Why do we claim Christianity is the only way?  How do we know it is the only way to God?

Christianity is unique among the world religions for several important reasons.

First, Christianity, unlike other religions, is historical and evidential.  Other religions are shrouded in fables, myths, and unfounded events.  Jesus Christ Himself was a real person of history.  He was born in Bethlehem in Judea under the reign of Caesar Augustus.  He was put to death by a first century Roman governor named Pontius Pilate.  The most important evidence is that eyewitness accounts testify about his life, death, and resurrection.

I Peter 1:16-18 – “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.”

I John 1:1-4 – “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.”

Even extra-biblical sources report the reality of Jesus.  Josephus (A.D. 37 – c. A.D. 100) was a Jewish historian.  In his book Antiquities, he wrote the following:

“Now there arose at this time a source of further trouble in one Jesus, a wise man who performed surprising works, a teacher of men who gladly welcome strange things. He led away many Jews, and also many of the Gentiles. He was the so-called Christ. When Pilate, acting on information supplied by the chief men around us, condemned him to the cross, those who had attached themselves to him at first did not cease to cause trouble, and the tribe of Christians, which has taken this name from him is not extinct even today.”

Christianity is more historical and more evidential than any other religion, and its claims of truth can be evaluated by examining the facts and testimony of history.  The other world religions cannot claim this kind of historical support.

Second, Only Christianity’s founder claims to be God.  Not one of the world’s great religious leaders (Mohammed, Moses, Buddha, Confucius, and Lao Tzu) claimed to be God.  Only Jesus claims to be God in the flesh (John 8:58).  This claim is supported by Jesus’ historically verified resurrection (I Corinthians 15:3-8).  While Islam and Buddhism claim miracles in support of their faith, only Christianity’s miracles have historical verification.

Third, Christianity is unique because its belief system is coherent.  While some Christian doctrines go beyond logical categories, unlike the religions of the east they are not irrational or absurd.  Only Christianity can account for the phenomena we encounter in life – like the laws of science, the universal laws of logic, ethical norms, the problem of evil, and, of course, the meaning of life.

Fourth, while other religions would have man try to reach up to God in their own efforts, only Christianity says that it is God who reached down to man with grace and mercy.  Mere human effort is never enough to obtain God’s favor.

During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods’ appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death. The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. “What’s the rumpus about?” he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.”

As we see, the Christian faith is unique among all the world’s religions.  It is for these reasons that we can state unequivocally that Christianity is the way, the only way, to reach God.