Jesus is the Remedy

      In John 14:6, Jesus declares, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." Back in my zealous days for the Lord, maybe over zealous - maybe Pauline, I used to paint Bible verses on the windows of the conversion van as we went on family vacations because I was going to turn the self indulgent time off into a mission trip to the beach whether my wife protested or the kids cowered under the windows for 11 hours - or 9 if I sped.( I never figured out if I witnessed to more people by passing them or letting them pass me) Anyway, on one occasion I painted this verse on the window and was amazed by all the indecent gestures I received. The apostles also declared the narrowness of salvation in Acts 4:12 and Paul reiterated it in 1Tim. 2:5.Jesus also said the way was narrow and few would find it in Matt. 7:13,14. This infuriates non christians because to them it is saying, "If we don't believe like you then we are going to hell as are the Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Moonies, etc. I can't believe in a God like that. I believe that you can believe whatever you want and if you are sincere and are a "good" person we will all go to Heaven."
      I got to thinking about that the other day. In the picture below, you will see 8 different medicines

from my drug closet at work. From left to right you see an anti-inflammatory, a constipation medicine, an asthma medicine, prenatal vitamin, a hormone, an antihypertensive (blood pressure), a pill for bladder urgency (gotta go, gotta go) and a probiotic (bowel health). Now suppose a patient came in for high blood pressure which causes strokes and heart disease and is a leading killer in the U.S. What would I give him/her? Pill #6 - Bistolic- an antihypertensive. What if he said, "Naw, any pill will do if I faithfully take it - I think I will take pill 4." He can be as sincere as he wants but a prenatal vitamin will just grow his fingernails at best. Not only that, but they will all be harmful because they will delay treatment and some could cause ulcers,  diarrhea, increase his blood pressure, or how can I say this delicately - change his upper anatomy. There is "good" in all the pills (still think probiotics are voodoo) but only one pill will cure his disease.
            Hopefully the analogy is clear. Jesus is the remedy for sin and death. Everything else distracts us from the truth and harms mankind. Those who say that Christianity is exclusive, bigoted, and narrow - don't have an issue with Jesus as much as they do with recognizing their condition. They think we are basically good with a few flaws that any placebo taken, if believed in, can fix us. Christianity states that we are dying in our sins and need a drastic cure. Tim Keller gives the following illustration ;Picture this-You have been weak, no energy, losing weight, having stomach pains and you go to the doctor and he says, "take vitamins and change your diet and you will be fine." Unfortunately it doesn't work so you go to another and she gives you a shot of B12 and probiotics - ha. It still doesn't work. The next one tells you to exercise and get more sleep and take Omega 3 fatty acids. You go to 6 other doctors and get similar advice without success. Finally you come to a doctor who says, "You have cancer in your abdomen and need it cut out immediately or you will die." Do you leave saying, "Who does he think he is? How dare he say everyone else is wrong! How narrow-minded!" Or do you leave thinking, "Wow, what if she is right?" What was different between this doctor and the other 9? The diagnosis. The one doctor saw you as having a deadly disease and therefore a singular cure while the others thought that it was a minor problem with multiple solutions to make you feel better. When people get upset for saying Jesus is the only way you could probably counter by saying, "You believe that mankind is basically good don't you.We believe the Bible teaches that we are sinful headed for an eternity apart from God and the only hope is to have our sins taken away and no other religion addresses that but Jesus does."
          The Bible says in Romans 1:32 that mankind knows we are sinning and deserve death yet we suppress it and then celebrate it. I have a number of patients who refuse to get tests because they are afraid we will find something. Foolish? Maybe, but Paul says that humanity is doing it with not just this life in the balances but eternity. Please, people. Get your head out of the sand, accept the diagnosis and receive the remedy - Jesus took your disease on Himself on the cross. Now just receive Him into your life and be healed!