Is Jesus the Only Way?

There are many religions throughout the world.   So for a Christian to say "Jesus is the Only Way" sounds pretty arrogant, and perhaps even condemning.

There are many out there who want to embrace all religions and claim they are all paths that lead to the One True God, who is known by many other names in these other religions.

I used to think that was possible, God is all powerful, all loving, he understands that each of his beloved children are different in how they love and believe---so why wouldn't He offer many paths to Him?

Seems legit.

Then I heard this analogy that blew my mind.

It started with a story about a man who worked at a train bridge.  Generally the tracks over the river were perpendicular to shore to allow tall boats to pass by.  When he saw an oncoming train he would pull a lever that would make the bridge turn and join the tracks so that an oncoming train could cross the river.  See, a train would be unable to stop because of its large size and momentum.

One day the man's son was visiting him at the train bridge.  The father was distracted and did not notice an oncoming train, but the son did.  The son tried with all his might to pull the lever but was too weak.  Then the boy slipped and fell into the machinery's gears that allowed the bridge to move.  At that point the father sees what has happened.

The father has only enough time to either save his son or save the train.  If he saves his beloved child, the train filled with hundreds of people will plunge off the cliff and into the river leading to their deaths.  If the father pulls the lever, he saves the train, but crushes his child to death.

What should he do?  In sobbing tears, he tells his son he loves him and is sorry---then he pulls the lever.

Now---what if there were 2 sets of tracks, 2 sets of levers.  What if the child being caught in the one set of machinery could remain safe until rescued by having the father pull the other lever which would give the train safe passage.  In this scenario everyone lives.

But what if in that second scenario the father pulls the lever the son is caught in anyway?  What if he kills his son to save the train ignoring the fact that the other lever would have spared his son and still save the train?  

We would quickly agree that he is the most horrific, terrible, unloving father that ever walked this earth!  We would condemn him, despise him, hate him.

Now---what if that son is Jesus, son of God?  And what if the train represents us, the sinners, hurling towards our deaths.   The only way to save us from death is for God the Father to sacrifice his beloved Son.

IF there was another way for us to be forgiven, another path to eternal life with God and He could have spared Jesus but DIDN'T?  Then what kind of loving God is that?

Jesus died a more horrific death than that fictional boy.



Why would God allow that?





Because it was the ONLY way...............