Jesus provides a model for prayer, emphasizing sincerity over public display, and giving us words to guide our conversation with God.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”
Matthew 6:5-13 (ESV)
Jesus encourages his followers to approach God with confidence, trusting in His goodness and willingness to provide for His children.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
Matthew 7:7-11 (ESV)
"Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."
John 14:13-14 (ESV)
Jesus warns that false teachers will arise, but they can be identified by the results and character of their lives—their "fruits."
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
Matthew 7:15-20 (ESV)
"And Jesus answered them, 'See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.'"
Matthew 24:4-5 (ESV)
Jesus explicitly instructs his followers to look to him as the ultimate authority and teacher, cautioning against elevating human teachers to his level.
“But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.”
Matthew 23:8-10 (ESV)
The central message of the Gospel is that redemption from sin and eternal death is found exclusively through faith in Jesus Christ, God's Son. This is a singular gift of grace from God.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 (ESV)
Just before this famous verse, Jesus refers to a historical event that serves as a powerful illustration of this principle of singular salvation. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were dying from venomous snake bites. God provided only one remedy: a bronze serpent lifted on a pole. Anyone who looked upon it would live.
So the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
Numbers 21:8-9 (ESV)
Jesus directly connects this event to himself, showing it was a prophetic type pointing to his crucifixion. Just as there was only one serpent to look to for physical salvation then, there is only one Savior to believe in for eternal salvation now.
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
John 3:14-15 (ESV)
This exclusivity is a cornerstone of Jesus's teaching and the testimony of his apostles.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 (ESV)