Jesus is the ONLY way

I'm not posting this to be hateful to other religions, but to speak against one belief in particular. There is a belief among some that all "religions" are valid and are different paths to the same God. That of course is untrue. If there were ANY other way to bring you to heaven other than sacrifice Jesus on a cross don't you think God would have spared Jesus from that sacrifice? Of course it was the only way.
Also, the way Jesus gave is not a "religion" in the same way other beliefs are "religions". A religion is a set of rules and works in which one must struggle to follow in order to win favor with God, and hopefully the right to enter heaven. This of course is not the way Jesus taught. Jesus did everything that needs to be done. All we have to actually do is repent and have faith in him. There's nothing we can do to pay the sin debt we have earned. Only Jesus was able to pay our infinite sin debt.

 Let's see what scripture says:

John 14:6

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Here Thomas has just asked Jesus how to get where Jesus is going (heaven) and Jesus answers him. Here Jesus states without question that there is no other way there but through him. 

Acts 4:12

 ¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

These are the words of Peter. A man had been healed by Jesus's followers and Peter had been asked by what power had the man been healed. Peter proclaimed to them that asked that it was Jesus, the only name given for salvation by God. 

Galatians 1:6-9

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Here Paul warns that if anyone preaches a message other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whether it was a man or an angel, then that person is cursed. Strong words I know, but there can be no mistake here. Paul is stating outright that there is no other way but Jesus and if anyone preaches another way then they are accursed. Many other beliefs state that they believe their way to be true because an angel visited them, or their religion's founder, and taught them the way. Here Paul states outright that even that angel is cursed of God and is lying.

Once again I do not hate people of other "religions". I simply want to refute the claim that all "religions" are paths to the same God. Again, if there were other paths to God then God would not have put Jesus through being hung on a cross for our benefit. If I am to call myself a Christian, and trust my eternity to every word that came out of the Lord Jesus Christ's mouth, then I must trust every word. And Jesus said it himself that there is no other way. This is good news though! It's better to have faith in Jesus and KNOW you are going to heaven then struggle through a set of do's and don'ts and ceremonies and rituals and rules and hope that you have followed them all well enough to find favor with God and be rewarded. God is good to provide this one and only way to Himself.