Is there more than one way to heaven?
I am the pianist for Peniel Ranch camps. One of the songs we sing for Character Camp is called “One Way to Heaven”. It’s a traditional gospel song which clearly outlines salvation. But is this truly the only way to get to heaven? Is there more than one way to heaven?
I have the biblical worldview that God is who He says He is and that His word, the Bible, is literal truth. In this book it clearly shows how a person can get to heaven. There are other religious books that share different ways to get to heaven, but they aren’t the truth, they are written by humans, not by God, so we cannot trust them, especially when they contradict the Bible, which is written by God. What does the Bible say about getting to heaven? It gives us one way. Why? Because God designed it that way, and Jesus said His is the only way.
God designed it that way. He planned out before the creation of the world that the only way to reach heaven would be to go through His Son, the Messiah. To believe in the One true God. God created a perfect world, but Adam and Eve sinned (Gen. 3:6b) which messed everything up. Since God is a just and righteous God He had to punish Adam and Eve for their disobedience. Being the merciful God that He is, He didn’t just kill them right then and there, but allowed them to live with some curses. One curse for Eve actually is the first mention of a Messiah in the Bible (Gen. 3:15) when God said that man wouldn’t bruise the head of the serpent. It’s exactly what Jesus did on the cross. To be saved Adam and Eve had to believe God’s promise of a Messiah to save them from their sin, and they had to believe that a Messiah would come (Isa. 9:6).
Secondly Jesus said that He is the only way to heaven, the only way to be saved, the only way to have access to God the Father. He clearly stated in Acts 4:10-12that He is the only name whereby we can be saved. “10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” Then Jesus also said that He is the only way in 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.”
What do you do now? Believe Jesus is the Messiah, believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven and choose to accept His gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). He paid for the debt you owed by being a sinner (Rom. 3:23) by dying on the cross and rising again (John 11:25). Just call upon His name and be saved (Romans 10:13). Live now in the freedom from sin and live for Jesus!
