We arrived at Delhi, India by an all-night train, early in the morning. The station was an animated scene, passengers arriving and departing, coolies rushing about with luggage, officials checking tickets. etc.
We were strangers in India and to Delhi. We did not know the language, and we scarcely knew what to do for the best to reach our temporary destination. All at once our difficulties vanished. No need to ask a single question. Knowing the language, or not knowing it, made no difference. We had spied a friend, who had come to meet us, who knew all our arrangements. What a relief it was to see her!
We said to her, You are an illustration of our Lord’s words, “I am the way.” All we have to do is to follow. We shall make no mistakes, if we follow. We need ask no questions. We need to have no care as to whether we are going in the right direction. We need to have no concern as to reaching our destination. “All we have to do is to follow you.”
Thomas—Thomas the doubter—replied Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?”
What an answer He gave! How it solved every difficulty. How it settled every doubt, did His disciples but know the meaning of His words,
“I AM THE WAY.”
Our friend meeting us at Delhi station, is at best but a poor illustration. She was one of a hundred, who might have done us the service she did. But our Lord said, “I am THE way,” and clinched that by adding. “No man comes to the Father, but by Me.”
Satan is very busy in India as elsewhere. He is doing His best to get it believed that all religions are practically one and the same, as long as their followers are sincere seekers after God. We are assured that sincere seekers after God will find Him, but it can only be through Christ. He is the Way. There are not several ways—the Hindu way, the Sikh way, the Mohammedan way, the Buddhist way, the Christian way—there is only ONE way. Christ says, “I am THE Way” there is no other.
Believing Satan’s lie, idolaters are soothed to contentment and to believe that they are on the right road, if only they are sincere.
And even in Christian lands we find the same lie varied to suit the circumstances. Do your best. Be religious. Attend the sacraments. Be sincere. All will be well in the end. So Satan promises, but did he ever keep his word?
After all, this falls into line with gross and idolatrous religions. For in what vital way does every religion in the world differ from the Gospel? Every false religion makes man his own Saviour by his own life and efforts. The Gospel offers a wonderful Saviour and uses the words “grace” and “gift” in connection with the word salvation—words used by no other religion.
Giving a lecture on “Comparative Religions,” the late Joseph Parker paused to say most impressively, “Remember, Christianity is not one of them.” Christianity is not a comparative religion, but a contrasting religion.
A lady brought out the contrast clearly. She said to a gentleman, who was relying on his own efforts for his salvation, “The difference between your religion and mine consists of two letters. Your religion is summed up by the word Do; mine, by the word, Done. You are relying upon what you can do; I am relying upon what was done by my Saviour on the cross, when He atoned for my sins and bore the judgment of them, crying, as the veil was rent and the rocks rent, ‘IT IS FINISHED’” (John 19:30).
Yes. Christ is the way, for He alone could pay the price of sin. No Ram or Buddha or Confucius or Mohammed could do that. We are shut up to the Son of God for salvation. None other was great enough to pay the price of sin. Yes. He is the way.
But once we trust Him for salvation He becomes the Way for every step of our pathway. He said “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believes on Me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46). “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give to them eternal life” (John 10:27-28).
Cried the Psalmist David triumphantly, “He leads Me”—the Good Shepherd. “He leads me beside the still waters … He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake” (Ps. 23:2-3). The Good Shepherd leads—the sheep follow.
If the Lord says, “I am the Way,” we are well provided for every step of our pilgrim journey, but the secret of getting the blessing of this is to follow. Are we true followers of our Lord? We owe every revelation of God to Him. He is the only Saviour. He lives on high our great High Priest, to guide, succour, and sustain. He is coming for us. We cannot do without Him at any point of our need as sinners or our need as saints. He says, “I am THE way”—not a formula, not a creed, not an organization, but a blessed Person, the Son of God, our Saviour, our Shepherd, our Lord and our God.
Thomas, doubting Thomas, doubting no more, assured that the Lord was indeed the risen Saviour, exclaimed, “My Lord, and my God” (John 20:28).