THE

"Brightly beams our Father's mercy

From the lighthouse evermore;

But to us He gives the keeping

Of the light along the shore."

DO ALL ROADS LEAD TO HEAVEN?

A few days before Christmas in 1982, a man and his wife left their home in order to deliver some presents to relatives who lived 40 miles away.  Nine days later, after they had traveled 4,000 miles and had driven through parts of several states, the man finally stopped at a location 150 miles from home and asked for directions.  Throughout the trip the wife had begged her husband to stop and ask for directions, but true to the male stereotype, he stubbornly refused and tried to find his own way. 

            If you were to ask this couple, “Do all roads lead to the same place?” the answer would be, “NO!!”  Yet, how many people throw logic to the wind by saying that all roads lead to heaven? Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mt 7:13-14)

 There are TWO roads and TWO destinations.  Only ONE road leads to heaven.  And, contrary to popular belief, Jesus said that most people will not take this narrow route, but will take the broad path that leads to destruction in hell.

            The reason that most people believe that all roads lead to heaven is that they recognize no standard of spiritual authority.  Like Israel in the days before they had a king, every man is doing what is right in his own eyes. (Judges 17:6), expecting that God will be pleased.  However,

IF IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE...

           The reason that many people believe that all roads lead to heaven is that they think that, when it comes to practicing Christianity, doctrine is unimportant- it does not matter what you believe, teach, and practice.  But if it doesn’t matter what you believe…

WHY DID PAUL WARN WITH TEARS FOR THREE YEARS?:  “And from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things… Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.  And now I com-mend you to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:30-32)

WHY DID PAUL CONDEMN PREACHING & FOLLOWING A PERVERTED GOSPEL?:  “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of God for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.  But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-8)

WHY DID PAUL SAY THAT YOU COULD BELIEVE A LIE AND BE DAMNED?:  “For this reason God will send them a deluding in-fluence so that  they might  believe what is  false,

in order that they may all be judged who did not be-lieve the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

WHY DID JOHN SAY THAT IF YOU DO NOT ABIDE IN CHRIST’ TEACHING, YOU DO NOT HAVE GOD?:  “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.”     (2 John 9)

How do you get to heaven?  To reach your destination you must do as the lost driver in the front-page article, you must stop and ask for direc-tions.  The above passages not only point out that it does matter what you believe, they also point to what we must believe and follow if we are to make it to heaven- “the word of His grace (Acts 20), the “gospel” (Galatians 1), the “truth” (2 Thessalonians 2), and “the teaching of Christ” (2 John 9).

  Don’t stubbornly choose your own path in service to Jesus or follow the way of any man, hoping for the best.  You’ll find yourself lost and destined for hell.  Consult, learn, and then follow Jesus’ roadmap to heaven. 

If we can assist you in a study of Jesus’ roadmap, please write, call, or e-mail today.  Studies are available by mail or in your home at your convenience.