The Narrow Path Deena...:) “The Scriptures teach there are only two ways, or gates to which man may enter. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matt. 7:13). There are only two gates, and thus there can only be two opinions. This truth is all throughout the Scriptures in one form or another. Religions which are diametrically opposed cannot both be right. There are only two systems of belief here on trial, two opinions, and the two opinions are either the truth, or a lie. One must come to a distinct decision for no one can walk two roads. When one settles in their minds what is, then one must also practice what they believe. That truth should control their ever day life. Christ said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that does not gather with Me scatters.” (Matt. 12:30). There is no middle ground. One must decide either for truth, or for the lie. On studying the Bible, one sees that, as the Apostle Paul neared the end of his life, the Lord revealed to him the greatest thing about the experience of the gospel in his life. He first speaks of it in his letter to the Ephesians. It is about what he came to embrace through faith. It is about what he counted as his as a result of the gospel. It is the truth of the resurrection in action, “and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and put on the new man, which after God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Eph. 4:23-24). Paul’s understanding and experience of the gospel through faith had become the way he understood his life. As with all believers in Christ, it is the same way. The gospel is a living force shaping Christians from the inside out in their experiences. The believer is the gospel in action. As believers in Christ are identified by faith with the gospel, to experience the gospel in every area of their lives becomes something to strive for. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul tells us to “lay hold on eternal life.” The term “lay hold” means to take a firm and strong grip on something, to not let go at any cost! The gospel is this to the believer, it is eternal life itself! Christianity offers security of salvation, an internal transformation creating moral character, guaranteed resurrection from the dead, and eternal life. There is no doubt that the most misunderstood issue in today’s age is that many never realize man’s condition in his total depravity. They would lead one to believe man has some spark of goodness in him, and can help himself in the matter of his soul. This lends itself to the primary teaching based on morality and good works as the means of obtaining salvation, rather than getting lost men to the place they see their need of a Savior. While good works are not wrong in themselves, anyone, regenerate or unregenerate can do them because “good works” require no faith. According to the Scriptures, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Heb. 11:6). These “good works” done by unregenerate man are considered “dead works.” These are performed by religious people, who profess to have truth, but are spiritually dead. They are performed without faith. They are done as good work, and they are done with a generous heart, and all are performed with the idea they are gaining favor with God. They are referred to as “the elements of the world,” “the weak and beggarly elements” (Gal. 4:3,9), the “rudiments of the world.” (Col. 2:8,20). Paul gave this warning when he stressed the difference between dead works and the living works of the Spirit of God. “This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:2-3). God does not honor works without faith. Somewhere between dead works and good works if the Gospel is believed, then faith is imparted (Eph. 2:8-9). When the new creation (having a new nature) takes place it becomes the beginning place for good works to be performed (Eph. 2:10). This is the coherence and logical consistency of the Christian faith. Men are lost and spiritually dead due to the fall of Adam, and they can only be made alive in Christ. “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” (Tit. 3:5) Regeneration means “to give something life,” or “to bring into life.” Regeneration proceeds from God, the I AM, the true and living God (Jer. 10:10), and Who alone can give life. Webster defines regeneration as: to produce anew the heart; an act of rebirth (John 3:3); an act of implanting a new nature (2 Cor. 5:17); and newness of life (Rom. 6:4). God, through Christ, and the “quickening” power of the Holy Spirit, making alive something that was dead. Regeneration is a divine action in giving a sinner spiritual life, and is a once for all act (John 6:63). The fact that there was a man named Jesus who had been crucified, buried and rose from the dead was known throughout the Roman Empire at the time of Paul. Paul when speaking to King Festus in Acts 26:26 said this concerning the facts about Jesus of Nazareth. “For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escaped his notice; for this has not been done in a corner.” There is an abundance amount of evidence pointing in the confirming direction of Christianity’s internal logical consistency. “A believer in Jesus Christ today can have the complete confidence, as did those first Christians, that his faith is based not on myth or legend but on the solid historical fact of the empty tomb and the risen Christ.” The gospel of the grace of God has its foundation in the finished work of Christ’s sufferings, death, burial, and resurrection, and His shed blood on the cross securing ones redemption. This gospel is what Christ has done in their place. “It is finished.” (John 19:30). He paid the price of the sins of the world, was buried, and rose again on the third day for their justification (Rom. 4:25), God has seen the travail of His soul and is satisfied (Isa. 53:11). This gospel humbles one at the foot of the cross as the they come as guilty sinners seeking mercy, in the salvation of their souls, it gives the Lord Jesus Christ all the glory. Within this gospel is the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15). The good news of reconciliation and peace with God (Rom. 5:1), and also includes the breaking down of the middle wall of partition between the Jew and the Gentile (Eph. 2:13-17). The mystery of the gospel has to do with the good news of Christ as Head over all things to the church, which is His body (Col. 1:18). Christ is now seated at the Father’s own right hand in heavenly places far above all (Eph. 1:20,21). All things are under His feet, and God gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.” (Eph. 1:22,23).
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 13:17:05 +0000
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