to look at the life, the teaching, the death and the resurrection of Jesus; and pray and hope that they find Christ speaking meaningful words to the troubled situation of man, in a way that is very compelling, yes, even irresistible.
2. Jesus’ Teaching
Let’s begin by looking at Jesus’ teaching as evidence for who he is. We regularly read in the gospels that people were amazed at Jesus’ teaching. Jesus taught at the synagogue in Capernaum and “people were amazed at His teaching, because He taught them as One who had authority” (Mk 1:22). On one occasion the chief priests and Pharisees had ordered the temple guards to arrest Jesus, which they didn’t do. Why not? They said: “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (Jn 7:46). When Jesus finished His sermon on the mount, “the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as One who had authority” (Mt 7:28).
Among others things they heard the beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Mt 5:3-9). No one ever described a godly character that way. Poverty of spirit, meekness, humility and mercy were not virtues in the time Jesus lived and they are not virtues now. These days you’re expected to be aggressive, spell out your achievements, show confidence in what you think you can do. The godly character Jesus described is not something people are born with. When sinners are converted to Christ, it is then that His Spirit moulds the Christian into a godly person. And Jesus has made many people realise that the virtues mentioned in His beatitudes are desirable.
Jesus said to those having these qualities: “You are salt of the earth… You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Mt 5:13,16). Jesus is teaching that being a godly person can have a sanctifying influence on individuals, families, yes, even on a whole society. Poverty of spirit, meekness, humility, mercy, seeking righteousness, purity, and peace-making: these qualities of character restrain evil and bring wonderful light where there is aggression, resentment, anger and crudeness.
Jesus also taught His disciples not have a spirit of vengeance and retaliation in individual relationships. On a person to person level, let it not be, “eye for eye, and tooth for tooth… Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles… I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those for persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Mt 5:38-41,43-45). The world had never heard of such a thing as love for one’s enemy. It was “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But Jesus turned that around – “Love your enemy.” How things would change if that was practised by Islamic terrorists and the die-hards among the Palestinians and the Jews. And not to forget ourselves, when we quarrel in the family, and in the church, and have times when we refuse to love the other.
Jesus taught us not to see God as an abstract power we can’t relate to. God is not some impersonal force we can’t speak to. Look at how Jesus teaches us to see God as our heavenly Father in the prayer He taught us: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we also forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever, Amen” (Mt 6:9-13).
Jesus taught us not to trust money: “Do not store up for yourselves treasurers on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal… Store up for yourselves treasurers in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:19-21).
Consider His beautiful words on trusting God: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear… Look at the birds… they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Mt 6:25-27).
Were more beautiful words ever spoken? Has there ever been anyone else who has taught a better way of looking at life? Jesus’ words are still very relevant to the materialistic spirit of our day, still relevant to those who are continually seeking their own comfort and pleasure. Jesus’ teaching – it stands head and shoulders above all other teaching by men. We just looked at some of the things He said in the sermon on the mount. But let’s not forget His beautiful parables: the Sower, the Good Samaritan, the Lost Son, the Tax Collector and the Pharisee, the Rich Fool, the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Lost Sheep, and others.
3. Jesus’ Claims
But Jesus is not just a wonderful teacher. Consider some of his claims. Jesus ended His sermon on the mount by telling us that we must act on His words and be like a man who built his house on rock. Jesus is the Rock. The storms of life are unable to move those who have Christ as their sure Foundation. Not to act on His teaching is to be like the foolish man who built his house on sand. It’s sure to crash and come to nothing. Now who would say such things? If Jesus was not God but just another person, then we would find His teaching irritating. He would sound like someone who thinks he knows it all. But as we read the Bible, as we discover who Jesus really is, then we have no difficulty at all with His claim that He is God. Especially when life is a struggle for us, when our work is burdensome, when we struggle against evil and the darkness of our own hearts. Jesus says: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt 11:28-30).
Is this not a most extraordinary claim? Many believe Jesus’ claims. Many take Him seriously. The human heart is empty, crying out for fulfilment, and Jesus makes us see that the emptiness invades our lives because we have broken with God. We have tried what the world has to offer and it has failed us. We try sensual pleasures, we accumulate material things, we seek success, we may even try drugs. But in the end we are still unfulfilled, empty, unsatisfied. We look at the beautiful people, with their eye-catching clothes, hairstyles, and make-up. We see them strut their stuff, smile and pose for the camera. But we know they don’t look like that when they get out of bed in the morning. We know how crude and offensive they become after too much drinking and partying. Many have messy affairs, nasty divorces and numerous court-cases. The fact is that God made people for eternity and nothing the world has to offer will last for that long.
Jesus claims to be able to satisfy our hunger and thirst. Not according to our felt needs. He is not a financial Jesus, an economic Jesus, a psychological Jesus. No, He is the Son of God who satisfies us with treasures from heaven. He is the Bread of life who feeds our souls. He is the Fountain who quenches our thirst. He is the Light of the world who brings us out of our darkness. He is the truth that sets us free. He is the Saviour and forgives us our sins. He is the Substitute who makes us right with God by taking our punishment and dying for us on the cross. He is the Resurrection who gives us eternal life. He is the Mediator who brings us to God.
Jesus’ whole life demonstrates His uniqueness and supernatural qualities. Look at His meeting with Nicodemus, telling him that he must be born again, else he would not enter the kingdom of heaven (Jn 3). Look at how he talked with the five-time married woman at the well and made her want to start life all over again, this time with God (Jn 4). Look at the way Jesus made the rich young ruler see his sinfulness underneath his outwardly good behaviour (Lk 18:18 ff). Jesus’ interaction with people was nothing short of remarkable. Some were richly blessed. Their lives were changed forever. Others became angry when He showed them who they really were.
And look at the way He made His twelve disciples see more of His unique qualities and revealed to them the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. He told the disciples, who had been fishing all night and caught nothing, to throw their net out again and they caught many fish. Peter was overcome and felt deeply inferior to be in Jesus’ presence. He began to see who Jesus was and he became aware more of his own sinful nature (Lk 5:8). Remember that time when the disciples in their boat on the Sea of Galilee cried out to Him to do something, for they were going to drown. Jesus got up from His sleep in the back of the boat, commanded the storm to be still and instantly the wind died down and the sea became calm. They looked at Him and wondered – who is this? (Mk 4:41). Deep in their hearts they knew it was the promised Messiah. God was amongst them.
As you read the New Testament then, look carefully at the claims Jesus made about Himself. Only if He is God do His words and His miracles make sense. Who else but God can say to someone: “Your sins are forgiven” (Lk 5:20). Who else but God can heal a sick person in one town whilst being Himself in another town (Jn 4:50-53). Who else but God can deliver people from the demons that possessed them (Lk 8:35).
It comes back to the question of why we believe the Bible. When we looked at the teaching of ‘Scripture alone’, we tried to show what Christians are to believe about the Bible and how it is to function in our lives. But what about the unbeliever? What do you say to an unbeliever when he is quite ignorant of what the Bible says? Well, we say, ‘taste and see’. Start reading the Scriptures and meet Jesus of the Bible and see if you do not hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and realise He is looking for you. And if the unbeliever asks, “how do I know if Jesus really said what the Bible says He said?” Well, someone suggested this answer: it would take a Jesus to invent a Jesus. If Jesus never lived, no one would have been able to invent Him. Behind Jesus’ matchless words, deeds and extraordinary influence, is someone whom the world had not seen before and shall never see again.
The apostle John was one who recorded what he saw and heard in Jesus, and reflecting back on Christ he wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us” (1 Jn 1:1-2). John the apostle was writing about Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ, the only Saviour.
Amen.