By Luke C Divines
One of the two stories that left the disciples lost for words and bewildered in Matthew 19 was about the way to Heaven or eternal life.
At some a young man felt rather empty in his heart and asked Jesus, Whom he noticed was well versed in the things of Heaven, if he was headed towards the right direction.
Jesus told him he needed to keep the commandments. He wondered which commandments Jesus was talking about, for the ones he knew, he had kept from his youth. “The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up,” Matthew 19:20
It was then, from Jesus’ response, that lost state of the young Sonko became more apparent to him and to those keenly listening to their conversation. When Jesus told him the way to Heaven was beyond keeping the commandments, and lay in sharing earthly wealth with others, he was offended big time.
The price was too high, unattainable. The young man felt if that was the high price of Heaven, then he would rather keep his wealth and God’s commandments, and go to hell. If the price of Heaven was so high, he felt he would rather enjoy the lower earthly life, and lose the upper heavenly life.
In His humanity, Jesus was shocked and amazed, and so were His disciples. That one can prefer the life of this world with it’s fleeting joys, to an everlasting life with God. The disciples were shocked at their wrong theology that made them think Heaven was for the rich and flawless keepers of commandants. Jesus was shocked at the lost state mankind and human hearts so hardened by their trust in their wealth.
The Situation Today In Our Religious World
The situation is no different today. How many millions are keeping what they believe, and what their churches have taught them, and are headed straight to hell? The Catholics have their way of preaching the way to heaven. The Seventh DAs believe keeping the Sabbath is one of the chief commandments that has, in a way, clouded nearly all others. The Moslems have their way of going to Heaven.
Many other Christian religious sects have deviated from God’s Biblically stipulated way to Heaven. They have come up with a set of rules and liturgical prayers, “leading to heaven”. Their adherents are not required or urged to get born again and live in strict conformity to God’s Word in the Bible. As long as, like the young man of Matthew 19, they have kept the church commandments blameless, “they are going to heaven”. This is very unfortunate.
Contemporary cults and their leaders, both past and present, have their way to Heaven too. Dr Owuor of Repentance and Holiness has come out clearly to claim in videos that have gone viral in social media that no one goes to Heaven but by his word. (The videos are available in YouTube). Melchio Ondetto of Legions of Mary cult gave himself out as the true Messiah. Jehovah Wanyonyi of Western Kenya claimed Jesus Christ is his son.
The Mormons have even published their own Bible, The Book Of Mormons. Jehovah’s Witnesses have their way. All these sects have their commandments that their followers are required to keep in order to live for ever in the afterlife.
In His earthly time and ministry, Jesus lamented that religious leaders and sects had made the Word of God ineffective in the lives of men by their traditions and additive commandments. “Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition,” Mathew 15:6.
We are not here to tell you which church is better than the other. Jesus left us no specific Church on earth whereby humans can be saved. Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”You can belong to any church which teaches salvation, even some of those I have mentioned above except cults.
Jesus Christ, the Founder of Salvation and the Author of the Way to Heaven, said He is the Truth, the Way and the Life. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6.
Jesus said He is the True Shepherd of the sheep, the true Way into the sheepfold. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture,” John 10:1,7,9.
When one of the most respectable religious leaders came to Him to enquire of the way to Heaven, Jesus did not mince His words. A person must be born again in order to enter into heaven after death.
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
Jesus could not make it any clearer. The spirit of man must be born again by the Spirit of God through the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26), through verbal confession (Romans 10:8-10), by calling upon the Lord to save you. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” (Joel 2:32).
Any other way of going to heaven apart from the above, is climbing up some other way into the sheepfold, the way of Satan the Chief Thief and Robber which he uses to divert humanity from the true path of salvation to spend eternity in hell with him.
Keeping the commandments of your church will NOT take you to heaven. It did not take the young man of Matthew 19 to heaven. It will not take you either.
You must NOT change your church. But you MUST change your heart if you really want to spend eternity with Christ in heaven after this short life. The way to do so is through the way of the Cross of Christ. No other way I know.
The prayer of salvation is simple. If deep in your heart you know you are NOT truly born again, are only hanging on to church creeds and commandments, or you thought you were saved but now doubt the validity of your salvation, pray this prayer NOW: “Lord Jesus Christ, you came to seek and save the Lost. Here I am, lost in religion and commandants. Save me today. Amen.”
You are now born again. Keep your church but read the Word and follow Christ. But you may wish to change church and get more teachings on following Christ and going to heaven. If so, pray to God to lead you into a right church or connect you to a right servant of God to guide you in your new life.
If you think this message may bless others, share this message with your contacts. God bless you.
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