Many of us ask at one time or another, the first order questions of life: Who am I? What is the meaning of life? Some of us seek to find meaning in a cause or morality. Most of us seek to find meaning in love—in relationships. But, we find that they fail to bring us the ultimate meaning and life. We often end up cynical about everything, and give up finding meaning in life.

But, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He is the life and the truth. He is not just pointing to a way of life or the way to the truth. He is the truth. He is the meaning. He is the goal. He is what our hearts have been yearning for. And, he is the way to the Father. He is the only way we will know the Father. To know him is to know the Father.

Jesus also said, “No one comes to the father except through me.” The cross of Jesus is the only way to a relationship with the Father. There is salvation in no other name. Jesus made an exclusive claim. If we confess our sins and put our faith in the work of Jesus, we are saved. The bible is very clear that it is only through Jesus we are saved—that no one comes to the father except through Jesus, but it not as clear on how that truth is applied to each of us. We know that many people in the Old Testament are saved by Jesus, but we are not sure how the cross got applied to them. We believe that children or mentally incapable adults are saved even though they may not have the mental capacity to confess their sins and put their faith in Jesus. So, we must be careful to acknowledge that there is a mystery to how God’s grace is applied to people.