This is the first post in a series of apologetics questions I will be answering to help equip you in defending the faith. I’m going to begin by tackling the question: Why is Christianity so exclusive? Drawing from John 14:6, where Jesus declares, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,” we explore the bold claim that sets Christianity apart from every other religion. This statement, as radical today as it was in Jesus’ time, carries eternal implications for every person. As G.K. Chesterton noted, “Right is right, even if nobody does it. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong about it.” Truth remains true, regardless of popular opinion.
Consider the flat earth belief in ancient times. Around 500 B.C., Pythagoras proposed the earth was a sphere, a view ridiculed until proven centuries later. Truth didn’t depend on majority acceptance; it was true nonetheless. Similarly, Jesus’ claim in John 14:6 stands firm, asserting He is the sole path to God. Let’s unpack what He means by “the way, the truth, and the life.”
The Way: Jesus is the exclusive path to the Father. 1 Timothy 2:5 states, “There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Hebrews 10 calls Him “the new and living way,” tearing the curtain separating us from God. In John 10, He is “the door” to salvation. No other figure—religious or otherwise—offers access to the Father. Jesus alone provides a way for us to be in relationship with the Creator.
The Truth: Jesus embodies truth. John 1:17-18 explains that “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ,” revealing the unseen God. 1 John 5:20 adds that Jesus gives understanding to know the true God. As the standard of righteousness, He testifies to God’s reality, countering all false claims about divinity.
The Life: Jesus possesses life inherently and grants it to His followers. In John 11:25-26, He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” In John 6:35, He is “the bread of life,” satisfying our deepest desires. Only through Him do we find eternal life and true fulfillment.
Jesus’ claim, “No one comes to the Father except through me,” leaves no middle ground. As C.S. Lewis famously argued, Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. If true, His words demand our allegiance; if false, He’s a complete fraud and should be rejected. He further clarifies in John 14:7 that knowing Him is knowing the Father, as He is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), fully divine and equal with the Father.
This claim to exclusivity invites objections, three of which I’ll address below:
- Aren’t all religions the same?
No, they aren’t. Religions contradict on core issues: one God versus many, the existence of hell, or the authority of Scripture. For example, Christianity’s claim of Jesus as the only way conflicts with other faiths’ teachings. Cults like the Branch Davidians or Brazil’s Sunrise Valley, with its alien beliefs, highlight the absurdity of equating all religions. Christianity uniquely teaches that salvation comes not through human goodness but through Jesus’ sacrifice, as no one can earn heaven (Romans 3:23). If other paths sufficed, Jesus’ death would be meaningless. When faced with this objection, gently show that contradictory truth claims cannot all be true and point to Jesus as the only atonement for sin. - Isn’t truth relative?
Relativism claims truth varies by individual, but this self-destructs. Saying “truth is relative” is itself an objective claim, contradicting its premise. Michael Kruger calls relativism “pride masquerading as humility.” If you believe you’re a bird and jump off a building, reality—namely gravity—prevails. Jesus either rose from the dead or didn’t; our beliefs don’t change His reality. We must respond to relativism by highlighting its self-contradiction and affirming Scripture as the ultimate authority. - Isn’t claiming exclusivity arrogant?
Christians are often labeled arrogant for believing Jesus is the only way. Yet, this claim originates with Jesus, not us. Acts 4:12 declares, “There is salvation in no one else.” Christianity isn’t man’s attempt to reach God but God’s revelation to man through Jesus. When accused of arrogance, point to Jesus’ words and encourage others to investigate His life in Scripture. Let them wrestle with His claims, not yours.
Jesus’ exclusivity is proven by His perfect life, death, and resurrection. He bore our sins on the cross, offering what no other religion can: atonement. John 8:31-32 promises, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Are you abiding in Him, submitting to His truth over culture’s lies? Repent, believe in Jesus—the way, the truth, and the life—and find freedom in the only One who leads to the Father.
Tethered to Truth 