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Friday, January 9, 2009

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1 John 5:5-13
Psalm 147
Luke 5:12-16

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only jesus

"God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." —1 John 5:11

Some people maintain we have many ways to reach God, although Jesus may be the best Way in their viewpoint. However, Jesus did not call Himself the best Way but the Way, the only Way to the Father (Jn 14:6).

"The testimony is this: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever possesses the Son possesses life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not possess life" (1 Jn 5:11-12). God's life is in Jesus His Son, and only in His Son. "Through Him all things came into being, and apart from Him nothing came to be" (Jn 1:3).

Jesus Christ is "our only Master and Lord" (Jude 4). "There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name in the whole world given to men by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:12). Any saving work in the world, even in the lives of those who haven't heard the gospel, is done by Jesus.

Therefore, we exist to evangelize, to tell the world about Jesus. We want "to bring all things in the heavens and on earth into one under Christ's headship" (Eph 1:10). Because Jesus is the only Way, Truth, Life, Savior, Lord, and God, we must be His witnesses even to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Prayer:  Father, on these last few days of the Christmas season, may I give others Christmas by giving them Christ.

Promise:  "Jesus stretched out His hand to touch him and said, 'I do will it. Be cured.' Immediately the leprosy left him." —Lk 5:13

Praise:  Thomas experienced a "reality check" when he came to a deeper understanding that he doesn't have to save himself. He discovered that Jesus is "Master and Lord."

Reference:  (For a related teaching, order our leaflet, Job Performance for Jesus, or on audio AV 43-3 or video V-43.)

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 17, 2008

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