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No Other Name or Way

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 16, 1913

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 90, No. 42.

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No Other Name or Way

By C. M. S.

It is possible to desire a thing so strongly in our own way that we may never attain to its possession. The people of this generation are looking for life, as have the people of all past generations. It is easily possible so to use the life which is now in our possession as to preclude the possibility of our attaining to that life which is everlasting. The service of self will build a wall which will preclude all progress into that life which is beyond. So will the assumption, on our part, of the right and ability to construct for ourselves a way of salvation in place of the way already provided.
Some have sought and are seeking that future life by paths which lead in the opposite direction, paths of their own construction. They invent plans for salvation which look beautiful to them, but which have no life goal at the end of the journey. The futility of such plans is so apparent to those who are seeking to follow in the way marked out by him who only hath the words of eternal life, that they appear childish and pitiable; and yet, in these self-made snares thousands are being entangled and destroyed every day.
God has set before the world the way, and the only way, by which men may hope to be saved. He has dealt faithfully with his children in this life journey. With line upon line and precept upon precept has he indicated that way, and then, in the garb of flesh, the Son of God himself marked out the way in footprints that cannot be mistaken.
John the Beloved, after enumerating the miracles of Jesus, and the signs which he did, declares: “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:30, 31.
In that statement is declared the purpose of the gospel according to John. The words and doings of Jesus were not recorded by him for any other purpose than to prove to the people of every generation from then till now that there came into the world at that time the Saviour of men; that he had and has the power to forgive sins, to bring in reconciliation between man and his Maker, and to give eternal life to as many as come to him in full assurance of faith, and accept at his hands the gift which he is holding out to all the world. There is no other way. It is not for man to set himself up above his Maker and construct a plan for himself in which the purposes of God must work out. It would not be in harmony with infinite wisdom and power and foreknowledge for a variety of ways to be devised for man’s salvation. If there is more than one way, then there is no way; but as God has made one way whereby man can be saved, we know that that way is the perfect way. A variety of ways would mean imperfection in all, and that is beyond the realm of possibility.
As it is not for fallen man to mark out for God a way in which man should be saved from the results of his fall, so it is not for man to cast aside this or that portion of the Word of God, and say that it is not essential to man’s instruction in the way of life. Christ declares: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life;” and the Bible is written “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Again: “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. Then are the life and words of that One the most important instructors man can have in that way of salvation.
In the multitude of voices that are calling from every quarter, now this way and now that, let us listen for the voice of the One in whom lies man’s only hope of life everlasting. We must not discard his Word; we must not think to fashion to ourselves a plan of salvation. There is eternal life for all who will believe and follow in the way provided by One who is the very fountain of wisdom and righteousness and love. We cannot afford to experiment in a matter of so great importance; for experimentation in the ways that are not true means disbelief in and ultimate rejection of the way that is only true; and that means everlasting loss. The plan of salvation is a complete plan and needs no alterations or additions or adaptations by man. Let us accept it, believe it, and be saved through it.
C. M. S.