Verse: Genesis 6:18
But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
Devotional Thoughts:
Some time ago, I was talking with a lady about God. How can we know God? How can we be saved? How do we get to heaven? She claimed that God has made himself known through many ways – Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Joseph Smith, etc. According to her view, there were multiple different ways to get to heaven.
Many believe that reaching heaven is comparable to reaching the summit of a mountain. That there are several different trails, but they all lead to the same place – the mountaintop. This view is not uncommon. And most of us likely, and rightly, understand that this is not true.
But I’ve also had talks with people who argue that we just have to be good people to go to heaven. I’ve heard this from those who say they follow other religions. And I’ve also heard it from those who say they follow Jesus. I was talking with a lady one time who was discussing her granddaughter’s new husband. She asked me, regarding this new husband, “I know he follows another religion, but he’s a really good person. Don’t you think he can go to heaven?” Moreover, one of the popular country artists right now – Luke Bryan – has a hit song literally titled, “Most People Are Good.”
But the Bible is clear that this isn’t true. When the rich, young ruler called Jesus “Good Teacher,” Jesus responded by saying – “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.”
I love Adrian Roger’s thoughts on the idea. He said,
“I wouldn’t trust the best fifteen minutes I ever lived to get me into heaven.”
Just as Noah was safe from God’s judgment in that ark, we are safe from God’s judgment because we are in Christ. The ark was the only boat still floating after the flood. The Lord didn’t present Noah with options for which boat he’d like to board. There was only one. There was only one way to survive the flood. In the same way, Jesus is the only one in which we can be saved.
Jesus himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” We’re not saved by “Jesus and,” “Jesus or,” but by Jesus only.
Points to Ponder:
If Jesus is the one true way (He is), then it is imperative that we be mission-minded individuals and a mission-minded, evangelistic church.
Who do you know that doesn’t know Jesus, and how could you approach them with the Gospel?
How can you be preparing now for when God brings someone across your path that is unsure about following Jesus?
