February 23, 2010

Chapter Seventy-Two: A watchman on the wall cries out, “Enter through the narrow gate!”


The more Jack seeks God the more he knows that time is short and there is a sense of increasing urgency for God's people to know God. Jesus defined "eternal life" as "know God the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom God has sent". (John 17:3) So there is no other more important matter than this, making sure that one knows God and Jesus.
Has God made it difficult? No. As God has so loved the world that He has given His only Son Jesus to die for and has thus redeemed the lost world (including the whole human race). It is only logical that he would similarly make it easy for those who believe to get to heaven. There is only one problem for Christians. The problem of unbelief.
What Jack has been learning lately has cried out to him loudly, "What makes you think you know God? If you know God can you still harbor unbelief in your heart? Unbelief is not believing in all the word of the Lord and still preferring to do things the usual worldly way!"
His greatest unbelief is not living fully by the Holy Spirit. The teaching from his previous Churches do not believe in the absolute requirement by God that Christians live in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit. The churches teach that Christians are considered as having complied in their mind. They teach that it is risky to try to really follow the Holy Spirit and live in the Spirit. They do not believe that God (the power of the Holy Spirit) can protect His children who have come to Him by faith and trusting and obeying His word by faith, and exercising the spiritual authority that Jesus has given to all His followers.
Yet, it is so clear in the whole Bible that there are no other way to obey God and His word except through the Holy Spirit. Jack has discovered that Jesus Himself and the Apostles (inspired by the Holy Spirit) have given Christians clear instructions (on how to enter the kingdom of God through the narrow gate) in this respect.
The First Clue: You can only enter heaven like the wind.
Jesus told Nicodemus (a high positioned political official and authority on Jewish religion) that unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:5-6)
This clue clearly says that one can only enter the kingdom of God in spirit (born of the Holy Spirit).
Jesus in fact illustrated how this will happen. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8) This means when one is born of the Spirit one can enter the kingdom of God as free as the wind blows and as unencumbered by flesh (a body and/or a mind that is against God). (Romans 8:7)
Conclusion: If you do not want to become involved in the matter of the Holy Spirit, you cannot get there.
The Second Clue: You can only enter heaven living the spiritual, supernatural life.
The Apostle Paul further explained clearly in Romans 8:1-16 how there is no alternative for a Christian but to be led by the Spirit and walk according to the Spirit.
How to know you are one of them? Those who are in Christ Jesus have the Spirit of Christ dwell in them, walk according to the Holy Spirit, set their minds on the things of the Spirit, are spiritually minded, and are led by the Spirit of God. These are Christians (sons of God) who can live the supernatural life of Christ (living divine and empowered by the Holy Spirit).
How to know you are not one of the above? These are people who do not have the Spirit of Christ, walk according to the flesh (following the world and its system/way, loving the world and the things of the world, only seeing and caring for the things that can be seen), setting their minds on things of the flesh, knowing only how to do deeds of the body (not of the Spirit).
If you think that you can be led by the Spirit in your mind, you are wrong. The mind is carnal and is against God. (Romans 8:7)
Conclusion: You just have to practice living in the spirit on earth as it is in heaven.
The Third Clue: Christians are elected to worship God. God is seeking true worshipers. There is a place for you in heaven if you are one!
Jesus told the Samaritan woman by the well this truth. "But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:23-24)
It therefore makes sense to practice worshiping in spirit and in truth when on earth. A pastor thus challenged, "What makes you think you can suddenly become a true worshiper on that Day when you do not practice now on earth? What makes you think you will like worshiping day and night there when you never like it here?" Indeed, there is no way you can fit into the elect group when you heart does not desire to worship God. How many minutes can you bear worshiping God? Are you worshiping God even when you are alone, at any moments? Be honest as it is a life and death matter!
Conclusion: You can only enter heaven if you are a true worshiper. If you cannot worship in spirit (not in mind/mere emotion, but in the Holy Spirit) and in truth (based on the word of God and in Jesus who is the Truth), then you do not qualify.
The Fourth Clue: You can only enter heaven with Jesus.
Jesus told His disciples that He would come again and receive them to Himself. He also told them clearly that He is the way, the truth and the life and that no one goes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6). He then gave an important key : "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:7) He promised them that He would pray the Father to send the Spirit of truth (the Holy Spirit) to guide them into all truth, and tell them things to come.  The Holy Spirit will dwell with them and will be with them.
There is a further crucial clue. Jesus told them, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14:23) Here, a Christian is promised of the presence of God Himself, with the condition that the Christian keeps God's word.
Conclusion: You need the Holy Spirit and the word of God to enter heaven.
Summary: in all four clues, you need the Holy Spirit to take you to heaven!
Christ is our real life. How to live the real life? Jack has been learning to practice this in his journey in the Holy Spirit. He prays that you too may find the desire in your heart to do so. You do not have any alternative, really.

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