KNOCK! KNOCK!

KNOCK! KNOCK!

In this world of so many different beliefs and religions, I am in awe that so many place their eggs in the wrong basket. Ever watch that game show where there are three doors with two of them having prizes behind them, and one had a dud prize behind it? Well, when it comes to where to place your faith, there are a myriad of doors to choose from instead of 3, and they ALL have a dud prize behind them...except one; Christ is behind the correct door to place your faith. As a matter of fact, Christ Himself said He IS the door!

Some might ask where in the bible He calls Himself a door...  "Then said Jesus unto them again, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."" (John 10:7 - 10) The sheep, of course, are we believers, but who are the thieves and robbers? They are false messiahs and teachers, and Israel knew many then, and the world even now has seen many of all kinds. Even now there are millions of false teachers, many come knocking on your door; they believe even for themselves that all their doorknocking will earn them a place in heaven. Misplaced faith. Dud prize door. Wrong door. John warned us of these people, and also taught us how to know them and thereby avoid them; "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (1 John 4:1 - 3)

Jesus also compared Himself to a gate: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matt. 7:13 - 20) Jesus is the strait gate, the only way to the Father. All the others here are lumped into one broad dud gate. Wrong gate. Misplaced faith. Yet many are they who place their faith in one of the dud gates. Any wonder why He said the gate was wide to destruction? There are so many dud gates, and so many choose one of them. False teachers are like thorns and thistles, and they are good for naught to Jesus except to be thrown in the fiery furnace!

So if someone comes to you with another way to heaven, and often they have another publication other than the bible, it would be wise not to believe what they have to say. "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." (2 John 1:10 - 11)

There is only one way to heaven, and that way is the door, the strait gate, and He said of Himself that He was the way; "Jesus saith unto him,

'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.'" (John 14:6 - 7) After Jesus' death, Peter preached this same thing in Jerusalem. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

There is no other god with this special offer, nor with this unspeakable gift, His sacrifice for all who would believe on Him. Our God gave us a door to heaven, a gate with the greatest prize we could ever hope for: salvation in Christ Jesus, our Messiah, our Savior, who loved us so much, as our Father does, too, that He came to earth at the Father's bidding to give us a door to salvation. To heaven. To the Father. The veil between man and God was torn in away forever, that we should have a living way to the Father! "Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;" (Matt. 27:50 - 51)

Now one more time Jesus will refer to a door, but not the door as being Himself, but YOUR door!  And He's knocking! "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." (Rev. 3:19 - 21) Christ here is appealing to the worldly, compromising believers in the church to come back to Him, open their door, and enjoy fellowship with Him. We must remember that even as we believe on Him, we are still sinners who need to realize our sins as we still make them, confess them, and come to Him as the children of God whom we are, and how exhilarating it will be to actually sit on His throne with Him! So much unconditional love from our wonderful God!  Knock!  Knock!