Only one path leads to freedom and has the answer for our sins. We’re powerless against our sins without Jesus. We can never be right with God on our own.
Tragically, the big lie is deceiving millions. It’s the opposite of the gospel, which means “good news.” The good news of salvation through Jesus Christ is the best news the world has ever received. The big lie, in contrast, is that we can create our own spirituality because every path leads to heaven.
The Gospel
God created mankind in His image and declared His creation good. Scripture records the creation of the first man and woman, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female he created them…God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:27,31 NIV).
While living in a perfect garden and enjoying unhindered fellowship with God, Adam and Eve had one rule: God said, “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…” (Genesis 2:17a NIV). They knew nothing of sin or mortality.
The devil appeared to Eve in the form of a serpent and, using deception, enticed her to eat from the tree. She gave some to Adam, who also ate. Because of their rebellion, all their descendants would be born as sinners. Scripture teaches, “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12 NIV).
Because sin entered the world, all people now sin and “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NIV). We are all born powerless over sin, which separates us from God.
But Jesus Christ, the Son of God, willingly came to earth as a baby. He grew up fully human and fully God. He lived a flawless life, then died to save us from all wrongdoing. Taking God’s wrath in our place, Jesus became the perfect sacrifice required to save our souls. Paul, New Testament writer, declared, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV).
Jesus lovingly offers salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life to anyone who believes and trusts in Him. It’s only when we believe in Him and receive His Holy Spirit that we are forgiven and set free.
Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV). But we’re proud and stubborn. Many do not like the idea that Jesus is the only way to salvation. Our enemy, Satan, concocted the “big lie” to lead as many people as possible to eternal death.
The Big Lie
The lie Satan is spreading declares that you can choose what you want to believe, follow whatever path you prefer, and you will still receive eternal freedom. Such a destructive lie. Only one path leads to freedom and has the answer for our sins. We’re powerless against our sins without Jesus. We can never be right with God on our own.
Many people pursue their own spiritual path and decide for themselves what’s right and wrong. Most dislike being told what they must believe. But there’s only one truth, one way that takes care of our sins. The only way is through humility by surrendering to Christ, not through pride and self-will.
We’re tempted by the desire to be our own god. The problem is we’re powerless against sin without Jesus Christ. It’s impossible for us to be good or earn righteousness without the sacrifice He made on the cross. On our own, we’re helpless and lost in sin.
New Testament writer Paul taught, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person, someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8 NIV).
Multiple Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, including:
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:17-18 NIV).
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36 NIV).
“Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11-12 NIV).
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5 NIV).
“No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23 NIV).
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12 NIV).
One Path To Life
The big lie is deceptive and leads millions astray. There aren’t many paths to God. There’s only one, which is Jesus. We can follow Jesus to eternal salvation or pursue a path of our own choice that leads to destruction and eternal separation from God.
If you’re planning a vacation, do you believe it doesn’t matter what road you take? Of course not. You have to know the directions in order to arrive at the desired place. Believing we will all arrive in heaven regardless of the route we choose doesn’t make sense either. If we want to spend eternity in heaven, we have to choose the right path, and that path is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.
The decision to believe in Jesus is the most important choice any person will make. Seek Jesus. Study the Bible and ask God to reveal the truth. Jesus taught, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you” (Matthew 7:7 NIV). Be an honest seeker. If you sincerely want to find the Lord God Almighty, He will guide you. But the search must come with humility, not pride.
Satan is working overtime to deceive as many as possible. Peter, one of Jesus’s closest disciples, warned, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV). He will use anyone he can to spread the big lie that any path will lead us all to the same God. There is only one true God who revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and who lives in every believer by the presence of His Holy Spirit.
Seek truth. Seek Jesus. Resist the lies of the evil one.
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Susan Aken writes devotions and articles for Wholly Loved Ministries, is an Oklahoma native who’s lived in Nebraska since 1987 and has been in public education for over thirty years. She and her husband have one son and a wonderful daughter-in-law. Besides writing she has a passion for special needs and prayer ministries. She enjoys time with family, reading, photography, movies, walking in nature, and a nice cup of tea. She believes life is a journey and we’re all in different places. Jesus is everything to her and it’s all about grace. Visit her at susanaken53.wordpress.com or on Facebook.
