If Jesus isn't the only way to come to God...

[Trailblazer]

Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to come to God, and the only mediator between God and man, making Christianity the only true religion. This belief is based upon the following Bible verses.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus did not say that He was the only way to come to the Father for all of time, but that is what Christians believe. However, that makes no sense because we know that before Jesus walked the earth the Jews came to God by way of Moses, so why would Jesus suddenly become the only way for all time? Why couldn't Muslims come to God by way of Muhammad and Baha'is by way of Baha'u'llah, at a later time in history?

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Before Jesus walked the earth, Moses was a mediator between God and men, so why couldn't Muslims come to God by way of yet another mediator, Muhammad, and Baha'is by way of yet another mediator, Baha'u'llah?



This post is about if Jesus isn't the only way to come to God.

If Jesus isn't the only way to come to God that would mean that Christianity is not the only true religion.
In that case, I have two questions:

1) How would that make Christianity any less of a true religion?
2) How would that make Jesus any less of a Savior?

These questions are mainly directed at Christians, although anyone is welcome to answer them.

Thanks, Trailblazer

 

[Balthazzar]

Adam was God's first begotten according to Genesis and the 2nd Adam was attributed to be the Christ, so if Christ equates to "anointed one", then there is your answer. If not, then perhaps I'm not seeing clearly enough to understand the "true" intent of meaning.

 

[Trailblazer]

Adam was God's first begotten according to Genesis and the 2nd Adam was attributed to be the Christ,

I can agree with that.

so if Christ equates to "anointed one", then there is your answer.

How does that answer my questions 1 and 2?

I agree that Jesus was the Anointed One according to the following definition:

The Anointed or The Anointed One may refer to: The Messiah, the savior and liberator in Abrahamic religions. The Christ (title), the Messiah in Christianity.
The Anointed One - Wikipedia

But if God sent other Messengers before and after Jesus, and they established true religions:
How would that make Jesus any less of an anointed one?
How would that make Jesus any less of a savior?

If not, then perhaps I'm not seeing clearly enough to understand the "true" intent of meaning.

I don't think you understood what I was asking.
Essentially what I am asking us why Jesus has to be the Only Way to God in order to be who He was (Messiah and Savior).

 

[Balthazzar]

I can agree with that.

How does that answer my questions 1 and 2?

I agree that Jesus was the Anointed One according to the following definition:

The Anointed or The Anointed One may refer to: The Messiah, the savior and liberator in Abrahamic religions. The Christ (title), the Messiah in Christianity.
The Anointed One - Wikipedia

But if God sent other Messengers before and after Jesus, and they established true religions:
How would that make Jesus any less of an anointed one?
How would that make Jesus any less of a savior?

I don't think you understood what I was asking.
Essentially what I am asking us why Jesus has to be the Only Way to God in order to be who He was (Messiah and Savior).

That was my point also. Consider Romans 8

 

[Jimmy]

Like someone pointed it out here, just about all religions have a Messiah that’s gonna return. It’s all good.

 

[Truthseeker]

Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to come to God, and the only mediator between God and man, making Christianity the only true religion. This belief is based upon the following Bible verses.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus did not say that He was the only way to come to the Father for all of time, but that is what Christians believe. However, that makes no sense because we know that before Jesus walked the earth the Jews came to God by way of Moses, so why would Jesus suddenly become the only way for all time? Why couldn't Muslims come to God by way of Muhammad and Baha'is by way of Baha'u'llah, at a later time in history?

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Before Jesus walked the earth, Moses was a mediator between God and men, so why couldn't Muslims come to God by way of yet another mediator, Muhammad, and Baha'is by way of yet another mediator, Baha'u'llah?



This post is about if Jesus isn't the only way to come to God.

If Jesus isn't the only way to come to God that would mean that Christianity is not the only true religion.
In that case, I have two questions:

1) How would that make Christianity any less of a true religion?
2) How would that make Jesus any less of a Savior?

