March 6th 2022
Do You Believe You Know The Way To Join Jesus When You Leave This Mortal Lifetime?
Romans 15:1-4 (NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Your character has been developed over time and it represents who you believe you are! Your reputation is also developed over time, and it represents who other people believe you are! Does your character represent whom you want it to be believed by your friends and loved ones in your life? This question cannot be answered by you, so do not let it bother you too much, but it is important that as a Christian we are responsible to be working on becoming more Christ-like every day. We often think of Jesus as the peacemaker, and He was that, but He also told those who were the religious leaders when they were teaching incorrectly.
When Jesus considered it the incorrect action, He confronted those who were defiling the temple, and He approached them in a forceful way. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!" (John 2:14-16). Sometimes we may be required to take action to confirm our belief and require that others should know what they are doing may be against God’s Word.
The writer of Proverbs gives us a warning about how we need to be careful when dealing with other believers. If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betray another man’s confidence, or he who hears it may shame you and you will never lose your bad reputation. (Proverbs 25:9-10). A previous pastor at our church used to start off meetings by saying, “if we disagree with what is being said, we can disagree, but we need to do so without being disagreeable.” We must always be careful to not state what someone else said without a reliable witness to concur with us.
Paul was training Timothy in how to make good selections of people who would help run the churches being established by them. People being selected to be deacons or elders need to be respected by others in the church and possess a good reputation. He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. (1 Timothy 3:6-7). Church leaders must have a good reputation with the other members.
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame. (1 Corinthians 15:32-34). Paul is teaching by informing all Christians that we must realize there are people who do not believe there is a God, and we need to be careful to whom we listen in this cursed world. Anyone who does not believe that God exists cannot share in the hope believers have. Be careful as Paul writes, “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character." Most of the people in this world profess a belief in a god or gods that are not the God as described in the Bible, and such people will try to convince you that the God of the Bible is not the true God.
Paul wrote about this one and only true God who is described in the Bible. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6). It is true there is only One God, which we can come to know through studying the Bible.
And there is but One Savior who is Jesus Christ. Jesus told us this when He walked this earth as the Son of Man. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17). It always makes me wonder how unhappy it must make God when, so few people choose to believe who Jesus is!
Jesus told His disciples that He was preparing a place in Paradise for all those who will choose to follow Him in this mortal lifetime. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:3-7).
Do you believe you know the Way to join Jesus when you leave this mortal lifetime? If you choose to be a follower of Jesus Christ, when you die in this mortal life Jesus said, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Therefore, you do not need to know the way to Jesus because He has said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. This is a difficult teaching, as it does not allow for any other religion in this world to be able to offer a salvation plan. Only Jesus Christ is the Savor of the world, and His salvation plan is only described in God’s Word as contained in the Bible.
Your character must, therefore, be developed through the process of becoming more like Jesus Christ every day. A true follower of Jesus Christ will attempt to know, WWJD! And then use this knowledge to react as Jesus would in each situation. This may be possible with the help of the Holy Spirit to ward off Satan!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Romans 15:1-4 (NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Your character has been developed over time and it represents who you believe you are! Your reputation is also developed over time, and it represents who other people believe you are! Does your character represent whom you want it to be believed by your friends and loved ones in your life? This question cannot be answered by you, so do not let it bother you too much, but it is important that as a Christian we are responsible to be working on becoming more Christ-like every day. We often think of Jesus as the peacemaker, and He was that, but He also told those who were the religious leaders when they were teaching incorrectly.
When Jesus considered it the incorrect action, He confronted those who were defiling the temple, and He approached them in a forceful way. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!" (John 2:14-16). Sometimes we may be required to take action to confirm our belief and require that others should know what they are doing may be against God’s Word.
The writer of Proverbs gives us a warning about how we need to be careful when dealing with other believers. If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betray another man’s confidence, or he who hears it may shame you and you will never lose your bad reputation. (Proverbs 25:9-10). A previous pastor at our church used to start off meetings by saying, “if we disagree with what is being said, we can disagree, but we need to do so without being disagreeable.” We must always be careful to not state what someone else said without a reliable witness to concur with us.
Paul was training Timothy in how to make good selections of people who would help run the churches being established by them. People being selected to be deacons or elders need to be respected by others in the church and possess a good reputation. He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. (1 Timothy 3:6-7). Church leaders must have a good reputation with the other members.
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame. (1 Corinthians 15:32-34). Paul is teaching by informing all Christians that we must realize there are people who do not believe there is a God, and we need to be careful to whom we listen in this cursed world. Anyone who does not believe that God exists cannot share in the hope believers have. Be careful as Paul writes, “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character." Most of the people in this world profess a belief in a god or gods that are not the God as described in the Bible, and such people will try to convince you that the God of the Bible is not the true God.
Paul wrote about this one and only true God who is described in the Bible. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6). It is true there is only One God, which we can come to know through studying the Bible.
And there is but One Savior who is Jesus Christ. Jesus told us this when He walked this earth as the Son of Man. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17). It always makes me wonder how unhappy it must make God when, so few people choose to believe who Jesus is!
Jesus told His disciples that He was preparing a place in Paradise for all those who will choose to follow Him in this mortal lifetime. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:3-7).
Do you believe you know the Way to join Jesus when you leave this mortal lifetime? If you choose to be a follower of Jesus Christ, when you die in this mortal life Jesus said, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Therefore, you do not need to know the way to Jesus because He has said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. This is a difficult teaching, as it does not allow for any other religion in this world to be able to offer a salvation plan. Only Jesus Christ is the Savor of the world, and His salvation plan is only described in God’s Word as contained in the Bible.
Your character must, therefore, be developed through the process of becoming more like Jesus Christ every day. A true follower of Jesus Christ will attempt to know, WWJD! And then use this knowledge to react as Jesus would in each situation. This may be possible with the help of the Holy Spirit to ward off Satan!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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