On Dec. 9 Tim Mannello questioned whether only believing Christians are saved. He found this hard to believe and thus stated, "We Catholics believe that everyone can be saved. That's one big reason I am a Catholic." With all due respect, it is not what any denomination believes is true, but as a Christian, what does Jesus Christ say? The most concise statement by Jesus is found in John 14:6, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" Jesus could not be any more emphatic. In the original Greek which we get our New Testament, when He said "The way", "The truth" and "The life", by the grammar He is making Himself exclusive. The very next sentence is even more clearly stated: "No one comes to the Father except through me." How much more pointed could Jesus be than to say "No one"? Besides this, any universal salvation would make light of the immensity of the sacrifice of Jesus' death on the cross for our sins.
A common phrase today is, "There is no absolute truth." The problem with that phrase is that it contradicts itself. There are absolute truths and many of them can be hard to accept. We must seek truth and hold onto it no matter what it may cost us.
I was brought up in the church, but left it in my teens due to blatant hypocrisy in the church. For years I tried to find the truth about God. For some of those years I actively opposed Christians that tried to witness on my college campus. However, after honestly seeking the truth, I found it in the Bible. The truth is: Jesus is the only way.
It is not always easy to find the truth. Once you find it, it can make life harder, not easier. I would like the truth to be a type of universal salvation, but that is not the truth. As a Christian, I must truly follow Christ. In this day and age it is becoming very unpopular, but that can be the price for following Christ.
Rev. John Otto
Williamsport
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom
