The Way Restored

This world is a world of sin. This world’s system is contrary to God, in opposition to God, and in opposition to truth, holiness, love, and life. This started in the Garden of Eden, when our father Adam fell. In Adam all died; in Adam sin and death passed upon all men; in Adam judgment and condemnation came upon all men (Romans 5:12).

When Adam sinned, he lost three things:

First of all: He lost life! God said: “If you eat of the forbidden tree you will die.” Well, Adam didn’t die physically, not right at that moment; he lived another 700 or 800 years but he died spiritually, he lost spiritual life.

Secondly: He lost the truth! He believed the devil’s lies and refused God’s truth and mankind has been doing that ever since. We lost the truth of God. We can’t comprehend the truth of God. “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Lastly: He lost the way to God. God put him out of the Garden and shut the door. He put a flaming sword so he couldn’t get back to the tree of life and live on forever in the condition he was in.

In Adam, we lost “the way, the truth, and the life.” In Christ, all three of those things are restored. In Adam we died, in Christ we are made alive. Christ is the truth of God and Christ is the way to God.

This is the heart of the gospel. Our Lord said, “I am the way.” He didn’t say, “I’ll show you the way.” He didn’t say, “I’ll make a way.” Christ doesn’t point to a way and say, “walk in it.” He says, “I am the way.”

Do you want life? “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). Jesus is our life.

Do you want wisdom? “Christ Jesus … is made unto us wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:30). He is our wisdom.

Do you want righteousness? He is our righteousness with God. We are righteous in Him. We are holy in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Do you want peace? “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Christ is our peace.

Do you want hope? “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Our hope is found in Him.

He didn’t point to a law, a doctrine, a tradition, or a ceremony—He said, pointing to Himself, “I am the way.” I’ve got to be vitally in a living relationship, joined to the Son of God. Doctrine won’t save. It may have value to live by, but theology itself is not enough to die by. Christ is the gospel. Christ is the way to God. He is salvation. Salvation is not a plan, and it’s not a proposition—it’s a person. I hope you know Him!

—Henry T. Mahan, condensed