One of the most-quoted verses in the New Testament is Jesus’s statement in John chapter 14, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” However, the context is often ignored. Jesus made the statement after telling his followers that in his father’s house there are many rooms, and he was going to get a place ready for them. He said, “You know where I am going, and you know the way.”
Thomas protested, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” and Jesus answered with the famous statement quoted above. It is clear from the context that Jesus was describing himself as the way to get to heaven, to be with the Father; however, most people do not understand the implications of this. The way to heaven, the way to be right with God, is not by following a list of commandments; it is not by doing good deeds or avoiding doing bad ones; it is a person, Jesus.
The way to get anywhere is to follow a set of directions; how can a person be the way? Jesus was saying that there is no set of directions, no list of rules, that would ever get a person to the right destination. If everyone has sinned but only perfect people are worthy to be with the Father, then the only way that anyone can possibly get there is by being made perfect by someone paying the penalty for our sins – and that is what Jesus did by dying on the cross.