Back Door to Heaven
Judged Part 3
In “Dead and Judged”, we concluded that everyone faces judgement. Because there is a judgement, with a judgement, comes a verdict. There are no ‘hung juries’, God alone will judge.
In “Escape Condemnation”, we learned that God loves us so much, He gave us an escape - Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ can provide us with a ‘not guilty verdict’.
The question then becomes, is there another way? Is there something else we can do to get ‘into heaven’? Is there a Back Door?
The answer is NO!
Listen to what He said:
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."" John 14:6
“No one comes to the Father except through ME!” Jesus Christ said it Himself. This verse is so important because it DEFINES the simple truth - Christ ALONE is the way to escape condemnation.
What about the Back Door?
We live in a world that wants to believe there is a way to ‘escape’ judgement. Or, better yet, something other than the simple truth, “I am the way”, is good enough to get us into heaven. We are taught ‘trying to live a good life’ is enough. We are taught following some ‘path’ of living is enough. We are taught some ‘magic formula’ is enough. Some believe that wearing a ‘necklace’ is enough…
It is hard to read the inscription - it says, “Whosover dies wearing this Scapular shall be saved”… Wearing a ‘magic necklace’ is NOT going to save anyone… Sadly - there are actually people that believe this.
We are taught, in some cases, that just believing the simple truth is NOT enough - in addition to believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, we have ‘follow’ some pre-defined formula.
Again, what did He say, "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.""
IT sounds like we are beating a dead horse. Think about this:
Crucifixion is probably one of the Most Painful ways to die that there is. First, the pre-crucifixion rituals physically exhaust one (the beatings, the chains, the carrying of the crossbar through a city and up a hill). Then there comes the pain of literally nailing one to the wood. If one has ever stepped on nail or hit one’s thumb with a hammer - think about how much more painful it would be to actually drive a spike through the hands and feet. Then one is ‘gently’ (as if anyone is going to be gentle with a condemned criminal) hoisted onto a pillar. In that position, tremendous pressure on the chest makes breathing difficult, and often dislocates the shoulders. In order to breathe, one has pull up with arms, wrenching at the nails through the hands, and push downward with legs, wrenching those nails… Every breath is searing agony. That continues, until one suffocates. It gives new meaning to the phrase “cruel and unusual punishment”.
Jesus was fully God and fully man. He KNEW what was about to happen to Him. He knew that He was going to be beaten. He knew people were going to curse, ridicule, insult, and humiliate Him. He knew He was going to be crucified¹…
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, knowing His own future. Here is what happened, “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”” Matthew 26:39, and a second time in verse 42, “Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”” It says, He prayed a third time in verse 44, “So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.”²
Pay Attention: Three times Jesus Christ asked God if there was ANY OTHER WAY!
Mark 14:36 records Him as saying, “…Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
Three times Jesus begged not to have to bear the burden of the world’s sins. Can one honestly believe that God would not have provided Him a ‘Back Door’ into Salvation if one existed? If there was anything humanity could do to ‘merit’ salvation - a ‘not guilty’ verdict, why would God require His Son to go through that agony and torture? Is it possible to honestly believe that if wearing a ‘magic necklace’ or following some ‘magic formula’ would get one into heaven, that God would have required such a sacrifice?
The bottom line is this:
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."" John 14:6
If there were a ‘Back Door’, Jesus would never have had to suffer and die on the Cross³. It is that obvious. If there were another way - God would have provided it for His own Son!
There is No Back Door! The ONLY door is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
¹ [This point bears consideration - Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be - The Christ, The Son of God - OR He was the stupidest man that ever lived. Crucifixion was the ‘Roman’ form of execution. Jesus was not the first person be crucified. He probably witnessed it many times and knew its horror. At any point during His trials He could have simply said, “No, I am not the Christ.” Had He done so, the worst thing that could happen is a quick death by stoning or at best, freedom.]
² Full text is Matthew 26:36-46 cross referenced to Mark 14:32-42 & Luke 22:39-46.
³ See ‘The Sufferings and the Glory’ for a full account of the ‘Passion of Christ’ (His betrayal, sufferings, trials, death, and resurrection).
In “Escape Condemnation”, we learned that God loves us so much, He gave us an escape - Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ can provide us with a ‘not guilty verdict’.
The question then becomes, is there another way? Is there something else we can do to get ‘into heaven’? Is there a Back Door?
