BACK
THE
NARROW WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE
The following study delves into what happens after the cross
along "the narrow way". God has paid the price and salvation is a free
gift, but where does one have to be standing
to receive it? Is it at the cross like so many pastors teach; or is it
somewhere along "the way"?
Mt 7:14 Strait is the
gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it.
At first glance one could assume that this scripture is
merely saying Jesus is the only way.
Then one could just pass it off thinking "I already know that". This is
why seeking is so important.
When one is seeking truth, he looks at each word to see what the words mean in
the original text. When one does this it is seen that: straight means
obstacles all around; gate means a flap; a door is
an opening or portal; narrow is the same word used for suffering, affliction,
tribulation; way means
a road but implies progress; and find means to obtain. This is the only
way to see what God said
rather than what the man said who did the translation. With this
additional information let's look
at scripture.
Mt 7:14 strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
unto life, and few there be
that find it
(Note that strait is not the same as straight.)
STRAIT: what obstacles?
Mk 4:19
And the
cares of
this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of
other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful
Lk 21:34 take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged
with
surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of
this life, and that day come upon
you unawares
Mt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and
love the
other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God
and mammon
One can't enter the gate if they are to concerned with
the things of this world, i.e. new
cars, boats,
big screens, bank accounts, etc.
GATE
One can't enter the gate until they have over come the
things of the world. Once this
state is
achieved, it is possible to enter the gate and start down the path where the
next
form of trial
comes, persecution.
NARROW
Jn 16:33 In the world ye shall have
tribulation
1 Thes 3:3 no man should be
moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we
are appointed thereunto
Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus
shall suffer persecution.
Jn 12:43 For they loved the praise
of men more than the
praise of God.
Mt 13:21
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when
tribulation
or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended
WAY
Jesus is the way (Jn 14:6) and as one continues on the
way, he progresses in spiritual
strength.
With increasing faith, it becomes easier to continue.
Mt 7:13 Enter
ye in at the strait
gate: for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat
Jn
3:18 He
that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already
These two verses show that one can’t enter the
wide gate before entering the straight one because he is already there.
If one is already under condemnation, he can’t enter a gate to get there.
Wide means spread out flat. This would appear to reveal that there
really is no gate.
This takes seeking because verse 7 tells us to
seek and we shall find. Even after one has entered the gate, there is a
way that leads to life. It is life we find, not the gate or the way, and
we find it by entering the gate and following the way, by seeking. The
word ‘way’ means road. It is a journey or highway, not a single act at a
single place. The cross is a door, not a road; and the way is after we
enter the gate.
Jn
14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me
It gave us entry into His household, and access
to God as we follow him through the wilderness; and it was done through the
lamb. The wilderness is the trials that try our faith to see if we can
be shaken. I will continue with the household after a small explanation
of being saved, and how its being permanent depends upon our choice.
Rom 11:29 the gifts and calling of God are
without repentance.
Mt 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Being called does not guarantee being chosen
and being chosen does not guarantee salvation
Jn 6:70 Jesus
answered them, have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Judas was not seeking God, but was following for the
benefits. He wasn’t faithful to God,
though God was faithful to him till
the end.
Rev
17:14 they that are with him are called, and chosen
and faithful.
God does not take back any gift
including the gift of salvation. This study reveals that one does not
have it unless they are seeking God through Jesus Christ. There is the salvation of the lamb which is given to the
entire world for reconciliation to God. This is for the purpose of
gaining access to the power of God to overcome. When one overcomes he
becomes a son of God and receives the inheritance. Overcoming only means
that one has forsaken the world. God does not take back that access,
though one can choose to put it aside and not make use of it. In that
case, they never get to the point of being a son and receiving eternal life.
The gift of access isn't taken back, though it did that person no good. Where are you positioned with the father? Do you read
his word for instructions and talk to him. He supplies everything needed
and just wants you to call out to him.
THE
CHRISTIAN, THE CROSS, AND THE WAY:
IN LIGHT OF ISRAEL AND
THE LAW
1. Israel
is a type and shadow of the Christian. The things they go through,
whether of the world or of God, are a parallel to what the Christian goes
through.
Egypt = the world
Leaving Egypt = forsaking the world
The Desert = the Christian walk
2. The law
was a type and shadow of the salvation road for Israel and Gentile alike.
