Which Lock?

I have a little tree farm in Oklahoma. I have owned it for well over 30 years. I haven’t cut any trees yet, but the time may be close.

In any case I am going up there next week (our Church Mission Team is working nearby) and I was told by a friend who lives in the area that the gate across the only road leading eventually to my place has been locked and that no one is allowed to enter that area anymore unless they have the key. We (my friend and I) located the guy who controls the gate and he told me there is no key; they use combination locks (locks?). He knew about my place up on the mountain and said he would be glad to give me the combination. Then he proceeded to give me six (6) combinations for six (6) locks. Seems everyone and their dog, except me, has a lock on that gate.

The church is like that (notice the small “c”). The church (as opposed to the Church) tells us there are multiple ways to please God, live your life, carry out your life plan, worship, pray, and apply the Truth to your circumstances. Almost everybody has a lock on that gate too.

Unfortunately, it’s the wrong gate. It’s even on the wrong road. Jesus said “the Gate” is straight, and the road is narrow, and His Gate only has one lock – grace, through faith, in Jesus Christ. You can try any combination of works and clean living, being nice and playing fair. You can read the Bible, give money to your Church, care for old folks, and adopt one of those kids in Africa or Hati that you see on TV. You can attend services, get “slain in the Spirit,” take a mission trip or two, and write a book about how to have a wonderful life through positive affirmations. None of those things individually, or in combination with any or all of the others, will open that Gate to eternity with God.

There’s only one “lock on the Gate” that leads to eternal life. It is opened by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.