Faith in Christ leads to Life in Christ

Matthew 7:13-14 - 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.

How do you know that you believe? That's an important question to ask for every professing believer because there often is no doubt about how we're saved... but rather if we're saved. How do you know that the faith you claim will see you to eternal life? How do you know that you really believe that Jesus is your Savior and Lord? In this passage, we are confronted with two gates leading to two paths.

The narrow gate leads to salvation... it's narrow because it says Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) and that there is no other way to be saved (Acts 4:12). To enter the narrow gate is to have faith in Jesus alone. The wide gate leads to destruction... it's wide because it says any way will do. There are no rules, no restrictions, and it makes no claim on your life. To enter the wide gate is to have faith in whatever you want and certainly not in Jesus alone.

How do you know what kind of faith you have? How do you know that you really believe in Jesus alone? How do you know which gate you've entered? You have to look at which path you're on. The wide gate leads to a wide way while the narrow gate leads to a narrow way. To walk on a certain way (you can translate this as "path") is to live life a certain way. The narrow path is a life marked by obedience to God's Word, you live your life to abide by His revealed will. The broad path is a life marked by rebellion against God's Word, you live your life apart from His revealed will.

How do you know if YOU believe? Here's the test... you need to examine your life and see if it is marked by obedience to God's Word. The point is this... faith in Christ always leads to life in Christ.

Oh to see that day

Acts 7:55-56 - But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Our present, partial glimpse of God in all things does not even begin to compare with the future, full unveiling of God in all His splendor and majesty... oh to see that day when sin is done away! Look forward to that day Christian... when we will be with the Father, pure in heart... undivided in devotion... perfect in holiness... seeing Him face to face!

Shepherds' Conference =)

I'll be at the Shepherds' Conference for the next couple of days... see you in a couple of days!

Jesus wants the Rose

While I catch up on everything else... I will be posting links to some of the things that have really affected my life. This video clip was a great reminder for me of the truths of the gospel, the fact that I am a wicked, gross sinner... and that I stand righteous through Christ alone. 2 Cor 5:21 - "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-zR3h2UsR4

the Nearness of Hell

Deuteronomy 32:35 - Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, in due time their foot will slip; for the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.

I recently heard a sermon (check it out, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards) and am considerably blown away when reading this verse to think about the dangerous situation that the unrepentant, unregenerate person finds himself in. For unbelieving sinners, "in due time their foot will slip." It's a slippery slope that those in the world find themselves on. It's simply a matter of time before they slip and fall. It will come suddenly without warning. There is no need for someone to push them over, they will fall completely of their own weight. Furthermore, the only reason they have not fallen is because the "due time" has not yet come. If it were not for God's appointed "due time" sinners would already find themselves fallen into the pits of hell, face to face with God's everlasting, just, furious wrath. It is by the Lord's grace and good pleasure that those in the world live to see another day.

Yet the gates of hell are open wide underneath the lost sinner, you are but floating in the air. All that keeps you from falling into its terrible depths is but air. There is no resistance in air. It is the Lord who keeps you from falling by His grace. Yet how could He? He is angry with sinners (Psalm 5:5). How can His upright justice stand to spare you for even a second? Do not presume on the Lord's grace, do not presume that you even have days left, let alone months and years. The time to turn from your ways is now, repent for judgment is coming (Matthew 3:2). Turn to Jesus by faith and trust in the necessity of His death as the only means by which you can stand justified and forgiven.

If you have turned by faith to God... how sweet it is to be the object of the Lord's grace, to know that Christ's death was for you, to be plucked from certain death, and carried to the glorious riches of eternal life with God. Completely undeserved, absolutely necessary, there is no other way to be justified except through Christ's substitutionary atonement.

Or are you that lost sinner relying on your own schemes to gain eternal life? Your righteous deeds are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). You cannot work your way to heaven, you cannot even climb an inch closer.

Or maybe you're the kind of person who does not believe in hell? Then you find yourself in a precarious situation today. Hell is open wide, the Lord keeps you up, but once He lets go, all you have to blame for your great plummet is your own weight... and the weight of your sin will drop you to the greatest of depths, you cannot climb out of hell's fiery furnace. Regardless of what you believe now, you will be convinced that hell is very real and by then it'll be too late.

Failure

Day 1 of my winter break goal... failure. I am trying to finish the New Testament over winter break and so far, I'm only up to Matthew 15. However, it's been very edifying to examine Jesus' life and teaching. Many people have come to mind as I read and experience the Scriptures cutting into my life. Maybe you'll be receiving an email from me.

the Punishment Must Fit the Crime

Deuteronomy 19:21 - Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

As I read through Deuteronomy, I'm daily discovering more of God's character displayed in His laws. In this verse God is not condoning revenge, but rather demonstrating His holy righteousness. He is perfectly just and even in His laws, we can see that the punishment must fit the crime. We have sinned against the sovereign, most high LORD of the universe and the heavy penalty must be paid for our transgressions. The penalty is "eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power" (2 Thessalonians 1:9)... hell. No glimpse of God's glory, completely away from His presence. That means no love, no joy, no peace, and no justice. It is a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12, 13:42, 50, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30 / Luke 13:28). Eternal sorrow, pain, and torment is the penalty for our sins. That's what we deserve.

But the LORD, according to the kind intention of His will, provided us a way. The LORD saw fit to crush His only Son (Isaiah 53:10). Bloodied, beaten, and crucified by men. Separated from the Father, Jesus endured the full weight of God's wrath for our sin. The punishment had to fit the crime.

What are you thankful for this Christmas season?