The law, of which I speak, is the seven feasts of God.
Heb 8:5 serve
unto the example and shadow of heavenly
things
Heb
10:1 the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image
of the things,
They are also a type of the future.
Col
2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat
, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of
the sabbath days:
Which are
a shadow of things to come; but the
body is of Christ
Heb 8:4-5
there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Who serve unto the example and
shadow of heavenly things,
Heb 9:13-14
For if the blood of bulls and of goats,
and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the
purifying of the flesh:
How much more shall the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot
to God, purge your conscience from
dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 9:23
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens
should be purified with these; but the
heavenly things themselves with better
sacrifices than these.
Notice that
even the heavenly things require sacrifices, not a singular sacrifice.
Even there it needed a lamb and a goat.
Heb
10:1 For
the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image
of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year
continually make the comers thereunto perfect
Heb 10:21
And
having an high priest over the house of God
The high priest is over the house of God to
sprinkle but according to the law and scripture, it doesn’t happen at the
entering of the house. There was no blood sprinkled at the cross.
Jesus sprinkled it in the heavenly sanctuary but on the people when they
entered the sanctuary of heaven. See
God's Feasts
Heb
10:22 Let
us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water
Eph
5:26 That
he might sanctify and cleanse the church with the washing of water by the word
SALVATION’S
START
GOD’S WILL
Jn 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
(Some who think they believe don't. See FAITH)
GOD’S
DESIGN FOR DISTRIBUTION
Rom 5:18 Therefore 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
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God
[which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and
upon all them that believe: for there
is no difference
These two verses reveal that just because
something is upon a person, it does not guarantee its remaining. Adam’s
choice to sin was while he was righteous. He apparently chose to be
righteous again but had to wait for Jesus to fulfill it. If man only has
one choice and that makes it final, then there is no free will.
WHAT
DID SALVATION ACCOMPLISH?
Rom 5:10 For
if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God by the death of his Son
2Cor 5:18-19
And all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in
Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them
WHAT
DID THE RECONCILIATION ACCOMPLISH?
WHY IS
ETERNAL LIFE A CHOICE;
EVEN AFTER RECONCILIATION?
BEING
SAVED OUT OF EGYPT/THE WORLD
This is the salvation of the lamb, common
salvation. All of Israel received this salvation when they entered the
house and did the things required, however, some still fell along the way and
did not receive the promise. The blood of the lamb is on the doorway to
the house. He is the door and one must enter through Him, but the way to
eternal salvation is on the path, not at the door. In Rom 3 we see what
actually happens at the cross.
I do not
dispute the accuracy of some who say these verses are speaking of sins from
Adam to the cross. The word sheds light on other things though it is
speaking of something more present. I do say, however, that it also
reveals something more immediate. Chapter three of Romans is speaking of
the law and Israel. In God’s perfect flow, he doesn’t jump from one
subject to another. He is not a confusing author. These verses are
to show just what the Lamb of God did for us to reconcile us, leaving a choice
for us. I surmise that the other explanation was arrived at because the
once saved always saved theory wouldn’t allow for our playing a part in
receiving the gift of eternal salvation; but faith in his blood can only be
for those of us after the cross. It pertained to those previous to it,
but they are not being spoken of directly.
Rom
3:24-25 Being 1. justified freely by
his 2. grace through the 3.
redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God
has set forth as the 4. propitiation
through faith in his blood to declare
his 5. righteousness for the 6.
remission of sins that are past through the
7. forbearance of God.
Being (1. regarded as innocent) freely by his (2. graciousness)
through the (3. ransom paid in full) that is in Jesus Christ
whom God has set forth as the (4. atoning victim where atone means
to make amends) through faith in his blood to declare HIS (5. equity of
character), not ours, for the (6. toleration not removal) of
sins that are PAST through the
(7. self restraint or toleration) of God.
WE HAVE
THINGS TO DO IN THE HOUSE, BEFORE WE START ON THE ‘WAY’
Ex 12:8 Eat the lamb:
Jn 6:55 Jesus’ flesh is meat
Jn 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat
to eat that ye know not of.
Jn 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the
will of him that sent me,
and to finish his work.
