The Way

The unavoidable tough thing facing each of us is that a choice must be made before we stand before the throne of God on that day of His final judgement:

1. The best choice is to spend eternity with God our Father in heaven. (And anyone can have this. God has made it possible.)

Or

2. You can choose an eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his followers. (This choice can be effortless and automatic -- just do nothing.)

What must we understand about this? We need to understand what God told us about it in His Bible

1. We are terminally ill with a deadly spiritual disease called sin. We are virtually trapped in a spiritual death row. Without a cure, there would be no hope for us at all. (But fear not; for there is a cure.)

A -- The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Psalm 14:2-3)

B -- Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:5)

C -- But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

D -- These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

E -- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)

F -- For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

G -- But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (James 1:14-15)

2. Our sin separates us from God our Father. It is a barrier that
must be overcome, lest we be lost forever in the second death.

A -- Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4)

B -- For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:11-12)

C -- And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:12-15)

D -- For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (Ephesians 2:14)

3. We cannot save ourselves.

A -- When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:25-26)

B -- Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

C -- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

4. God can save us.

A -- For with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)

B -- Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

C -- And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18)

D -- But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)

5. God wants to save us.

A -- For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

B -- Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7)

C -- Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

D -- 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. (John 3:16)

E -- The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2Peter 3:9)

6. God saves us through Jesus Christ.

A -- But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:20-21)

B -- And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18)

C -- For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)

D -- Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:25)

E -- 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)

F -- Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

G -- For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

H -- For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1Peter 3:18)

I -- And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1John 5:11)

7. Here is how God saves us.

A -- And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. (Mark 1:6-8)

B -- Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)

C -- Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1Peter 1:23)

D -- Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3)

E -- And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1Corinthians 6:11)

F -- For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1Corinthians 12:13)

G -- Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2Corinthians 5:17)

H -- Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; (Titus 3:5-6)

I -- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)

J -- So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

What must we do about this? We must do what God told us about it in His Bible to do.

1. Each of us must take a long hard, honest, and critical look inside of himself; at things he has done and thought in his life. Don't lie about it. We must lift up that cloak of respectability we have been hiding under and thoroughly examine how rotten and unsuitable we are to be in the divine presence of our pure and perfect Father God.

A -- Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

B -- But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (Matthew 15:18-19)

C -- Now 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. (Galatians 5:19-21)

D -- And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. (James 3:6)

2. We must despise what we find ourselves to be,
and we must repent with a deep godly sorrow.

A -- I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. (Job 9:28)

B -- For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. (Psalm 38:17-18)

C -- The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. (Psalm 116:3-4)

D -- Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. (John 16:20)

E -- For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. (2Corinthians 7:10)

3. We must recognize and admit that we are God's property.
God created us and rightfully owns us.

A -- So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27)

B -- Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. (Job 41:11)

C -- And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

D -- Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. (Psalm 50:7-12)

E -- What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1Corinthians 6:19-20)

4. We must learn and believe that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to cleanse us, gather us together, and take us home to our Father God.

A -- Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1John 4:10)

B -- If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. (Mark 9:23)

C -- Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:1-3)

5. With a deep godly sorrow, repentance, and desire, we must confess our sins to God; seek and surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ; and ask to be baptized by Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.

B -- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

C -- And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:9-13)