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VERSION
HEAVEN
BOUND?
19Whoever
therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches
men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever
does and teaches them, he shall be called great
in the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:)
Chances
are, if you have gone any distance beyond merely listening to what
someone has told you about getting to Heaven, you are confused.
If
you listen to one Preacher (or read a book), you will be told that all
you have to do is say the Sinner's Prayer and you are Heaven Bound. You
might have heard this referred to as "Saved By Grace" or/and the "Love
of Jesus."
Then
you read another book, or attend another church, and you hear that you
have to add something to that Grace, like attend church, don't swear,
and pay tithes.
Yet
another church will tell you that you're not saved by Grace at all,
but rather it's your own doing that gets you through the Pearly Gates.
Then
if you read the fine print, or listen to the preacher long enough, you
are bound to hear the Grace Alone preacher tell you a few things you
have to do to get to Heaven; and hear the Works
preacher tell you that it is Jesus' work on the cross that has Saved
you.
And to
think; they're all quoting the same Book, from which they have
extracted their Doctrine!
Do you
have "Heaven Security?" My thought is; how can
you?
With
the Bible riddled with such Words as "Overcomer," and "Narrow Gate,"
and "Righteousness," and "Grace;" it's hard to feel comfortable with any
stance.
Then
you add to this your own awareness that God is only going to take in
the "Cream of the Crop" (the best of His creation), you know that it is
unlikely that He will be calling you or me, regardless of what
any famous preacher says.
And
if you don't have that insecurity, you haven't
given the matter much thought.
But you
are one who has given the matter thought, or else
you wouldn't be reading this study in the first place. You would have
just run off with the simple verse of assurance that some preacher gave
you and hung your Hope of Salvation on that and not looked any farther.
So,
let's see if there isn't some way to break this down so it makes some
sense, and we will know which direction to go.
First,
draw a box and write over the top of it: DO'S & DON'TS OF THE
BIBLE.
Make
the box huge, because the Bible is almost nothing but
do's and don'ts. The easiest way to do this first step is to take a
piece of paper, draw a line around the outside edge, and place your
Bible in that box. That way you will be sure you got all the Do's and
Don'ts.
Now
make a box and write all the verses in it that seems to indicate that
we are Saved by Grace Alone. (Hint: use a 4x5 card, it's easier.)
Now
weigh the difference. Which appears to be the most persuasive in your
opinion?
Did
you say the "Works" box? That would make the most sense, would it not?
Of
course we run into a few problems with this conclusion. For instance;
if it is Works Alone that Saves us and gives us our ticket to Heaven,
then the Jews with all their sacrifices and rituals would have it all
over us Christians. Besides, how about all the other religions that
require their disciples to dedicate their life to serving the God that
created them, regardless of what Name they give Him. Our best Works
wouldn't hold a candle to their Worst.
On
top of this we would have to consider such verses as these;
Matt 11:25-30; John
1:12-13; 3:3; 16; 5:25,29; 6:37-40;
63-65; 11:25,26;
10:27-29; 15:16; 17:2-3;:20;
Acts 2:39; 3:16; 13:48; 15:11; 16:30-34; Rom 2:4;
3:19-31; 5:15; 8:28-32; 11:5-6; 9:9-33; 10:9-13
1 Cor 4:7; 15:10; Gal 5:1-6; Eph 1:3-11; 2:4-9; Phil
1:29; Col 2:12; 1Thes 5:9; 2 Thes 2:13-14
2 Tim 2:12; Heb 11:1-3; Rev 21:6; 22:17
Works
Alone just doesn't seem to make it. Jesus and the Apostles made that
very clear. And since Works Alone can't get you to Heaven, those
religions and denominations and cults that only have Works to offer,
that is they discount Jesus and therefore Grace, can only be considered
to as insufficient to get us to Heaven.
We
need to add something to the formula. And, of course, since we are
Christians, we add Christ, which is Jesus.