Jn 6:27 Labor not for the meat which
perisheth, but for that meat which
endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you
Mt 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant,
whom his lord hath made
ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Ex 12:8 Eat unleavened bread:
Jn 6:33 The bread of God is Jesus
Jn 6:35 Jesus is the bread of life
Mt 26:26 Jesus body is the bread
(Note: Mt 4:4 Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word out of
the mouth
of God, the meat.)
Ex 12:8 & 9 The lamb’s meat must be
roasted with fire, not boiled or watered down:
Mt 3:11 We are baptized with the Holy Ghost and
with fire by Jesus
Mt 3:11 We are baptized with water by man showing, Rom 6:1-4, that we
are
baptized into his death and raised again in newness of life to not serve
sin.
2Pe 3:6 A world of sin
was cleansed by a flood of water but God promised
never again with water
1Pe 1:7 Our faith is tried by fire
Mk 9:49 Everyone shall be salted with fire and
every sacrifice with salt
Ex 12:11 People in the house must have
loins girded:
Eph 6:14 Our loins are to be gird with truth
Ex 12:11 People must have shoes on their feet:
Eph 6:12 Our feet are to be shod with the gospel of
peace
Ex 12:11 People must have the staff in their hands:
Mk 6:8 Jesus sent out His disciples two by two with only a staff
(Note: He had just given them power over unclean
spirits. The staff is a sign of
strength and our strength is in the lord.)
Rev 2:26-27 And he that overcometh, and
keepeth my works unto the end,
to
him will I give power over the nations: And he
shall rule them with a rod
of iron
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who
was to rule all nations with
a
rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Ex 12:13 If the blood is on the house
where one is, God will not destroy them:
Heb 3:6 We are God’s house and the blood of the
lamb is on the door, Jesus
ALONG THE WAY
The Father
has shown us the door so we could get to Him. He put us in the house and
now he is about to teach us and get us to the point where he can give us to
Christ along the way. This comes from the word, trials, and
tribulations. God is seeing what can be shaken. When we seek
through the word, faith grows and we cannot be shaken. When we see what
Jesus did for us, we do not find the things of the world worth leaving him
for. The things aren’t worth more and the persecution doesn’t compare.
Jn
6:37 All
that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I
will in no wise cast out
This is true, but see
how it happens in the next verse.
Jn
6:44-45 No
man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and
I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the prophets,
And they shall be
all taught of God. Every man therefore
that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
If we follow along the way, this is how we get
it.
Jn
14:6 Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me
The Father reveals the son so we can be
reconciled. The son points to the Father. Then the Father reveals
the son through teaching and faith building trials, though this requires
seeking. When they have accepted and learned what the Father desires
them to know, He gives them to Jesus and because they know Him now, they
gladly come to Him. These are not cast out or lost. This is one
way that the son glorifies the Father and the Father glorifies the son.
1Pe 1:7 the trial of your faith,
1Pe 4:12 think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you
Rom 1:17 For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is
written, The just shall live by faith
This verse,
in context with the surrounding verses, says that one goes through the trials
and keeps faith. From faith to faith is living it not being dormant in
the original faith. If one becomes stagnant in the first faith and lives
for the world, they are doomed. God removes those
things that can be shaken so that only those things that can not be shaken
shall remain. Living by faith, from faith to faith, is exercising our
faith to overcome each trial that comes. This faith is only gained
through the hearing of the word and that only happens when we are seeking in
the word for ourselves.
GIVING
WATER
Mt 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these
little ones a cup of cold water
only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise
lose his reward.
Mt
5:6 Blessed
are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall
be filled
Mt 25:34-40
Then shall the King
say unto them on his right hand: Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me drink Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least
of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me
Jn 4:14
But whosoever drinketh of the
water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall
give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Jn 6:35 I am
the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that
believeth on me shall never thirst
Jn 7:37-38
If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as
the scripture hath said, out of his belly
shall flow rivers of living water.
Rev
21:6 I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life
freely.
Rev 22:1
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb
Rev 22:17
And
the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And
let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of
life freely.
First one is offered a drink of the spiritual
water. When one tastes of this water they want more. As one drinks
more and more, they become filled and start to have that river of water coming
out of their own belly. This happens because at this point we are seated
in heavenly places where the river originates.
Rom
12:20-21 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him;
if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on
his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but
overcome evil with good.
