"There's
More
than one
Way to
Get to
Heaven!"

[oneway.jpg]

(Guess again)

THE IDEA that there are many ways to get to Heaven is partly based on
    the assumption that there are various ways to gain its entrance.   Some of
    the more common ways being baptism, good deeds, honest living, giving to
    charity, church attendance, and, if nothing else, by making a sincere effort.

To most, the way to Heaven is broad, with many paths leading there.   However, one
has to wonder: if Heaven is so relatively accessible, then why did Jesus Christ die
on the cross?
   Why did the only begotten Son of God come to earth, take on flesh, and allow
Himself to get spat upon, punched, mocked, kicked, humiliated, whipped, and then
literally nailed to a cross in the hot Judean sun to die a bloody death?   The Apostle
Paul states it best when he says:

"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come
by the law, THEN CHRIST IS DEAD IN VAIN."   Gal. 2:2

You see, Jesus died for a very important reason.   He claimed, "I AM THE WAY,
the truth, and the life: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY
ME" (John 14:6).   His sacrificial death provides the only way to Heaven.
   Jesus said, "I AM THE DOOR: by me if any man enter in, he SHALL BE
SAVED [that means Heaven!]."   John 10:9

As a matter of fact, Jesus made sure that no one assumes there is more than one way
to Heaven by warning: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by
THE DOOR [Jesus Christ] into the sheepfold, but climbeth up SOME
OTHER WAY, the same is a THIEF and a ROBBER."   John 10:1

Further more, when His disciples asked, "Lord, are there FEW that be saved?"
(Luke 13:23).   Jesus answered by saying: "Strive to enter in at the strait
[NARROW] gate: for MANY, I say unto you, WILL SEEK TO ENTER IN,
and SHALL NOT BE ABLE.   When once the master of the house is risen up,
and hath SHUT to THE DOOR, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock
at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say
unto you, I KNOW YOU NOT whence ye are."   Luke 13:24-25 (see also Matt.
7:13-14)

Now, obviously, many of you reading all this will still find it hard to believe that
there could only be ONE WAY to get to Heaven.

So let's reason this whole thing out, as we take a quick look at history. . .

Beginning with the fall of man . . .
   Man was created in God's image (Gen. 3:17) for the express purpose of follow
shipping with his Creator.   But man rebelled; not willing to accept his subordinate
role in the relationship.   His rebellion plunged mankind into sin.   The Bible teaches
that, "Wherefore, as BY ONE MAN [Adam] SIN ENTERED into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that ALL HAVE
SINNED."   Rom. 5:12

When man fell, his immediate reaction to his new-found sin nature was to
"coverup" his sin before God: "The eyes of them both were opened, and they
knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made
themselves aprons."   Gen. 3:7
   God, however, seeing their unsatisfactory efforts showed them what would
actually be required to "cover up sin": "Unto Adam also and to his wife did
THE LORD GOD MAKE COATS OF SKINS, and clothed [covered] them."
Gen. 3:21

God was setting a precedence.   These "COATS OF SKINS" came off the backs
of living animals.   Removing them cost those animals their lives and in killing
them, God established this fact: "For the wages of sin is DEATH..." (Rom.
6:23).   Death and shed blood is the only "coverage" for sin that God will
approve; it's the only payment He will accept.   The Bible clearly teaches that,
"THE SOUL THAT SINNETH, IT SHALL DIE."   Ezek. 18:20

Perhaps you've wondered why there has to be death in the world.   Don't blame God.
     Death was not part of His original plan.   Death came as a result of man's rebellious
sin: "DEATH passed upon all men, for that ALL HAVE SINNED."   (Rom. 5:12)
"Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and SIN, when it is
finished, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH" (James 1:15).   "The sting of DEATH is
SIN" (1 Cor. 15:56).   You can't separate death from sin, nor can you separate the
payment for sin from death.   Death is the only payment for sin God will accept.

God's holiness DEMANDS payment for sin.   However, God not desiring the
absolute death of mankind is willing to accept a substitute on his behalf.   That's
why He told His chosen people, the Jews, that He was willing to accept, "For his
sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, A LAMB or a kid of the
goats, for A SIN OFFERING."   Lev. 5:6
   So throughout Jewish history, the Jews sacrificed lambs and bullocks as
instructed by God.   He wanted to continuously remind them, as a people, that:

"...without SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION [forgiveness of
sins]" (Heb. 9:22).   However, these sacrifices could only "roll back" sin, postponing
God's wrath and eternal judgment.   Mankind needed a permanent solution, one that
would forever reconcile him back to his Creator.
   And one day HE ARRIVED!   When John the Baptist saw Christ approaching
him, he said something that should have made something click within the mind
of every Jew present that day.   John announced: "BEHOLD THE LAMB OF
GOD, WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD."   John 1:29

Jesus is God's sacrificial lamb, the permanent solution to man's sin problem.   The
Bible says of Christ: "But this man, after he had offered ONE SACRIFICE
FOR SINS FOR EVER, sat down on the right hand of God."   Heb. 10:12

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
CHRIST DIED FOR US.   Much more then, being now JUSTIFIED BY HIS
BLOOD, we shall be SAVED FROM WRATH THROUGH HIM."   Rom. 5:8-9

You're probably wondering by now what all this talk about death
has to do with there being only one way to Heaven?

IT'S SIMPLE!   The only payment for sin that God will accept is the shed blood of
Jesus Christ.   However, what most people are trusting in to pay for their sin and get
them to Heaven DOES NOT INVOLVE DEATH!   For example, during baptism no
one dies.   During confirmation or communion no one dies.   During any good deed
you and I perform NO ONE DIES; NO BLOOD IS EVER SHED!

Do you see now why Christ is the only way to Heaven?   "For the wages of sin is
death; BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE [HEAVEN]
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD" (Rom. 6:23).
   Jesus Christ, "washed us from our sins IN HIS OWN BLOOD."   Rev. 1:5

If we fully place our TRUST IN HIS DEATH, AND SHED BLOOD, our sins will
be payed for and we'll be allowed in Heaven.   The Bible says, "That if thou shaft
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [i.e. REPENT], and shalt believe in
thine heart [i.e. TRUST] that God hath raised him FROM THE DEAD,
THOU SHALT BE SAVED."   Rom. 10:9

If you would like to learn more about what the Bible teaches, please send for a
FREE Christian Home Bible Course you can take by mail, in the privacy of your
own home at your own pace.   Write to P.O. Box 815, Fargo, ND 58107

IF you were to die today, are you 100% SURE
you would go to Heaven?   The Bible says
YOU CAN BE SURE (1 John 5:13).

BUT FIRST, you must realize that what keeps you
from going to Heaven are your sins, because:
"...your iniquities [sins] have separated
between you and your God," Isaiah 59:2.
In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For
all have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.

SECONDLY, you must realize that there is
NOTHING you can do to save yourself and earn
Heaven: "For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
man should boast."   Eph. 2:8-9   Baptism, good
deeds, church membership, self-righteousness are
all examples of good works that cannot save you,
because: "Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he [Christ] saved
us," Titus 3:5.

THE ONLY WAY you can get saved is through
Jesus Christ.   He said: "I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me."   (John 14:6)   THAT'S
WHY: "...while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us."   (Rom. 5:8-9)

THEREFORE: You must REPENT (change your
mind); admit that you are a Hell deserving sinner
and can't save yourself.   And call upon Christ, and
Him alone, to save you.   "if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [REPENT], and
shalt believe in thine heart [TRUST] that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved."   Romans 10:9

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P.O. Box 815   Fargo, ND 58107

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