Jesus
said that He is the Door and that no one can get to the Father
(therefore Heaven) except by Him. Jesus called that procedure "Grace"
(through the Apostles) in that Jesus did the dying that we deserve, and
in order to obtain the mercy that He affords us, we must enter in
through His Grace. (John 10:7-18; Rom 1:1-6)
And
that Grace is a gift, that is, it cannot be bought for any price. His
Grace can only be accepted - and must be accepted
if we are to make it to Heaven and be saved from the Pit. (Rom 5:11-21)
Accepting
the Grace that Jesus offers is much like what a slave did if he wished
to be bound forever to his master once he was set free. He would stand
against the doorpost of his master's house where his ear would be
drilled with an awl, and a gold ring placed in his ear, indicating that
he would only listen to his master (like Jesus' sheep only hear His
voice). He was now no longer a slave out of duty or law, but a
bondservant out of love and grace.
Jesus
died in order that we may be free from sin and Death. We are no longer
a servant of Death, unless we choose to remain with that old and cruel
master, which, along with Satan and his angels, will be cast into the
pit. (Rom 8:1-2; Rev 20:13-14)
But
those who have chosen to remain with their new Master (Jesus
"Redeemed," that is purchased us from Death with His blood, and gave us
freedom) must become His Bondservant -- not merely reluctant or
disobedient slaves or guests, if we are to live Eternally with
Him.
(John 8:34-36; Mat 25:14-31)
"Grace
covers it all" we are told. Ok, take your 4x5 card and place it on your
Bible. Does it cover it all? Unless you used a full sheet of paper, it
doesn't.
Something
is missing. But if Grace and Works together won't get us to Heaven,
what else is there? Nothing to fill the gap is
even mentioned in most of the churches, unless in passing, and then
very obscurely at that. Does this mean there's a gulf we have to jump
in order to make it from what Jesus has to offer, and Heaven?
Not
exactly. Jesus told us that there is one more thing we must have to
enter Heaven - or even to understand the Bible and to walk in His
commandments. One more thing is needed to make us complete; that is,
like Him. (Phil 3:20-21)
Jesus
said He would send a "Comforter" and Instructor to walk along side of
us. He also said that the Comforter would Infill those of us who
receive Him, and allow Him to cleans our heart so that He may enter.
(John 14:15-17, 25-26; 16:7-11)
The
Holy Spirit serves as our Guide throughout our stay on earth, if we
will allow Him. He will point out those things (dead works - branches)
that must be removed in order for Him to enter us (The Seed planted on
fertile ground) and purify us and make us into the Image of Christ. And
if we are not willing to offer up those dead works (and many of them
will be our finest works and our favorite, ego boosting endeavors) so
that they can be pruned from our soul, they will remain, and keep us
from entering the Pearly Gates. (Isa
64:6)
Think
of Heaven as an airport with a security scanner. Any object that might
be dangerous is excluded from entering the plane. If the owner of that
object is unwilling to leave it behind, then that person
is excluded from entering as well.
No
sin whatever may enter into Heaven. God can not look upon sin (or
disobedience which is sin) of any kind. Examples of this are Adam and
Eve who disobeyed God. And even Moses, after all He did for God and His
people, was not allowed to enter in to the Promised Land because of one
apparently simple act of disobedience. Or consider Saul and the
punishment he endured because of disobedience, even though he disobeyed
in effort to sacrifice more to God than what He even asked for. (Rev
21:27)
So
all our works are nothing to God. There is nothing we can do, even
those things that God Himself commands us to do, that will get us into
Heaven. (John 15:1-8)
It
takes the Holy Spirit to get us in, and then only if we do the Works
that we are commanded to do, and be led by Him.
And
to acquire the Holy Ghost we must first accept the Grace that Jesus
offers.
Now
take the Holy Spirit and cover the Bible and the 4x5 card, and you now
have the formula that will get you to Heaven. But try to leave one
element out, and you are left with the same destination as everyone
else in the world.
