Show Us the Path to Life

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:30

Paul and Silas were imprisoned, and when they started singing to the Lord and worshipping Him, a severe earthquake opened the prison doors and their chains broke open. The jailer who was instructed to guard them well, almost killed himself when he thought they had escaped. Paul and Silas said, “Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.” Trembling with fear, the jailer rushed in to the innermost cell he had placed them, and asked, “What must I do to be saved?”

I was listening to someone on TEDx Talks, a lady preacher who claimed to have heard God speak to her in a fast food joint. Most of what she said I agreed with, about how God will speak to us if we ask questions, wait and listen. What I didn’t agree with is she put Christianity on par with other religions and beliefs. She was being politically correct, and she probably would not have been invited to speak in that venue if she was not of that confidence. 

We either believe Jesus is God or we don’t. If we believe He is God, then we must believe His message, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN cometh unto the Father, but by me”. (John 14:5) In Acts 4:12, the Apostle Peter said of Jesus, "Salvation is found in NO ONE ELSE, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." 

We either believe these claims from Jesus or not. Some may say this is too narrow-minded and mean spirited, even intolerant. Is it? Jesus revealed to us a loving God, a God who wants a personal relationship with us, who wants to “show us the path to life, fullness of joys”, who calls us to repentance so we can be saved. Is there any other faith that reveals God to us like that? 

I think God has a perfect plan for mankind. We were created in love. Just because we cannot understand His plan, and perhaps think we have a better, more equitable way, does not make it ‘false news’. The better response is to obey Him and spread the gospel, because it is of eternal importance for us and for others we can reach. We can leave all those we have no access to, the millions who have not heard the gospel, to a loving God who knows much more than we do, and who cares much more than we ever could.