These questions are mainly directed at Christians, although anyone is welcome to answer them.

Thanks, Trailblazer

Good probing questions.

 

[Spice]

Jesus's method, Jesus's Way, Jesus's preaching is the only way to God. And fortunately our God is a fair and loving God who has sent multitudes of messengers that say the same thing Jesus's ministry was all about:
Be kind and love one another.
He even sent those found here on RF that speak that message from whatever path they travel.

 

[Valjean]

Doesn't this whole discussion presume the reality of the judgemental God and subservient man mythology? Do we really need a mediator? Are we really in grave peril and need salvation?

Why did God have to sacrifice Himself to Himself to "atone" for the sins that He, Himself engineered and knowingly tricked man into breaching? Couldn't the author of the whole universe have designed a safe, secure world and well behaved children in the first place?

 

[Truthseeker]

Why did God have to sacrifice Himself to Himself to "atone" for the sins that He, Himself engineered and knowingly tricked man into breaching. Couldn't the author of the whole universe have designed a safe, secure world and well behaved children in the first place?

That didn't happen. That is a Christian myth that has no reality. Christ sacrificed Himself certainly, but God did not. That Adam and Eve story has been turned into something it is not by Christians.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to come to God,..

IMHO, before starting a long discussion on what is written in the books of this person or that, fighting with this view or that (Bahais are contradiction with every other religion of the world), you need to establish the existence of any God.

We have a saying in Hindi - 'Soot na kapās, julahe se lattham-latthā' (You neither have thread nor cotton, but you are fighting with the weaver).
English varient: 'Much ado about nothing'.

 

[Truthseeker]

IMHO, before starting a long discussion on what is written in the books of this person or that, fighting with this view or that (Bahais are contradiction with every other religion of the world), you need to establish the existence of any God, without which the discussion is pointless.

It's not pointless to Christians, to which this thread is primarily addressed.

 

[Spice]

IMHO, before starting a long discussion on what is written in the books of this person or that, fighting with this view or that (Bahais are contradiction with every other religion of the world), you need to establish the existence of any God, without which the discussion is pointless.

IMO:
The mysterious infinite source/power of beginning and continuing.

 

[Aupmanyav]

IMO:
The mysterious infinite source/power of beginning and continuing.

Why do you term it as a God? Are you not giving it false attributes? What has that got to do with Jesus or Bahaollah?

 

[Spice]

What has that got to do with Jesus or Bahaollah?

All the metaphorical writings, all the men of wisdom who tried their hand at explaining the meaning of existence, and how to live lives of purpose and contentment, were trying to tell of a God, as stated, in a manner to be grasped, accepted, in awe of, and frankly, to be fearful of. Humankind's image and understanding of God changes generation to generation, but "God" remains a mystery for humans to seek.

 

[YoursTrue]

Adam was God's first begotten according to Genesis and the 2nd Adam was attributed to be the Christ, so if Christ equates to "anointed one", then there is your answer. If not, then perhaps I'm not seeing clearly enough to understand the "true" intent of meaning.

1 Corinthians 15:45 - "So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being;” the last Adam a life-giving spirit."
Berean Standard Bible

 

[Aupmanyav]

I edited my post in a small way. Sorry that it came late.

 

[Aupmanyav]

.. and frankly, to be fearful of.

Why live in fear of imaginary things?

 

[Spice]

I edited my post in a small way. Sorry that it came late.

Let @Trailblazer come in with her definition, or @Truthseeker. They're Baha'i and I respect their position very much, but I'm Omnist, a.k.a. semi-Christian Heretic, and don't wish to hijack the thread -- just give it little fluff. LOL

 

[Spice]

Why live in fear of imaginary things?

Why be fearful, period? But it's worked for thousands of years.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Why be fearful, period? But it's worked for thousands of years.

Did it? People have got wiser now. Some, I am not talking of 19th Century uneducated Iranians.