The Only Door to Heaven - Part 1

Welcome to this weekend's podcast for me today using the foundational message of grace how Jesus bridges the gap between God and humanity as the only way to heaven.

There is only one door into heaven, and the question is have you ever answered the door there no side doors there no backdoors. There's no trap door the bottom and is now the top is only one door into heaven just one. You say that's very narrowminded when it's very interesting that the God who created heaven is the one who said there is only one dog that Jesus said.

He said I am the door again he said I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the father but by me, Jesus Christ, who is God and the human place that there is only one way to enter heaven. My friend you may have the idea that you're broad-minded and that there are many ways what you have to ask yourself the question is this is my Broadview true or is it not for you see Jesus on one occasion, said except you be born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, he said, except you be born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God. He said I am the door on the way I am the bread of life.

I am the water of life. I am the light of life. The truth is that the way to heaven is indeed very narrow through one person through one experience which Jesus Christ call the Newburgh someone didn't turn if you will, the John chapter 3 and let's see what Jesus said about this because I want to ask you to three questions number one.

Many of you claim to be believers, that is that you are a Christian that is your follower of Jesus Christ. So I want to ask you today. Can you go back at some particular point in your life and say at this point or somewhere in this period of time something happened to be the absolutely changed my life. I never have been the same since all you want those persons would say I've always been a church member. I've always been a Christian. I just grew up that way that I would you listen very carefully because that multitudes of people who sit in church pews week after week, who made a decision about Jesus made a decision about the church made a decision about baptism better decision about confirmation who will die and be eternally separated from God because they have never entered the only single door into heaven is the way Jesus said.

He said if you intend to get to heaven you must be born again. There is no exception to the law of God not know what some of you say say well that's very narrowminded. Number one. Secondly, I believe in a God is a God of mercy and love and goodness and kindness and he would never NARA the way of salvation in the one single dormer size that does not. The Bible say that God says is not my will that anyone should perish but that all should come to the truth and that's true.

Surely God would narrow this down to one single person, and one way my friend.

The question is what is the truth, not what you and I feel now what do we think not. What does their idea about life. Provide what is the truth that God teaches in his word. So chapter 3 of John gives is that explanations of your term there.

Let's read the verses together now, let's give you this much freedom you want those persons who believes that the lots away all of you to do is to be honest enough to listen to the truth of God's word and ask yourself a couple questions. Let's begin in verse one there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus a rule of the Jews of the Pharisees, the leading religious group in Israel and Nicodemus were of the Jews was an instructor. He was a teacher. He was a leader highly respected.

He was a student of the world. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, the teacher, we know that you have come from God as a teacher for no one can do these signs that you do unless God be with him immediately. Jesus responded to Nicodemus, truly, truly, I say to you, unless, except one, or anyone and everyone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus responded by saying to him, how can a man be born when he is old, he cannot enter a second time to his mother's womb and be born candy.

Jesus answered from the terrace of you, unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Speaking of physical birth that which is one of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel admissible. Jesus said do not marvel that I said to you. You must be born again. Now let's look at it for a moment what in the world of Jesus me when he said, except a man be born again.

The new birth is an experience is a spiritual experience and a person may have many events in their life that lead up to it so that we can say that it may cover a period of time, but the experience itself is an instantaneous momentary experience when at that given moment.

A person recognizing their sinfulness and acknowledging that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sin and paid their sin debt in full. Confesses and repents of their sin and acknowledges that neither Christ the dependence upon him of the forgiveness of their sin and receives Jesus Christ by faith as their personal savior for the forgiveness of their sins and commits themselves to the person of Jesus Christ. Recognizing that Jesus Christ is not the then God himself that is what is called the new birth experience. Truth is that the new birth experience is exactly what God says it is. It is a new beginning is a new birth. Paul said if any man be in Christ. He's become a new creation in Christ, so that a person who is born again, not only is there a forgiveness of the sin. Not only is there wiping away of the guilt. But there is the coming of the Holy Spirit into that person's life to give them a new spirit that is something transpires whereby a person is born again, cannot ever be what they were because they have been born into a new life. Now they have a new spirit a new life and that life is the Lord Jesus Christ. That spirit is the Holy Spirit living and abiding in drilling within the now so that a person is born again is someone who is begun a new life, a person is indwelt by the Holy Spirit in whose life Christ is become their life whose desires and goals should be those of God and that they have the life of God. Another question is why did Jesus say you must be born again. Why couldn't he have said just be good if you will stop doing some sin and just be good. You get to heaven.

Here's the reason because all the righteousness, and all the good works of man are all based on wrong motives is all know what a minute, I give to benevolent causes why the truth is you and I could trace every single act and attitude.

If it is not based upon a new relationship in Jesus Christ.

Ultimately it gets back to our own sense of pride and selfishness of what is going to do for us.

He says not by works of righteousness which you done, but according to his mercy he saved.

There's only one way. On the one doing of wires in the Jesus said you must be born again, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Jesus says, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God, what an amoeba that was he talking about being baptized. No bulimics when exactly what Jesus is talking about. Remember he's talking to a Jew who is a man who does everything in his power to keep the law. He's been through all the rights what he's saying to him is this it is not enough for one to be cleansed. Not only is there cleansing. He says not only with water, but by spirit. It is not enough for a person to be forgiven of their sin, that which makes us born again is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, for all of us to save had been baptized by one Spirit into Christ Jesus is the presence of the Holy Spirit abiding in drilling in you, which makes you a child of God born again seal the Bible says unto the day of redemption not told about water baptism not to.

Another reason is not totally water baptism Jesus without income the baptized.

If he came to seek and to say that which is lost why did he not only teach the truth and preach the truth but baptized those who believed in him because baptism is an act of obedience that signifies and pictures beautifully.