The answer is NO!
Listen to what He said:
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."" John 14:6
“No one comes to the Father except through ME!” Jesus Christ said it Himself. This verse is so important because it DEFINES the simple truth - Christ ALONE is the way to escape condemnation.
What about the Back Door?
We live in a world that wants to believe there is a way to ‘escape’ judgement. Or, better yet, something other than the simple truth, “I am the way”, is good enough to get us into heaven. We are taught ‘trying to live a good life’ is enough. We are taught following some ‘path’ of living is enough. We are taught some ‘magic formula’ is enough. Some believe that wearing a ‘necklace’ is enough…
It is hard to read the inscription - it says, “Whosover dies wearing this Scapular shall be saved”… Wearing a ‘magic necklace’ is NOT going to save anyone… Sadly - there are actually people that believe this.
We are taught, in some cases, that just believing the simple truth is NOT enough - in addition to believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, we have ‘follow’ some pre-defined formula.
Again, what did He say, "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.""
IT sounds like we are beating a dead horse. Think about this:
Crucifixion is probably one of the Most Painful ways to die that there is. First, the pre-crucifixion rituals physically exhaust one (the beatings, the chains, the carrying of the crossbar through a city and up a hill). Then there comes the pain of literally nailing one to the wood. If one has ever stepped on nail or hit one’s thumb with a hammer - think about how much more painful it would be to actually drive a spike through the hands and feet. Then one is ‘gently’ (as if anyone is going to be gentle with a condemned criminal) hoisted onto a pillar. In that position, tremendous pressure on the chest makes breathing difficult, and often dislocates the shoulders. In order to breathe, one has pull up with arms, wrenching at the nails through the hands, and push downward with legs, wrenching those nails… Every breath is searing agony. That continues, until one suffocates. It gives new meaning to the phrase “cruel and unusual punishment”.
Jesus was fully God and fully man. He KNEW what was about to happen to Him. He knew that He was going to be beaten. He knew people were going to curse, ridicule, insult, and humiliate Him. He knew He was going to be crucified¹…
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, knowing His own future. Here is what happened, “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”” Matthew 26:39, and a second time in verse 42, “Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”” It says, He prayed a third time in verse 44, “So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.”²
Pay Attention: Three times Jesus Christ asked God if there was ANY OTHER WAY!
Mark 14:36 records Him as saying, “…Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
Three times Jesus begged not to have to bear the burden of the world’s sins. Can one honestly believe that God would not have provided Him a ‘Back Door’ into Salvation if one existed? If there was anything humanity could do to ‘merit’ salvation - a ‘not guilty’ verdict, why would God require His Son to go through that agony and torture? Is it possible to honestly believe that if wearing a ‘magic necklace’ or following some ‘magic formula’ would get one into heaven, that God would have required such a sacrifice?
The bottom line is this:
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."" John 14:6
If there were a ‘Back Door’, Jesus would never have had to suffer and die on the Cross³. It is that obvious. If there were another way - God would have provided it for His own Son!
There is No Back Door! The ONLY door is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
¹ [This point bears consideration - Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be - The Christ, The Son of God - OR He was the stupidest man that ever lived. Crucifixion was the ‘Roman’ form of execution. Jesus was not the first person be crucified. He probably witnessed it many times and knew its horror. At any point during His trials He could have simply said, “No, I am not the Christ.” Had He done so, the worst thing that could happen is a quick death by stoning or at best, freedom.]
² Full text is Matthew 26:36-46 cross referenced to Mark 14:32-42 & Luke 22:39-46.
³ See ‘The Sufferings and the Glory’ for a full account of the ‘Passion of Christ’ (His betrayal, sufferings, trials, death, and resurrection).
posted by Unchained Slave at 5:28 PM
2 Comments:
Hi David,
This was a great posting, I really liked the case you made by using Jesus Himself as the example!
I'm not sure if most people know this, but the English word 'excruciate' comes from 'crucify'. It really is the most brutal form of death imagineable. Through this, Jesus is able to succor anyone who is facing any other form of death.
The link at the end was bit of a surprise! By the way, I also set up a link from my blog to yours.
Blessings in Christ.
Camp On This [Steven J Camp] Has posted an excellent article by Johh MacArthur about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The article is titled 'Resurrection, The Key to Everything'
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