If we
keep in mind that we are created to walk with God; and to be like Him;
and for His purposes and not our own - then the
Bible will make sense and we will know just what to do. But as long as
we hang on to our own desires, and are reluctant to follow God, then we
will try to force God and the Bible into our own mold - and remain lost.
REFERENCES
6But we
are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy
rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind,
have taken us away. (Isa 64:6)
7Then said
Jesus unto them again, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I am the door
of the sheep. 8All that ever came
before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9I
am the door: by me if
any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find
pasture. 10The thief cometh not,
but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they
might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly. 11I am the good shepherd:
the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12But
he that is an
hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the
wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth
them, and scattereth the sheep. 13The hireling fleeth, because he is an
hireling,
and careth not for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep,
and am known of mine. 15As the Father knoweth
me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And
other sheep I have,
which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear
my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one
shepherd. 17Therefore doth my Father
love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No
man taketh it from
me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I
have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my
Father. (John 10:)
15John
bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He
that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16And
of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17For
the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth
came by Jesus Christ. 18No man hath seen God at
any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father,
he hath declared him. (John 1:)
1Paul, a
servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
separated unto the gospel of God, 2(Which he
had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3Concerning
his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David
according to the flesh; 4And declared to
be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 5By
whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith
among all nations, for his name: 6Among whom
are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: (Rom 1:)
11And not
only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. 12Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13(For
until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there
is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from
Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude
of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15But
not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For
if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God,
and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus
Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16And not as it
was by one that sinned, so is the
gift: for the judgment was by one to
condemnation, but the free gift is of many
offences unto justification. 17For if by one
man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive
abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life
by one, Jesus Christ.) 18Therefore as by the
offence of one judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free
gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19For
as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20Moreover
the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound: 21That as sin hath
reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 5:11-21)
1There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from
the law of sin and death. (Rom 8:)
13And the
sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up
the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according
to their works. 14And death and hell were cast
into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Rev 20:)
34Jesus
answered them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Whosoever
committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35And the servant abideth not in the house
for
ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36If the Son therefore
shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
(John 8:)
14For the
kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who
called his own servants, and delivered
unto them his goods. 15And unto one he gave
five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man
according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16Then
he that had
received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them
other five talents. 17And likewise he that had
received two, he also gained other two. 18But he that had received
one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19After
a long time the
lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20And
so he that had
received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying,
Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained
beside them five talents more. 21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou
good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I
will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy
lord. 22He also that had
received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two
talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23His
lord said unto him,
Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a
few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into
the joy of thy lord. 24Then he which had
received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art
an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou
hast not strawed: 25And I was afraid, and
went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there
thou hast that is thine. 26His lord answered and
said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant,
thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not
strawed: 27Thou oughtest therefore
to have put my money to the exchangers, and then
at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28Take
therefore the
talent from him, and give it unto him which hath
ten talents. 29For unto every one that
hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that
hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30And
cast ye the
unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth. (Mat 25:)
20For our
conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our
vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,
according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things
unto himself. (Phil 3:)
15If ye love me, keep my
commandments. 16And I will pray the
Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with
you for ever; 17Even
the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth
him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with
you, and shall be in you. (John 14:15-17)
25These things have I
spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26But
the Comforter, which
is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he
shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
(John 14:25-26)
7Nevertheless I tell you
the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not
away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will
send him unto you. 8And when he is come, he
will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of
sin, because they
believe not on me; 10Of righteousness,
because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11Of
judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged.
(John 16:)
27And
there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they
which are written in the Lamb's book of life.(Rev 21:)
1I am the true vine, and
my Father is the husbandman. 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit
he
taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit,
he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3Now
ye are clean through
the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot
bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye,
except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye are
the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6If
a man abide not in
me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them,
and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If
ye abide in me, and
my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done
unto you. 8Herein is my Father
glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John
15;1-8)
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