Satan has a plan for your life. His plan is to take you to hell with him, where there is weeping and the gnashing of teeth, Matthew 8:12, Matthew 22:13, Matthew 24:51, Matthew 25:30. His plan for you is that you become religious. Religion is man's preoccupation with his own spirituality, which is himself. What do the Calvinist talk about? They talk about Calvinism and themselves. What do the Catholics talk about? They talk about the Catholic church and themselves. All religions have one thing in common, they are all subjective and are introverted. Satan has led them to believe that salvation is about them. The Calvinist declares, "I have been predestinated". The Catholic declares "I am a member of the Catholic church". Satan has led them to believe that it is all about them and their religion.
Religion is the broad way that leads to hell. It has to be broad because there are many that are going that way, Matthew 7:13. In the judgment many are going to say, "Lord, Lord. didn't we?" "Didn't we become Calvinist?" "Didn't we join the Catholic church?" "Didn't we keep the commandments?" "Didn't we do many wonderful works?" "Didn't we?" "Didn't we?" "Didn't we?" Only to hear those dreadful words, "Depart from me, I never knew you", Matthew 7:21-23. He didn't know them, because they had never called upon him to save them, Romans 10:13.
Jesus talks about another way, "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leads to life and few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. Few there be that find it, because few there be that seek it. The strait and narrow gate is Jesus Christ himself. Jesus said, "I am the WAY,
I am the TRUTH and the LIFE: no man can come to the Father, but by me" John 14:6. Not by the way of Calvinism. Not by the way of Catholicism. Not by the way of any religion. Not by the way of anything that we do, experience, or become. The reason that salvation is totally and completely outside of us (no religion) is because "There is none righteous, no, not one" Romans 3:10.
Jesus has made a way for everyone to be saved, it is his way. Not our way. Before the foundation of the world it was God's plan that Jesus would be the savior of the whole world, Ephesians 1:4. Jesus comes into the world as God's new Adam and our new humanity, Romans 5:18. By his righteous sinless life, he offers to God the Father a life of perfect obedience according to his holy law, Matthew 5:18. He does this in our name and on our behalf, just like we did it ourselves. That was not enough, something had to be done about our sins and the sins of the whole world. This is why,
"God has made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" 2 Corinthians 5:21.
When Jesus died on the cross, we died with him. This is why Paul could say, "I have been crucified with Christ" Galatians 2:20. When Jesus walked out of Joseph's new tomb, we walked out with him, Romans 6:5. We are now new creations in Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17. The law has been fulfilled and abolished, Ephesians 2:15. Our sins and the sins of the whole world have been abolished, 1 John 2:2. Because of the doing and the dying of Jesus, we can now stand before God as perfect and complete in Jesus Christ, Colossians 2:10. No religion needed. In the Gospel no one needs to be predestinated. In the Gospel no one needs to join the Catholic church. In the Gospel Jesus saves and he saves to the uttermost, Hebrews 7:25.
This salvation that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ is by faith alone. It is by faith alone, because it is by Christ alone. All of the work of salvation has been done. When God accepted Jesus back into heaven we were accepted in him. God now sees us as perfect and complete in Christ. This is why Paul wrote to the Colossians,
"For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God" Colossians 3:3.
I don't know about you, but that is exactly where I want to be. Mess up Satan's plan to take you to hell where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, Luke 13:28 and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation. God loves you and has provided a way for you to be saved, but it is his way and not your way.
Religion is the broad way that leads to hell. It has to be broad because there are many that are going that way, Matthew 7:13. In the judgment many are going to say, "Lord, Lord. didn't we?" "Didn't we become Calvinist?" "Didn't we join the Catholic church?" "Didn't we keep the commandments?" "Didn't we do many wonderful works?" "Didn't we?" "Didn't we?" "Didn't we?" Only to hear those dreadful words, "Depart from me, I never knew you", Matthew 7:21-23. He didn't know them, because they had never called upon him to save them, Romans 10:13.
Jesus talks about another way, "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leads to life and few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. Few there be that find it, because few there be that seek it. The strait and narrow gate is Jesus Christ himself. Jesus said, "I am the WAY,
I am the TRUTH and the LIFE: no man can come to the Father, but by me" John 14:6. Not by the way of Calvinism. Not by the way of Catholicism. Not by the way of any religion. Not by the way of anything that we do, experience, or become. The reason that salvation is totally and completely outside of us (no religion) is because "There is none righteous, no, not one" Romans 3:10.
Jesus has made a way for everyone to be saved, it is his way. Not our way. Before the foundation of the world it was God's plan that Jesus would be the savior of the whole world, Ephesians 1:4. Jesus comes into the world as God's new Adam and our new humanity, Romans 5:18. By his righteous sinless life, he offers to God the Father a life of perfect obedience according to his holy law, Matthew 5:18. He does this in our name and on our behalf, just like we did it ourselves. That was not enough, something had to be done about our sins and the sins of the whole world. This is why,
"God has made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" 2 Corinthians 5:21.
When Jesus died on the cross, we died with him. This is why Paul could say, "I have been crucified with Christ" Galatians 2:20. When Jesus walked out of Joseph's new tomb, we walked out with him, Romans 6:5. We are now new creations in Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17. The law has been fulfilled and abolished, Ephesians 2:15. Our sins and the sins of the whole world have been abolished, 1 John 2:2. Because of the doing and the dying of Jesus, we can now stand before God as perfect and complete in Jesus Christ, Colossians 2:10. No religion needed. In the Gospel no one needs to be predestinated. In the Gospel no one needs to join the Catholic church. In the Gospel Jesus saves and he saves to the uttermost, Hebrews 7:25.
This salvation that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ is by faith alone. It is by faith alone, because it is by Christ alone. All of the work of salvation has been done. When God accepted Jesus back into heaven we were accepted in him. God now sees us as perfect and complete in Christ. This is why Paul wrote to the Colossians,
"For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God" Colossians 3:3.
I don't know about you, but that is exactly where I want to be. Mess up Satan's plan to take you to hell where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, Luke 13:28 and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation. God loves you and has provided a way for you to be saved, but it is his way and not your way.
