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How
Can We Know the Way ? |
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How can we know the way ?
Each of us has, from time to time, asked
the question: "How can we know the way [to eternity in Heaven]
?"
Jesus knew that even those closest to him,
his disciples, had such questions. In the Bible, Jesus comforts his
disciples with this explanation:
Joh 14:1
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe
also in me [Jesus].
Joh
14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I [Jesus] would have told you. I [Jesus] go
to prepare a place [in Heaven] for you.
Joh
14:3 And if I [Jesus] go and prepare a place for you, I
[Jesus] will come again, and receive you unto myself [Jesus]; that
where I [Jesus] am, there ye may be also.
Joh
14:4 And whither [where] I [Jesus] go ye
know, and the way ye know.
At this point we can be thankful for his disciple,
Thomas, who, just like ourselves, is being honest about what he does not
know, or is unsure of, and asks the following question:
Joh
14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord [Jesus], we know not whither
thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Jesus answers with a clear and concise statement
of the way we get to Heaven, for eternity, where God is:
Joh
14:6 Jesus saith unto him [Thomas], I [Jesus] am
the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father [God], but by me [by Jesus,
the risen Son of God].
God's word, via this statement in the Bible,
makes it vividly clear that there is no way to eternity in Heaven
with God, except "by me" (by Jesus, the Christ (the Messiah,
the Saviour), the risen Son of God).
Our salvation, then, hinges on
our individual acceptance of Jesus Christ as our personal
Lord and Saviour. For "by me" (by Jesus)
is the only way.
This statement
also defines the true Christians, that collectively make up true
Christianity (Christ's Congregation,
aka the Church). Christ's Congregation is composed of
individuals who have accepted
God's free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ (Joh
3:16), by asking Jesus Christ to forgive their sins,
and by asking Jesus Christ to be their personal Lord
and Saviour (also known as "Born Again" Christians).
All other "ways" are merely man-made
Religions and/or denominations, regardless of what they call
themselves, and regardless of whether they use the term "christian" or
not.
Remember: Religions,
Churches, denominations, sects, etc., don't go to Heaven.
Only individuals go to Heaven.
(Those born again Christians who overcome.)
"Whosoever"
below refers to individuals who may accept (or reject) God's
free gift (everlasting life and salvation through
Jesus, God's only begotten Son).
Joh
3:16 For God so loved the world [you and me], that
he [God] gave his only begotten Son [Jesus], that whosoever
believeth in him [in Jesus] should not perish [not spend
eternity in Hell], but have everlasting life [spend eternity in
Heaven].
Joh
3:17 For God sent not his Son [Jesus] into the world to condemn
the world; but that the world [you and me] through him [through
Jesus] might be saved.
Individuals
who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and
Saviour are often called "Born Again" Christians, because
of the following conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus
in the Bible, and because of the "born again" feeling a new Christian often
gets when a lifetime of sins are forgiven and lifted, when he or she is
born of water (baptism), and is subsequently filled with the Holy Spirit.
Joh
3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him [Nicodemus], Verily, verily,
I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God. [also see Joh
3:7 below]
Joh
3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when
he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's
womb, and be born?
Joh
3:5 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.
Joh
3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh
3:7 Marvel not that I [Jesus] said unto thee, Ye must be born
again. [also see Joh 3:3 above]
( An observation
on Baptism: When we were born
the 1st time, we were totally immersed in water for about
9 months. When we are born the 2nd time ("born
again") and get baptized, we are totally immersed in water
for only a few seconds, as we are "born of water." )
Accept Jesus Christ
as your personal Lord & Saviour, and from this day forward,
you are a born again Christian,
destined for eternity
in Heaven, bypassing the white
throne judgment of God (Rev 20:6,11).
To accept Jesus Christ as your
personal Lord and Saviour, thereby accepting God's free
gift of everlasting life and salvation through Jesus,
God's only begotten Son, go to:
How to Spend
Eternity in Heaven.
Love God and keep his commandments.
1Jo 5:1
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ [the
Messiah, the Saviour, the risen Son of God] is born of God:
and every one that loveth him [God, the father] that begat
[Jesus] loveth him [Jesus] also [the child] that is
begotten of him [God] [, as well].
1Jo
5:2 By this we know that we love the children of
God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
[see "The 8 COMMANDMENTS" of the New Covenant.]
1Jo
5:3 For this is the love of [for] God, that we
keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous
[not burdensome].
Jesus overcame the world, and
those that believe that Jesus is the Son of God, can do likewise.
1Jo
5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh
the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world,
even our faith.
1Jo
5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world,
but [only] he that believeth that Jesus is the Son
of God?
The witness of God is greater
than the witness of men. Believe God, rather
than men.
1Jo
5:6 This is he that came by water and blood,
even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.
And it is the Spirit that beareth witness [testifies], because the Spirit
is truth.
1Jo
5:7 For there are three [3] that bear record [testify]
in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three
[3] are one [1].
1Jo
5:8 And there are three [3] that bear witness [testify]
in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three
[3] agree in one [1].
1Jo
5:9 If we receive [accept] the witness [testimony] of men, [we
should realize that] the witness of God is greater:
for this is the witness [testimony] of God which he hath
testified [given] of [about] his Son [Jesus Christ].
1Jo
5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God
hath the witness [this testimony] in himself [in his heart]: he that believeth
not God hath made him [God] [out to be] a liar; because
he believeth not the record [testimony] that God gave of
[about] his Son [Jesus Christ].
You can know that you
have eternal life in Heaven.
1Jo
5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given
to us eternal life [in Heaven], and this life is in his
Son [Jesus Christ].
1Jo
5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and
he that hath not the Son of God [Jesus Christ] hath
not life.
1Jo 5:13
These things have I written unto you that believe on the
name of the Son of God [Jesus Christ]; that ye may know
that ye have eternal life [in Heaven], and that ye may believe
on the name of the Son of God [Jesus Christ].
Accept Jesus Christ
as your personal Lord & Saviour, and from this day forward,
you are a born again Christian,
destined for eternity
in Heaven, bypassing the white
throne judgment of God (Rev 20:6,11).
To accept Jesus Christ as your
personal Lord and Saviour, thereby accepting God's free
gift of everlasting life and salvation through Jesus,
God's only begotten Son, go to:
How to Spend
Eternity in Heaven.