Life According to Jesus
What is life? Most would say it's breath, movement, thought, and feeling. According to Jesus, life is more than just existence, but something abundant, eternal, and deeply connected to God Himself.
We live in a world full of definitions for the “good life”: success, pleasure, purpose, peace. But is there a life that doesn’t fade? A life that’s not built on illusion, but anchored in truth? Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). He doesn’t only offer advice about life, but He claims to be the life.
Jesus is the Life
I remember opening my first Bible and finding these words written inside: “I hope you find the truth contained in these pages,” followed by a reference to John 14:6. As I read that passage for the first time, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me...” God grabbed my attention. I didn’t know it at the time, but God had orchestrated that moment.
I was at a crossroads in life. Everything I thought gave life had evaporated and slipped away. And through that verse, God confronted me with Jesus. A few days later, after reading the New Testament and wrestling with who Jesus is, He caused me to be born again. I believed Jesus died so I could be forgiven and truly live.
God doesn't only orchestrate moments like that in my story, but in yours too. You're here now, reading these words, because the Father is drawing you to place your hope in His Son. For some it may be for the first time for your salvation, or the ten thousandth time for you sanctification.
“I Am the Way” – The Path to the Father
In John 14, Jesus is speaking to His disciples at the Last Supper. He’s preparing them for His death, and they’re understandably troubled. He tells them not to be afraid, promising that He’s going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house (John 14:1–5). When Thomas asks how they can know the way, Jesus offers Himself: “I am the way.”
There are countless paths in life. Many lifestyles promoted by influencers, movements, and philosophies. Many are compelling, and some offer practical value. But when it comes to relationship with God, only one path leads there: Jesus.
In our area, there are many provincial parks with scenic trails, but usually there is only one that reaches the summit. Others may be enjoyable, but they don’t get you to the top. In the same way, Jesus is saying He’s the only path that leads to the Father.
To live life according to Jesus is to walk in intimacy with our Creator, and that is something no other path can offer.
“I Am the Truth” – The Anchor in a Shifting World
When Jesus says, “I am the truth,” He’s not just a teacher of truth, but He is truth. Truth means reality as it truly is: stable, unchanging, and ultimate. In a world where truth is increasingly treated as subjective, Jesus stands alone as the standard by which all other claims must be measured.
We’re surrounded by the voices of cultural narratives, ideologies, personal experiences, all acting like maps. But without a true compass, we still get lost. Jesus isn’t just a piece of the map; He is the compass that orients us.
To live life according to Jesus as the truth is to let our identity, values, and purpose be shaped by Him. He redefines how we see God, ourselves, and others.
And it leads to freedom. Jesus says, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Real freedom isn’t found in self-definition but in knowing the One who is truth itself.
“I Am the Life” – More Than Existence
When Jesus says He is the life, He isn’t talking about mere existence. The Greek word zōē refers to life as God intended it: whole, eternal, and full.
We’re sold endless versions of the “good life,” like success, influence, adventure, self-expression, not inherently bad, but they all fade. Jesus doesn’t offer a better version of worldly life; He offers true life. Not just longer, but deeper. Not just eternal in duration, but divine in depth (John 17:3).
To live life according to Jesus means we draw our strength, peace, and joy from Him. We stop chasing artificial sources of meaning and receive life as a gift. He is not a supplement to our lives, but is the source of life itself.
Because Jesus conquered death, we don’t have to fear loss or missing out. The life we were created for is found and fulfilled in Him.
“No One Comes to the Father Except Through Me” – The Open Door
Jesus ends John 14:6 with a bold statement: “No one comes to the Father except through me.” It’s exclusive but at the same time deeply personal. The goal isn’t just heaven; it’s the Father.
Our world prefers to believe that all sincere paths lead to God, but Jesus doesn’t allow that interpretation. His claim is not narrow for the sake of exclusion, but it’s clear for the sake of invitation. The door is open, but it’s a specific door: Jesus.
Picture sitting in a theatre watching the latest movie. Suddenly, the fire alarm blares and smoke fills the room. There is only one clearly marked exit open, and an usher is standing at the door yelling and pointing people to safety. In the midst of the fray, no one complains there’s only one exit, they’re just grateful to be saved.
Jesus is that exit. The only way out of darkness and into light because He alone by His death and resurrection has made a way.
So, What Does It Mean to Live Life According to Jesus?
It means life isn’t something we achieve, but is something we receive. Eternal life doesn’t start when we die, but begins when we meet Jesus. When we stop chasing and start trusting.
Jesus doesn’t give us a religious checklist, He gives us Himself. The question is: have you come through the door? Have you trusted Jesus not as one option among many, but as the only way to the life your soul longs for?
If not, the invitation is open to come by faith that His death was for your sin, and His resurrection is your life. If you have believed, then let that truth shape everything. Are we walking His path daily or just when we’re desperate? Are we anchored in His truth or swayed by the culture? Are we drawing life from Him or trying to manufacture it ourselves?
Jesus doesn’t just lead to life, He is life. And to live life according to Jesus is a daily surrender. A daily walk with the One who gave His life to bring us home. Let’s walk the only path that leads to the Father. Let’s live not just with Jesus as our example, but Jesus as our life.
Photo by Tobias Aeppli: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-compass-in-forest-1125272/