I am amazed, disappointed and definitely bewildered as to how the mainstream, and at one time, evangelical church in America has moved so far from the teaching of the Scripture.  Where the idea – the meme – or from whom it began several years ago, I don’t know, but one-time evangelical pastors are now telling their congregations that ‘believing that Jesus died for our sins is not the only way obtain eternal life’.  I have asked people – Christians! – then what other way is there?  And would they please give me Biblical reference to ‘another way’.

You know their answer.  “How could a loving God send anyone to hell?”  (God never sends anyone to hell.  It’s one’s choice as to where they will spend eternity.)  So no one, to date, has been able to show me a variety of substantial ways to enter eternal life in Heaven.  As a matter of fact, the ones I have talked with, no longer believe in the inspired Word of God.  “That’s ridiculous!”, they say.   “And you know, ‘that’ verse really doesn’t mean what you have always thought it meant”.  Then.  What does it mean??  I never get an answer.  I just get told that I am taking the Scripture out of context.  Still no explanation on their part.

There have been doubters since the beginning of time.  That part is not new.  But in the past several years with the Evangelical Church parting from the inspired truths of God’s Word – that IS new.  So – what was up with Jesus?

In 1982, I came across an article written by a doctor explaining the physical process that one’s body experiences through death by crucifixion.  This was the first time I had read such an account – and I was horrified.  Shocked!  I wanted to throw up learning what my Jesus – my Savior had gone through for me, physically – and emotionally!  I am not going to relate the process here in this article – you can find that online.  But as bloody, gory, and violent as the 2004 film, The Passion of Christ  portrayed the punishment and death of the Savior of all man-kind, it paled compared to the writings of those with medical knowledge of what happens to the body during crucifixion.  I ask again – what was up with Jesus?  Was He stupid? – was He foolish? – was He a masochist? – a thrill-seeker?  If there were another way to obtain eternal life, would He have subjected Himself to excruciating torture, humiliation and death giving of Himself/shedding His blood at Calvary for you and me? Think about it.  I think not!

Knowing all the agony that was before Him, ‘(Jesus) fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me;’” – yet wanted His Father’s will knowing redemption would be displayed only in His giving His life for us. – Matthew 26.39   As a matter of fact, Scripture says that “Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, Who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame . . .”  – Hebrews 12.2    Agony, but ultimately JOY in knowing He was obedient to His Father – loving us so much that He would be the atonement/the propitiation for our sins.

Before Resurrection Day each year, I read the medical account of what a crucifixion entails to remind myself of what my Jesus suffered for me, personally.  “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”  – Acts 4.12   THAT was ‘what was up with Jesus . . .