What happens there every single person is born again because every person is born again.

First of all, having accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior having again acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh repents and confesses their sin. The Bible says they die to their old way of life. In Christ, and risen to walk a new kind of life. Baptism is an act of obedience. Baptism is a testimony what has happened in your life, what you have done. For example, is that we can a person be saved without baptism measure can because not you, not saved by baptism, you savor the grace of God and follow that in baptism. I will be baptized because I love what it represents. I'm in love with the person of Jesus Christ Christ Jesus the son of the living God is not talking about baptism here.

He says that for the forgiveness of sin is one thing is one thing for person to be forgiven of their sin listed. That's the cleansing part now got to live my life and so he says unless a person is born of water and of the spirit that is is one thing to be forgiven of my sin, the spirit of God was coming to my life and to indwell me and to see me as a child of God, so that every single believe the Bible says has been sealed. How long unto the day of redemption.

That is, until Jesus Christ called you home now.

Why did he say though that it's a must. Not another. Maybe not a note to not or should not occurred, but I must.

He says you must be born again number one the first primary reason that the person must be born again is because of the sinful condition of mankind.

A person who has not been born again is dead in their spirit to God blind in their mind to the things of God has no love for God cannot communicate with God separated from God and is an alien and an enemy of God and my friend you cannot change all of that.

The only thing that changes that, is a new spirit a new life which is a gift of God. The gift of God is the gift of the Holy Spirit. God gives the gift of his spirit to those who are willing to receive him. So first of all, there has to be a transformation of character.

Secondly, because God was to develop a relationship with us. There must be a change and that change is a transformation of a person's spirit whereby now in drip of the Holy Spirit.

You are not on the level of our spirit communicate with God that we talk to him with their lips, but it is in our spirit, our spirit with his spear that you not relate to him. Likewise, the Bible says that you and I have a new destiny. Listen, my friend. Many of you who think you going to heaven who have no love for God no devotion to him. No desire for his word, no hunger for him, you do not go to church except when it is convenient you do not believe in a judgment your God is a God of all mercy and all goodness and all of my friend listen let me tell you why you're not going to have.

First of all, your whole idea of heaven is distorted.

Heaven is a place for holy people.

Heaven is a place for righteous people. Heaven is a place for those who love God and cherish God and who have a desire for him. You mean to tell me that you think that you going to live your life down here no devotion, no love for God, no hunger, no thirst for him no forgiveness of your sins, but only in your good works in one of these days, having lived your life in the flesh like you choose one of these days you go dog go to heaven.

Do you not realize that you would be totally out of place you'd be absolutely miserable up there with the rest of us because we're going up there because we love the Lord Jesus Christ, our sins have been forgiven, washed in the blood plans we've enclosed in the righteousness of Christ and we will live all of eternity. Loving him and praising him and serving him and you don't want to do any of that down here. You mean to tell me that you think you're going though my friend, one of the reasons he said you must be born again is because that's the only way you can be made acceptable in the eyes of God. Everything else is human effort. I know you see that brought idea of listen, don't be narrowminded. There other faiths in the world besides the Christian faith. Now, not talking that with your bag as a Presbyterian or Roman Catholic anything else. I'm just talking about the truth of God's word he says there's only one way to get them in Jesus and on the door. I am it. You think that's narrowminded answer question. Would you call God narrowminded. And if that's narrowminded. This would you not agree that if God is omniscient. He must've had a very specific clear divine reason for making all of man's redemption for all of mankind be channeled through one person, Jesus Christ. You see, if you are not born again, but the spirit of God in your sin that paid by Christ than who's gonna pay your sin.

That is a longer period. You know the only way you can pay this your descendent is the God to be eternally separated from God because the Bible says the wages of sin is physical, spiritual and eternal death. So you see all of your good works and joining the church and listening to sermons in all of these things. None of that's going to get you to heaven. And here's the tragedy that multiplied millions of people who sit in churches week after week, who passively come and give a little money and stand up on the prayer time. Come sing a song or you know it's part of their social life. This is a wonderful place to find friends, but primarily it's the place to find Jesus. When you find him, you find life's greatest friend.

You have all the friends in a world without him and your friendless because when you get to torment where there are flames in outer darkness friendship count anymore.

You see, there isn't any other way.

I know you think you're broad-minded. I know that you think will anybody who so narrowminded to think that Jesus is yellowing to something's wrong with him is something wrong with God that God make a mistake the Jesus blow it somewhere when he said you must be born again is a here's the reason is that you must be. He knows the character of man.

He knows her ultimate destination. He knows what it takes to communicate with us. He knows what it takes to develop a relationship with us and he knows that means a total transformation of character that is a newness of life. That is the giving of a new spirit, a new creation in Christ Jesus, becoming something we've never been in order to be somebody we never have been and Irma. He said he predestined, you would need to be conformed to the likeness of his son. Do you think you could ever go to the likeness of Jesus Christ. Apart from having a new spirit, a new desire to visit the places that hung when first and yearning in our hearts for God is Christ living on the inside of me. The places that hung the bear. He said you must be born again. If you think that's narrowminded. I'm here to tell your friend that's exactly right. He's is narrow is the way narrow is the gate few there be that find it in who they those who dropped their pride, their arrogance, their selfishness, their self-righteousness and acknowledge they are destitute before God to do anything about their sin problem and acknowledge that his death on the cross paid for their sins in full and Incan fashion and repentance receive Jesus Christ as personal Savior. That is the only hope you will never have of getting to heaven, and is not a single verse in all of God's Bible from Genesis to Revelation even implies hints that in any way that you can get to heaven apart saving the Jesus Christ. Thank you for listening to the only door to heaven if you'd like to know more about Charles Stanley were in touch ministries that find intense data lighting podcast is a presentation in touch ministries