This scripture, I believe, is speaking of a
twofold event. We are to feed and give drink to them in the physical
realm, but this is to gain the opportunity to feed and give drink of the
spiritual realm. The coals seem to have a twofold purpose. They
can either burn away the enmity between enemies, or they can add to the
burning that will be present for eternity. If they come, then the waters
of life will extinguish the coals and they will become little ones desiring
drink. As they receive of the waters of life, there forms the river
within them to go and give drink to others as it did in the enemy that said
come to them and gave them to drink. This is fulfilling Mt 5:44
above, love your enemies. This can only be
done through our Lord and the strength he gives us.
1Cor
3:6-8 I
have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
So then neither is he that
planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the
increase.
Now he that planteth and he
that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to
his own labor.
PREPARING
US, TO GIVE TO HIS SON
Col 1:12 Giving
thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance
Jn 6:45
And they shall be all taught of God. Every man
therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
WHO
DOES THE FATHER GIVE TO JESUS?
1. CHILDREN
Heb 2:13 Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
This scripture does not say that all children are
given to Jesus. It speaks of them that are.
2. SHEEP
Jn 10:27-29
My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out
of my hand.
My
Father, which gave them me
One does not belong to Jesus until the Father
gives them to Him, yet, no one can get to the Father without going through
Jesus. When one looks at these verses in their paragraphs, it is seen
that there are three qualifications for the Father giving them to Jesus.
Jn
10:27 My
sheep hear my voice, and
I know them, and
they follow me
Jesus will not tell these that he never knew them as He
casts them out; like he did those in Mt 23:7. How does one hear His
voice? Faith, Rom 10:17, cometh by hearing and
hearing by the word.
Again I say to read the Bible, study it, and meditate on it. This is
eating the bread, fellowshipping with Jesus and the Father, and gaining ears
that hear so one can talk directly with God.
3. MEN
Jn 17:6 I
have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world:
thine they were, and thou gavest them me
The Father gives men to Jesus in this scripture.
They also seem to have a qualification.
Jn
17:6 they have kept thy word.
Jn
17:7 Now
they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee
Jn
17:8 I have given unto them the words which
thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that
I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me
Jn 17:16
They
are not of the world, even as I am not of the world
Gal 3:29 if
ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and
heirs according to the promise
Gal
5:24 And
they that are Christ’s have crucified
the flesh with the affections
and lusts
This is what the Father reveals to those who read the
word and made possible by the power received from reading the word,
through faith gained by
hearing.
THE
END OF THE WAY
Heb 5:8-9 Though he were a
Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
And being made perfect, he
became the author of eternal salvation unto
all them that obey him;
2Tim 2:11-13
For if we be dead with him, we shall also
live with him:
If we suffer, we shall also
reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
If we believe not, yet
he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
It is himself that he can’t deny, not man.
The verse said that he can deny man. He is the word and he cannot deny
the word or his Father. He cannot go against his word even if he wanted
to because he cannot lie.
WHO IS
NOT UNDER THE LAW?
Gal 5:18 if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law
NO
CONDEMNATION
Rom 8:1 no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit
Rom 8:4
That the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit
Rom 3:31 Do
we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we
establish the law.
Rom 13:10 therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
WHO ENTERS ETERNAL LIFE?
Those
who continue in good works
Rom 2:6-7 Who
will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by
patient continuance in well doing seek for
glory and honor and immortality, eternal life:
The
righteous
Mt 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting
punishment: but the righteous into
life eternal.
Rom 5:21
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might
grace reign through
righteousness unto eternal life by
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Who is righteous?
Mt 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him,
saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed [thee]?
or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink?
Mt 25:40 the
King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye
have done [it] unto one of the least
of these my brethren, ye have done
[it] unto me.
Lk 1:5-6
There was in the days
of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the
course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and
her name was Elisabeth.
And they were both righteous
before God, walking in all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blameless
This doesn’t say perfectly, but blameless;
however they are walking in them even if they stumble. It is a condition
of the heart.
Rom
6:16 his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of
obedience unto righteousness
(righteousness comes from obedience)
6:18 Being
then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness
1Jn 3:7 let
no man deceive you: he that doeth
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous
Righteousness by faith
Gal 3:6 Even
as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted
to him for righteousness
How did Abraham’s belief count for righteousness?
