THE WAY Newsletter 213 July 1996 PM Jesus Christ is the way.

The Greek word "hados" (hod-os') is often translated a way, a road, or a journey. Spiritually we are all on a journey. There are two gates at the end of our journey. There is another Greek word we will be studying in this lecture. "Pule" (poo'-lay) is translated into English as a gate. The spiritual gate is narrow. God's Word gives us a map to follow the way and enter His gate. Those that believe they are able to find their own way are sadly mistaken, and Jesus will say, "I never knew you, depart from Me". Make certain you learn the way to enter the narrow gate. Let's take a look at the map. Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. His messenger was John the Baptist as written in Isaiah 40:3 and Malichi 3:1 . John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah. 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. The urgency of John's message is somewhat lost in English. "Straight" means straight way, or immediately. Time is short. Prepare yourself in the way of the Lord immediately. The choice is yours. You may learn to be pleasing to our Father by studying His letter to you, or you may wonder through life without a clue how to please Him. The latter ia a one-way ticket to hell. Let's turn to Christ's teaching concerning the two ways. Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: The word "straight" in this instance means narrow. Many will go through the wide gate to destruction. 7:14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Are you on the narrow way that leads to eternal life? Why will there be few that find it? 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? What are the fruits of the last church service you attended? I hope you heard a pastor teaching God's Word, the way. I fear some of you were taught the traditions of man leading to the wide gate. 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 7:18

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. If your heart is in the right place and you are well-founded in God's Word, you can not bring forth evil fruit. 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. You may read further on this fire in Rev. 20:14. Test the fruits of your teacher. If they are teaching you God's word, you are learning the way to the narrow gate. 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Who will enter the narrow gate? Those that do the will of God. It doesn't take a genius to figure out one must know the will of God to do the will of God. Study His Word. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. There is only one way through the narrow gate. You are either in that way, or you are not. The two ways are simplified for us in Deuteronomy. Dueteronomy 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; God set two ways before His children. Remember, the choice is yours. 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; Jesus warned you that false prophets would try to draw you away. Many would say, "Well, I would never worship other gods". Those that worship the first messiah to return in the future will be worshipping another god; that is to say Antichrist, or Satan. Many will be drawn away. 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, [and that] ye shall not prolong [your] days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: The two ways are life and death. One brings blessing, and the other brings cursing. Choose life. Choose His way. We are going to look at Luke's record of Christ's teaching concerning the narrow gate. Luke 13:24

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: The word "strive" in verse 24 means to struggle as with an adversary. One of Satan's names is the Adversary. "Whence ye are" may be translated "of what family or household you are". Will you be one of God's children, or the Adversary's children. Many will not be able to enter the straight gate. The door will be shut. time is short, friends. Don't wait until it is too late. 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all [ye] workers of iniquity. 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out. Let's turn to Hebrews as we continue our study. Hebrews 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: The gate had not yet been opened, when the first tabernacles were built. Let's find out Who that gate is. 9:9 Which [was] a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; The priests were not perfect and could not be made perfect. They were in the flesh. Christ rent the veil from top to bottom, opening the gate that we might enter through Him. 9:10 [Which stood] only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed [on them] until the time of reformation. 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us]. Christ is the perfect tabernacle of the many membered body. His blood opened the gate. 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 9:14

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Dead works are the traditions of man that will lead you the wrong way. Serve the living God. Let's turn to John in closing. John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 14:2 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. 14:3 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 the Baptist was the forerunner in the first advent. Christ is talking about the second advent. 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Think about this. How so we know the way? He taught us throughout the Bible. 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. There you have it, friends. I don't know how it could be stated any more simply. Jesus Christ is the way through the gate. 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Philip wanted Jesus to "zoom" the Father down before them. 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father? Jesus is the living Word. The Word will show you how to be successful in this life. The Word will give you true peace of mind. The Word will give you the way to enter the narrow gate to eternal life. Choose the right way. Choose life. In His Service, Arnold Murray