Some think of it as an old television series starring Michael Landon. Others remember it as a hymn. Some confuse it with Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven, while others think of AC/DC’s Highway to Hell.
But on the west coast of Canada, “Highway to Heaven” is an actual road.
Road No. 5 Highway in East Richmond, British Columbia, has been nicknamed Highway to Heaven, but is it a true representation of the way to Heaven? Or is it human ‘wishful’ – but twisted thinking?
The three-kilometre stretch of road is home to religious institutions and schools from the Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim traditions, all of which blend English with different global languages. There are also eight Christian churches along the strip, predominantly evangelical Chinese, holding services in Cantonese, English and Mandarin.
Thankfully, this 3 km stretch of road has been marked by civility and respect. Men and women, with diametrically opposed religious views and divergent perspectives on faith, can sip tea and coffee together. That’s good.
Peaceful co-existence on a two-lane asphalt road on Planet Earth is great for the community. Hostility and violence should not be embraced by any belief system. Disrespect should never be part of anyone’s behaviour in society.
But what about Heaven? After all, this story is about the Highway to Heaven. Civility is one thing, but eternal certainty is quite another. Destiny is at stake.
Do you really think it’s immaterial to God – what you believe about Him or which religious belief you subscribe to? Do all roads eventually lead to Heaven? Are all equally right – even if they are totally contradictory? Really? Can contradictory beliefs all be true at the same time?
In any other area of life—medicine, engineering, navigation—we would never accept that opposing answers are equally valid simply because they are sincerely believed.
Most religions have kind words to say about Jesus. Many respect Him as a great prophet, revere His teachings, or acknowledge His supremacy over other beings. Faith leaders, with polar-opposite beliefs, can meet together and say nice things about Jesus, but does that mean they are all travelling the Highway to Heaven?
The entire Bible communicates one overarching story of redemption through One alone – and that One is Jesus Christ. Jesus couldn’t have been clearer about the Highway to Heaven or to God. In John Chapter 14 (Holy Bible) Jesus was telling His disciples that He would soon be returning to His Father and His Father’s House – Heaven. Thomas responded by saying they didn’t know the way there. Here is the exchange:
Thomas said to him,
“Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (6) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:5-6
Jesus didn’t say that He Himself was one of many ways to God. He distinctly presented Himself as the exclusive way to God. The only way. The only truth. The only Life.
Was Jesus telling the truth about who He was? Which of these three explanations is right? To say that He Himself was the exclusive and only Highway to Heaven was either –
- A preposterous and outrageous intentional lie to deceive people and therefore should be vigorously refuted, resulting in Him being disgraced and totally discredited by all; or,
- An exaggerated and ludicrous claim, stemming from grandiose delusions, symptomatic of a psychiatric disorder – possibly schizophrenia, manic or a form of dementia and therefore, not worthy of placing our trust in His teachings; or,
- The truth, which He substantiated by His many signs and miracles, and therefore, should be believed to the exclusion of all other beliefs.
More briefly, the three possibilities about Jesus can be stated this way:
- A deliberate deceiver → should be rejected
- A deluded man → cannot be trusted
- The truth → must be believed
Drive into the parking lots of religious centers on Road No. 5 in Richmond, BC and ask them what they think of Jesus Christ? Politeness and nice words are quite superficial when it comes to the Bible’s teaching that Jesus is the one and only Highway to Heaven. For Christianity, that is the bottom line.
If you are struggling with the deity of Jesus and His exclusive claims – we encourage you to read the entire Gospel of John (Holy Bible) – where Jesus repeatedly presents Himself as the only way to eternal life. If reading is not your thing, then click here to watch the Gospel of John – verse by verse, chapter by chapter, fully dramatized.
If you are travelling on any other road, you have a false sense of ease and comfort. Regardless of the faith community with which you are affiliated, thoroughly consider the claims of Jesus Christ.
The question is not whether there are many sincere beliefs.
The question is: Was Jesus telling the truth?
If He was, then He is not one road among many—He is the only Highway to Heaven.
Jesus said:
“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved…” John 10:9
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Sources:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/highway_to_heaven
vancouversun.com/life/richmonds-highway-to-heaven-counters-ethnic-silos