The Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)

This verse is an important one in our multi-faith society. Life in Britain today involves awareness that there are alternative religions on our doorsteps. In the verse Jesus says that followers of these other religions will not find the way to God through their beliefs.

There is a well-known summary of this verse found in Thomas a Kempis’ book, The Imitation of Christ: ‘Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou must follow; the truth which thou must believe; the life for which thou must hope. I am the inviolable way; the infallible truth, the never-ending life. I am the straightest way; the sovereign truth; life true, life-blessed, life uncreated.’

A common way of interpreting the verse is to say that ‘way’ refers to discovering Christ as Saviour at the beginning of the journey to heaven, that ‘truth’ refers to being discipled by Christ as ‘teacher’ as we travel to heaven, and that ‘life’ refers to the bestowal of eternal life when we reach heaven. No doubt there is an element of truth in that division, although I think Jesus is saying that he is these three benefits simultaneously rather than separately.

So I want to consider the verse as Jesus simultaneously functioning as the way, the truth and the life (1) at conversion, (2) throughout one’s Christian life, and (3) at the entrance to heaven.

Conversion

When we think of conversion, we must begin by asking what the alternatives are to these three features of way, truth and life. If Jesus has to provide them, then we do not have them before we come to follow him. The opposite of knowing the way is lostness, the opposite of truth is blinded or deceived, and the opposite of life is death. This is a picture of each human being who is without Christ. Such a one is lost from the Father’s house, he is blinded and deceived by the devil as to his state, and he is spiritually dead to God. His lostness is described by Jesus in his parable of the lost sheep, lost coin and the lost sons.

At a conversion, Jesus delivers that sinner from lostness, blindness and spiritual death. He does this through the gospel. In that gospel, the sinner discovers that there is a remedy for his situation as estranged from God. Jesus provided this remedy when he came to earth to seek and to save that which was lost. It involved him dealing with the penalty of sins when he suffered on the cross of Calvary. But his seeking was not limited to his work on the cross two thousand years ago. Since then, he has been seeking lost sinners through the Spirit-empowered gospel declared by preachers or communicated in various other ways by Christians.

In the gospel, Jesus conveys truth to us personally. He gives various kinds of truth: truth about ourselves, truth about God, and truth about salvation. Through these teachings we begin to discern or understand where we have been wrong in our thinking and practice. But these areas of truth do not only come as mere information; rather they come with conviction. We are persuaded that what he says is true. Not only is the mind changed, but our hearts and our wills are affected.

Jesus teaches such truth lovingly. John has already described the mission of Jesus as compared to that of Moses: the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. The loving appeals of Jesus begins to find a response in our affections and we find ourselves being drawn to him. In addition to the mind and heart being changed, so also is the third part of our human nature, our will. We come to want the blessings promised in the gospel.

These changes in our mind, heart and will evidence that the life that Jesus has available for sinners has been conveyed secretly to us. Paul told the Romans that he was not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation. As the good news was declared, sinners were changed. They found that Jesus is the way to the Father at conversion.

Can we identify some specific examples in which Jesus is the way to the Father at conversion? I would mention two. First, he is the way to the Father in that the Father forgives us all our sins when we trust in Jesus. This is a marvellous benefit, a reality that brings great comfort and joy into the soul when we recognise the extent of divine forgiveness.

Secondly, he is the way to the Father in that the Father adopts into his family all who believe in Jesus, whatever their way of life before their conversion occurred. Each of them is given this high status of having a right to all the privileges of the sons of God, a status which will develop, but which will never be taken away from any of them.

Christian life

In what ways is Jesus the way, the truth and the life in the everyday life of his people? Firstly, he is the way to the Father in the sense that it is through his name that they have access to God in prayer. This is a wonderful aspect of communion with God. This road is never closed. Twenty-four hours a day they can draw near to the Father through Jesus.

Secondly, Jesus is the truth in that he enables them to understand the various doctrines of the Bible, of which there are many wonderful and profound. This understanding is done in such a way as to show them the greatness of the doctrines, resulting in them drawing near to the Father in worship and thankfulness. By the Holy Spirit, who has come to them as the representative of Jesus, they are instructed in the things of Christ.

Jesus is the truth in another way to his people and that is in the way he is their perfect example. They read about the details of his wonderful life recorded in the Gospels, a life so beautiful that they desire to imitate it. They observed how Jesus always acted according to truth. He never showed favouritism or injustice, he never leaned to one side more than another; he always did what was appropriate and true.

Thirdly, Jesus is the life in that he gives the Holy Spirit to indwell his people. The Spirit renews their characters in sanctification, with his goal for them being conformity to the likeness of Christ. The life of Jesus, obtained by a living union with him through the Holy Spirit, works itself out in their lives. Sometimes they mourn lack of progress and are distressed by their failures. But that self-assessment is also a sign of of the possession of life because it shows they long for his likeness.

There is another way in which Jesus is life to his people throughout their Christian journey and that is the way by which he gives them satisfaction in their souls. In John 10:10, he summarises his mission by saying that he came into the world so that sinners may have abundant life. This inner life is usually marked by a sense of peace and joy even in difficult circumstances.

Jesus gives these blessings simultaneously to those who follow him: they have access to God, they have an understanding of the faith, and they have an example to follow, the Spirit to indwell them and satisfaction in their souls. Truly, he is the way, the truth and the life to his people as they make their journey through this world.

Climax of journey

Jesus is also the way to the Father for his people when they come to the end of their lives. As they breathe their last, he meets them at the entrance to heaven, as he did with Stephen, and escorts them into his Father’s presence. One by one, they enter the Father’s house and are greeted by Jesus. What a rich welcome he gives to each!

Jesus will be the truth on that day as well and then forever. This will be the case in different ways. In heaven, he will be the truthful instructor of his people as he unfolds to them the meaning of the Father’s name. In this life, he gave to them a good understanding in the faith, but that knowledge is small in comparison to that which he shall communicate to them in heaven.

In heaven, Jesus will also be the truth as he examples or models for his people the way to do things. I still recall the the sense of surprise I had on reading Jonathan Edward’s desire to observe the humility of Jesus as he approached the throne of God in heaven. In heaven, Jesus will lead the praise of the redeemed universe and will model as the Truth Incarnate and glorified how praise should be given and service performed.

Jesus will also be the life of his people in heaven. He will give eternal life in its fullness, this life which flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. He will lead his people to the fountains of the waters of life from which they will drink their fill permanently.

Eventually, this experience of life will include their bodies on the great resurrection day when he will display his final and total victory over death and the grave. His power to give life will be seen in the creation of the new heavens and new earth, the restored universe in which his people will dwell with him for ever. Truly he will be the way, the truth and the life for ever for all his people.

Application

But the question remains for each of us: Is Jesus the way, the truth and the life for me? Are you, at this moment, on the way that seems right unto a man, but the end is the way of death? Are you blind to the truth of the gospel, indifferent to the blessings it promises, so giving evidence that you have not experienced the power of the gospel? If that is your situation, heed this voice of Jesus. He is willing to become your way to God, to be your teacher about the things of God, to fill your soul with the life of God. Commit your soul to him and discover that Jesus is indeed the way, the truth and the life.

If you are a disciple of Jesus, this verse is a helpful summary of the meaning of the Christian life because it reminds us of the centrality of Jesus in every area of it. As the way, he gives a short distance of travel to the Father; as the truth, he functions as our teacher, enabling us to understand the faith; and as the life, he works in us by the Holy Spirit, conforming us to his own likeness.