To have the seed, he had to believe that he would have a child. Sarah’s
womb was dead but Abraham did not stagger at what God had said. I ask
you: could Abraham’s works, to have a child, have succeeded if he had no faith
in what God said? On the other hand, could his faith have produced a
child if he had not done the work?
Heb
11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things
not seen as yet, moved with fear and became
heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
What if he believed God but didn’t do the work?
What if the work wasn’t according to God’s design but of his own because it
would have been easier? What if he had chosen not to do the work of
bringing in the animals? His disobedience would have been counted for
unrighteousness even though he believed God and would not have saved himself
or his family.
WHO
RECEIVES THE KINGDOM
Mt
21:43 The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to
a nation bringing
forth the fruits thereof
(If one is not bringing forth the fruits of the
kingdom, then the kingdom is not
given to them; after all, that is why it was taken away from Israel.)
Ja 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God
chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he
hath promised to them that love him?
Gal 4:7 if
a son, then an heir of God through
Christ
WHO
RECEIVES THE CROWN OF LIFE
Ja 1:12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which
the Lord hath promised to them that love him
Rev
2:10 be thou
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
WHO
RECEIVES THE INHERITANCE
Rom 8:17 joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that
we suffer with him
Gal
3:29 And
if ye be Christ’s, then are ye
Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise
WHO IS HEIR
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of
God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that
we may be also glorified together
Verses 10-16 explain that the children have moved
into a realm of not satisfying the flesh. They show that the children
are sons and sons are led by the spirit. If they live after the flesh
they shall die and are not sons.
Gal
3:29 And if ye
be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the
promise.
Those that are Christ’s are given to Him by the
Father after the Father deems them fit as shown above.
Gal
4:7 Wherefore
thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if
a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Sons are led by the spirit as discussed above.
Titus 3:7 That
being justified by his grace, we should be
made heirs according to the hope of eternal life
One is made an heir; it is not done at the cross.
The previous verse tells how we need to be washed and regenerated by the
Spirit. One can say no to this.
Heb
1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation
If the path above reveals the course of
salvation, then what is the course to miss it? Obviously those who
refuse to come to the cross can’t hit the mark, but what about some of those
who do come but won’t do it God’s way.
OUT
OF THE WAY – THE LOST
DISOBEDIENT BELIEVERS
Eph 2:2
in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience
Eph 2:3
Among whom also we all had our conversation
in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the
children of wrath, even as others
Eph
5:5 For
this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who
is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God
Eph
5:6
Let
no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the
wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience
Eph
5:7
Be
not ye therefore partakers with them.
Col 3:5-6
Mortify
therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
For which things’ sake the
wrath of God cometh on the children of
disobedience
Col
3:7 In the which ye also walked some time,
when ye lived in them
The word
children, is the same word for son of God, son of light, and even The Son of
God, Jesus. This word is only used in this way so when it is used here
we can be assured that these are the ones who have come into being children of
God. The difference is that they stand in disobedience. The word
disobedience is also rendered unbelief. When one searches out the two
words for unbelief, one finds that on can be in unbelief from a lack of faith
or from disobedience. These apparently had faith, hence the word for son
of God, but did not obey. They followed the devil instead of God.
The effect is they receive the wrath of God, which only comes on those who
miss the mark. These receive the wrath of God, not His inheritance.
RETURNING TO EGYPT
2Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are
gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved
the wages of unrighteousness;
2Pe 2:18 they
allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness,
those that were clean
escaped from them who live in
error
2Pe 2:20
For if after they have escaped
the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is
worse with them than the beginning
2Pe 2:21
For it had been better for
them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known
it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
These have forsaken the right way even after they
knew it. Some love the wages of unrighteousness because it is now and
the promise of the Lord is later. They give up hope and faith.
Acts
7:39-40 in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
Saying unto Aaron, Make us
gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which
brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him
Acts
7:42 Then
God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven
1Tim 4:1 in
the latter times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils
1Tim
5:15 For
some are already turned aside after Satan
2Tim 4:3-4
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they
shall turn away their ears from the truth
Titus 1:13-14
Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Not giving heed to Jewish
fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
If one only gets the milk of the word and not the
meat, they’ll never be sound in the faith.
