The Only Way

                             Dr. Emerson Falls, Sac & Fox / Choctaw

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.  John 14:6

Jesus made a remarkable claim in John 14:6. He said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man cometh to the Father but by Me.” Of course, anyone can say he is the only way, but such a statement must be validated by proof. This is why we need to look at the life of Jesus. He did some things that demand our attention. He walked on water. He calmed a storm with His word. He healed lepers. He gave sight to a blind man. He caused a lame man to walk. He raised Lazarus from the dead. 

He has done something that no one else has done. No one else has risen from the dead. Since Christ has done all of these things, then it seems logical to me to believe what he has said . . . that He is the only way. The fact that Jesus demonstrated such divine authority ought to be enough to cause us to believe in Him. However, this is not the only reason I believe that Jesus is the only way to God.

I was raised in a small, Indian church in Oklahoma. My father’s family came from a traditional native background. He heard the good news about Jesus and became a follower of Christ. Thus, I was raised in church, but I did not become a believer until age 16. Following graduation from high school, I went to college.

In college, I met some other Native American students who believed in their traditional ways, including native religion. They confronted me about my Christian faith. They told me that one of the ways of the Anglo people kept us in a secondary status was by taking away our religion. They said Christianity was a white man’s religion. During those years, I had a crisis of faith. I stopped going to church and lived a secular lifestyle.

Later, I served in the United States Army. I went to Viet Nam. I continued to live in doubt about Christianity. I was very bitter about my life as a Native American. However, I began to discover that bitterness is rally self-destructive. I had no purpose for my life. I did not want to live the rest of my life this way. One day, I thought about how happy and peaceful I was in that little Indian church back home. I realized that when I was in fellowship with Christ, the Holy Spirit dwelt in me and gave me peace, love and joy. I had not found these anywhere else. I realized that Jesus is really the Way, the Truth, and Life. I recommitted my life to Him.

Since that time, my life has been good. Of course I go through adversities just like everyone else. But when I do, the Lord gives me strength and encouragement. I am able to overcome all things by the Lord’s presence and power. The best part is I know that I will live with the Lord throughout eternity.

Yes, I know that the Lord did miraculous things, including overcoming death. However, the greatest thing He has ever done for me was to give me a new life! Now I have strength for today, and I have hope for tomorrow. There is not doubt in my mind that He is the only Way.

Dr Emerson Falls

By permission:

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