MODERN DAY PARABLES 2 THE MAN WHO SINCERELY TRUSTED Another in a series of stories depicting Biblical truths.

THE PARABLE The time had come.   He had been looking forward to this trip for a long time and now he was on his way. He had everything he needed - or so he thought. "Now where did I put that map?   I can't get there without one."   He had a general idea of how to get there but nothing specific or in writing.   "I know," he said, "I'll get a map in the next town when I arrive."   So, he pulled into a gas station and asked for a road map.   The attendant said, "Oh, you don't want to waste time and money on a map.   I'll simply tell you how to get there."   Therefore, the man put his trust in what he had been told and went on his way.   As he followed the directions given to him he began to sense that they were not right.   "I think I'm lost," he said.   "I have no peace about whether I'll get to where I'm going."   At the next town he again stopped and asked for a map. "A map?" replied the second attendant.   "Have you ever tried to read a map?   You could very easily read it wrong." "So, what do you suggest?" asked the man. "Trust me and I'll interpret the map for you." Well, you guessed it.   The man found himself lost again.   He still had no peace about whether he would make it or not.   Once again he stopped and once again he took someone's word on how to get to his destination.   This went on for miles and miles.   Finally the man said enough is enough.   "I'm tired of following other people's instructions.   How do I know they are right anyway?" During his bout with frustration, the man happened upon a hitchhiker.   Minutes later the man began explaining what he had gone through.   "You just can't trust people nowadays.   You ask them for facts and all you get is opinions.   Why if it were possible I would have them arrested." "It seems to me," replied the hitchhiker, "that you really have no reason to complain and have no excuse." "WHAT!" exclaimed the man.   "Haven't you heard a word I've said.   They lied to me.   I sincerely trusted them and they misled me." Again the hitchhiker replied, "I don't see where you have an excuse for being misled." By now the man was very frustrated.   "Oh yeah!!   Well, what would you have done differently to avoid being fooled?" The hitchhiker just smiled and said, "I would have ignored them, looked at the map, and seen for myself how to get where I am going."

PARABLE EXPLAINED THIS PARABLE DEPICTS BIBLE ASSURANCE CAST OF CHARACTERS: The Man   . . . . . . . . . Us The Map   . . . . . . . . . The Bible The Destination  . . . . . Heaven The Attendants . . . . . . Various Doctrines The Hitchhiker . . . . . . Wisdom We are all on a trip toward death.   When we come to the end of our trip the Bible says "...after this the judgment:" (Hebrews 9:27). This judgment is for our sins (Revelation 20:11-15; Romans 1:28-32; I Corinthians 6:9-10) and determines our final destination of Heaven or Hell (Luke 16:19-31). -- "(28)And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (29)Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (30)Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31)Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: (32)Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."   (Romans 1:28-32) "(9)Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?   Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (10)Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."   (I Corinthians 6:9-10) Many people spend a good portion of their lives planning for this trip, hoping that their final destination will be Heaven.   Unfortunately, they normally are depending on someone else's opinion rather than going straight to the "road map" itself - the Bible. God gave us His Word so that we can know for sure how to get to Heaven (I John 5:13).   So, if you are trusting on what someone has told you - be it an individual or a church - you need to compare what they have to say with the Bible.   On the next page [below] is God's Road Map to Heaven.   Please read it. -- "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."   (I John 5:13) Why take a chance on being misled when your most valuable possession - your soul - is at stake?

GOD'S ROAD MAP TO HEAVEN FIRST THE BAD NEWS: 1.   We must realize that we are lost, sinners that are spiritually dead. * "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."   Luke 19:10 * "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23. * "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."   John 3:3 * "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."   John 3:6 2.   As spiritually dead, lost sinners, God's judgment and wrath are upon us. * "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" Hebrews 9:27. * "For which things' sake [sin] the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience [sinners]:" Colossians 3:6. 3.   Our good works can't stop this judgment and wrath.   God demands death as payment for sin. * "Not of works..." Ephesians 2:8,9. * "As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one:" Romans 3:10. * "the soul that sinneth, it shall die."   Ezekiel 18:4 * "For the wages of sin is death;" Romans 6:23. NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!! 4.   God is willing to accept someone else's death in our place.   That someone is Jesus Christ. * "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."   I Timothy 2:5-6 * "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."   Romans 5:8 5.   Jesus has bought salvation for us and now God can offer it as a gift by grace. * "Ye are bought with a price;" I Corinthians 7:23. * "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."   Ephesians 2:8,9 How does someone accept this gift?   Through repentance and faith. REPENTANCE: means to change your mind and adapt an attitude of not rebelling against God. FAITH: means to simply take God at His word, i.e., believe the verses you have just read. * "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."   Acts 20:21 * "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."   Romans 10:13 6.   Upon being saved and born again spiritually, we become converted to a new creature in Christ. * "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."   Matthew 18:3 * "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."   II Corinthians 5:17

FARGO BAPTIST CHURCH 3303 23rd Avenue SouthWest Fargo, North Dakota 58103 Speaking the truth in love Ephesians 4:15 aaa.232.5500 Schedule of Services Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship . . . . . 10:30 a.m. Sunday Evening Service . . . . . . . 6:00 p.m. Wednesday Bible Study . . . . . . . 7:00 p.m.

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