We started last week a series of messages called : The Gate , The Way and The Goal. These series are – 3 teachings about The 3 stages of the Christian life.
Today’s message : The Way to the Kingdom of Heaven
In Matthew 7 Jesus taught us that the Christian life has 3 phases or 3 stages.
This is a very important teaching from the Word of God and you from Shalom C.F. need to understand it , because there is a very big disagreement issue among Christians and church Leaders.
It’s important that you as Shalom member know what we believe because many Christians has been deceived with false doctrines on you tube and on the Internet.
The real question is : Once I have come to Christ, depending whether I stay faithful to Him or I stray away, can I lose my salvation?
This is a urgent question because many people put their security as a believer under that cliche : Once saved always saved !
You won’t find that in the Bible !
Yes , you can be sure you are going to be saved , and also you can be sure that if you stay on the road to salvation you’re going to reach heaven !
Who Jesus said will be saved ?
“But the one who remains faithful to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 10:22
“But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 24:13
Did you know that there are over 80 passages in the New Testament that warn Christians not to lose what they have got in Christ ?
Yes , 80 passages and most of them are ignored or overlooked (t) or not preached about . Because they believe: once saved, always saved ! Many people put their trust into a prayer they once prayed 10 , 20 , 30 years ago !
All these passages tell us : stay faithful, go on believing, stick to the true way and you will have eternal life but if you drift away you will lose the life , the one who perseveres till the end will be saved.
Today’s Word is a warning to those who began the Christian life but are in danger of giving up.
I fear for that and this keeps the fear of the Lord in my heart because even the apostle Paul had this fear :
“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (Castaway , missing out)
I Corinthians 9:27
This is a healthy fear, not a phobia , that keeps me in the spirit and as long as I’m walking in the Spirit I have this assurance that I’m saved and I also have His witness that I’m a child of God and I am heading to heaven.
Let’s read about the three stages of the Christian life :
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Matthew 7:13-14
Jesus was very clear in his teaching: Not every religion leads to God , not all paths lead to God and not every Church leads us to God!
He said : there is just one way that leads to God and to eternal life !
Jesus made it clear that in this life you are going to find : 2 gates , 2 ways and at the end of life 2 different destinies.
- One Gate , one Way and one Destiny lead to destruction, death and Hell.
- One Gate , one Way and one Destiny lead to eternal salvation and heaven.
The gate to Hell is very wide , there is a plenty of room on the road and many people go that way.
The gate that leads to true life is narrow, the way to eternal life is difficult and restricted and there are few who find it.
This illustration was given by our Lord Jesus and the understanding of these three stages of the Christian life is very important.
Because in each of these stages, the way in which God deals with us is different and the way we interact with God in each one is also completely different.
“I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”
John 3:5
In the moment you are born again from the waters of baptism and receive the Holy Spirit, you enter through the Gate and this is the beginning of your Christian life.
Some churches teach that good works (or deeds) have a part in our salvation. They say that your works are very important for you to be saved.
But this is not true!
Our works are very important in the Christian life after we have passed the gate.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
You are saved by grace and through faith.
It means that you have been saved by grace because you believed and repented.
“You all will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.”
Luke 13:3
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,”
Acts 3:19
By grace and through faith you enter through the Gate and start to walk on the Way that is a narrow road !
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;”
Philippians 2:12
Paul said that we have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Why did he say we have to work out our salvation ? Because you just started , you just passed through the Gate and we have now to work out our salvation !
“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
II Corinthians 7:1
Along the way we have to cleanse ourselves, and purify ourselves, perfecting our holiness!
“To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people”
1 Corinthians 1:2
There was a certain holiness required at the beginning for us to enter through the Gate but now on the way we have to perfect it!
Many people think, I am saved, I have been sanctified and everything is perfect. I’m ready for heaven! No !
Your flesh does not convert! Your flesh has to go to the cross every day!
You were born again in the Spirit, but you still have your old flesh, and you must put it to death.
Your spirit was born again but your flesh was not!
“as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,”
I Peter 1:14-15
Some people say : I’m saved , I’m Holy , that’s it. I’m done ! No, You can go back to your former vices you have to continue this fight against your flesh until the end of your life !
This is why the bible said :
But the one who remains faithful to the end (of the Way) will be saved.”
Matthew 10:22
We need to understand: Salvation is not by works, no work or deeds can bring you through the Gate!
No one enters through the Gate due to merit, nothing good you do can lead you to the door of salvation.
The works have nothing to do with your entrance through the Gate, but your works , your deeds are very important after you pass through the Gate.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:8-10
Ephesians 2:8 and 9 says that it is not by works that we are saved , but verse 10 says: you are saved for good works!
For many Christians , Grace became synonymous with being lazy , and careless and a “license to sin” ! They say : I do not need works to be saved!
The works of the Way is to honour our Saviour, who gave us salvation for free!
He deserves to be honoured with my service, for He created me , He formed me and He saved me.
“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.”
Titus 3:4-8
We were saved by His Grace. It was not by works that we entered to the gate , but now we need to do good works , these things are good and profitable to men !
Paul talks about this Way like a race that he need to run with perseverance.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
2 Timothy 4:7
Paul said : I fought the good fight and I kept the faith
The Bible speaks about some people that entered though the gate but somewhere on the way, they rejected their faith and good conscience!
“holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.”
1 Timothy 1:19
My bothers and sisters , God saved you by Grace but He gave you free will and if you don’t put your flesh to death your faith can shipwreck and you can lose what you have got in Christ.
( Hymenaeus and Alexander rejected their faith and shipwrecked (t) their faith)
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”
James 2:17-18
You are saved by grace though faith but after you enter through the Gate you need to start working on your good deeds !
Next week I want to finish the series speaking about the Goal (Destiny), we need to run the race focused on the reward that is waiting for those who overcome.
“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”
Revelation 3:5
Everyone who crosses the victory line will be dressed in white and if you persevere to the end He will not remove your name from the book of life !
“We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall.”
Hebrews 12:1
I know many people that entered through the gate , were true believers and great Christians but today they are not running the race anymore!
Please , remove from your life , anything that is slowing you down. You must repent from all your sins !
After you pass through the gate you need to understand that It is not yet time to stop.
Many people in Church entered to through the gate and they are stuck in their Christian life.
“You all will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.”
Luke 13:3
Without repentance there is no forgiveness, Without forgiveness there is no salvation!
I want to finish saying : There is a great reward to those who finish the race !
I want to encourage you to persevere. Walk this journey with perseverance because it will be worth it at the end!
My only desire is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me !
What matters most to me is to finish the work the master gave me
I want to be able to say at the end of my life : I have finished the race and I kept my faith !
““His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”
Matthew 25:21
“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:8
The crown of righteousness is reserved for all those who persevered till the end !