Heb
12:25 For if they escaped not who refused him that
spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away
from him that speaketh from heaven
Those spoken of that didn’t escape God’s wrath
were already saved by the blood of the lamb. They turned while on the
path. We are warned not to be found in that same place.
THOSE
WHO LIVE IN SIN WHILE BELIEVERS
1Cor 6:9 the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God
1Cor 6:9-10
Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with
mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God
These verses are directed to the church at
Corinth. If it was speaking of the unbelievers, it wouldn’t say be not
deceived. All believers know that unbelievers don’t inherit the kingdom.
This does not include those who do these things in moments of weakness, but
those who live in them as a lifestyle.
THOSE
WHO DO NOT COME OUT
2Cor 6:14-16 Be
ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what
communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ
with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth
with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the
temple of God with idols
2Cor 6:16 ye
are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people
2Cor 6:17-18
Wherefore come out from among
them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you,
And will be a Father unto you,
and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
This is the same path that Israel took when God
told them not to mix with the Canaanites. If He is truly our God, then
we will give up the other gods in our lives and not touch the unclean thing.
Then, and only then, He is truly our father and we become his sons and
daughters.
HYPOCRITES
Hypocrites are not those refusing to believe,
it’s those believing but not acting like it. It’s
saying they are Christian but following the ways of the world. It’s
those who know the way in their mind but do not bare the fruit of believing in
their heart.
Rom
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth
in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:32 Who
knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of
death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Rom 2:1
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for
wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest
thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things
Gal
5:13 brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only
use
not liberty for an occasion to the flesh
Gal
5:19-21 the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I
have also told you in time past, that
they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God
NON HEIRS
Eph 5:5 For
this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor
unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and of God
SALVATION LOST
Col 1:21-23 now hath he reconciled
In the body of his flesh
through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his
sight:
If
ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved
away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was
preached to every creature which is under heaven
BELIEVERS WHO ARE CAST OUT
Mt
24:48-51 But
and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
And shall begin to smite
his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
The lord of that servant shall
come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is
not aware of,
And shall cut
him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Scripture says that both of these were his
servants, yet they were cast out into outer darkness. We know that where
God is, there is no darkness so these did not receive the promise and enter
the kingdom. It says here that the same penalty comes to hypocrites.
Mt
25:14 For
the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who
called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods
Mt
25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give
it unto him which hath ten talents
Mt 25:29
For
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
Mt
25:30 And
cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth
This was not an unbeliever because it was his own
servant and one is only the lord’s servant after being freed from sin, Rom
6:22. It also reveals that he not only lost what he had been given to
bare fruit, but he was cast into outer darkness where, obviously, God is not.
Mt
8:12 But
the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall
be weeping and gnashing of teeth
These apparently never became the children of God
and sons. They were, however, children of the kingdom and that comes
from the cross, Christ.
NO
WORKS WHEN THERE IS OPPORTUNITY
Ja 2:15-16 If
a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
And one of you say unto them,
Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them
not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
The word profit here has nothing to do with
rewards for works. It has more to do with receiving eternal life and the
things of the Father, the inheritance. This word is only used in one
other place in the word and it is where Paul is saying, what good is what he’s
doing, if the dead do not rise.
What will Jesus say
to them?
Mt 25:45
Then shall he answer them,
saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the
least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And
these shall go away into everlasting punishment
Ja 2:17
Even so faith, if it hath not
works, is dead
This faith is a corpse, it has no life in it; and
neither does its benefactor.
Ja 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by
works
Ja 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is
justified, and not by faith only
I must say here that works cannot save. It is
the condition of the heart, which causes one to do the works, which matters.
If one is saved and dies before works can be performed, the salvation stands.
If there is opportunity, then God be the judge, but it is hardly possible to
have the condition of the heart necessary without doing works.
NO
FRUIT
Jn 15:1-2 Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in
me that beareth not fruit he taketh away
Jn 15:5
He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit
Jn 15:6
If 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
Jn 15:7
If ye abide in me, and my
words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples
(Obviously this is not speaking of the loss of
reward. It is a branch, and the branch is in the vine, Christ. The
branch didn’t abide in the vine by not letting the word abide in him. It
is only by this abiding that one can produce fruit. Notice that the
branch that does not produce is burned.)
Check this out. The Lord showed it to me one day when I was studying how
the countries around Israel were coming against them.