Only One Way
By Larry White
02/15/2013
The goal of the New Age religion meditations are to transcend this world and ascend to the next level, or the next realm. They are calling this the enlightenment.
But Jesus told us long ago that we cannot really transcend this world without the knowledge of God, and that knowledge is through his son Jesus Christ. He said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me (Jno. 14:6). One of the proofs of this is that he has overcome the world and we can overcome it also through or in him. (Jno. 16:33)
We cannot ascend to the next level or Heaven without the life that Jesus Christ gives us. He is the Truth and the Life, therefore he is the only way to the Father. Those of us who have come to him for life have believed the truth and have been immersed into his death by baptism, we are essentially dead to the world, what Eastern religions call an "ego death" and we have been raised up along with the resurrected Jesus to walk in newness of life - i.e. spiritual life as those who are alive again from the dead (Rom. 6). This is what the people taking ayahuasca are seeking. But we have it by faith. We put on or clothe ourselves with Jesus. We are his in a covenant relationship with God. He owns us we were purchased with the price of his sacrificed blood and he marks us or seals us as his own by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
In the parable of the marriage feast, a king holds this feast for his son (Matthew 22:1-14), and Jesus describes a unique and surprising event. There was a man who showed up at the feast, like a wedding crasher, who did not have on a wedding garment which all invited guests are given, and when confronted, he had no excuse for not being clothed appropriately and was speechless. The servants of the king threw him out at the king's command.
An application we can make of this parable is that if we try to get to the level of heaven without clothing ourselves with Jesus Christ, without being in his covenant, without having the spiritual life that only he can give, then he will say, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity. (Luke 13:13-30) Iniquity is lawlessness, making up your own rules and following your own way. However, we must understand that this is not an arbitrary rule decreed by a whim or a preference, it is a rule based upon our nature, the nature of spiritual life and the nature of God himself. Therefore on a practical level any other way will not get you there. The path to life is exclusive of all other ways because it is real and all other ways cannot work. There is only one God and only one life and it is found in only one way.
So what do they have against Jesus? If they are truly spiritual, why not him?
Two reasons: the first, because God requires righteousness. There is a moral aspect to the life of God. Jesus is the kid at the party who only wants to do what is right and is uncompromising. He spoils their fun. God requires that we submit to his will. His will is best and right, good and loving. He is the light and in him is no darkness at all (1John 1:5). It's a moral choice. Those who will not come to Jesus for life, love the darkness. They prefer the evil, the power and the "magic" - which is all an illusion. Like Satan, they want the darkness which they see as illumination. They do not want to be good otherwise they would choose the ultimate good, which is Jesus. They refuse to accept themselves as created. They want to be God. And therein lies the fundamental problem with evil men; they can't be, and that frustration hardens their will against God even more.
The second reason that they will not come to Jesus, is because of the Catholic church, and all the Protestant denominations as the church of your choice; a cacophony of chaos, all claiming to follow the Bible. What can anyone do? I suggest they do what I did. Read the Bible for yourself, starting with the gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Consume them and become very familiar with them. You won't understand most of it, but if you have a good heart, you'll hear Jesus. His voice will have the ring of truth which you can trust. Then ask God to open your eyes and to lead you. He will provide a teacher or a person who will point the way for you. Take it - and keep "Asking and Seeking and Knocking."
Having someone to teach you is the only way. This is the way everyone has come. God will not leave the Earth in a state without someone who really knows the truth. I would suggest that you find a member of the churches of Christ or a member of Christ's Church in the North West, and have a Bible study in your home. Despite their flaws, they have a fairly good overview of what the Bible is about. Then study God's word to find out if what your teacher says is true. Look up every passage and read it in it's context. Trust in God, but question men. You won't offend them. If questions offend them, then they are not from God. Trust God and be of good courage. He will lead you and bring you to the enlightenment that you seek.
God is faithful. Once he starts a good work in you, then he will bring it to a completion - because you trust in him.
LW