Sunday, February 11, 2007

2-11-07 The Narrow Way "Matthew 7:13-23"

Memory Verse: Matthew 7:21:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Cults promoting plans of works to get to heaven often quote the above verse. They stress the "doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" and present it in opposition to verses offering salvation on the basis of faith alone, such as John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Was Jesus contradicting Himself?
Not at all. Let us see what the verse teaches.

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.... " makes it clear that the way to heaven is not the route of mere profession. This is similar to James 2:14: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith (that kind of faith - - mere profession) save him?" "....but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" is the part of the verse that tells the way to heaven. But what is the will of the Father in heaven? We must go to John 6:40 to find out: "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

So the will of the Father in heaven is that we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Mere profession cannot save. Religious ceremony cannot save. Salvation comes through faith in Christ.

The way to heaven is as narrow as faith.

No comments: