Going or Staying?

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4“And you know the way where I am going.”
 
 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 
 
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” John 14:3-7.
 
A few years ago, during the benediction, a former pastor stood before the church and announced, “Yes, you can get to heaven on your good works.” My jaw dropped. His statement went entirely against the Word of God.
 
 4” But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by Grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his Grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by Grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph. 2:4-10

To say that we get to heaven because of our good works leaves Jesus out entirely. It says that He died for nothing. It communicates that Jesus and His sacrifice are irrelevant. His death and resurrection were for naught.

We are saved by God’s amazing Grace. As a Believer in Christ, our good deeds are to bring God glory, not to pave our path to heaven. Without Jesus, our good works are an empty attempt to bring ourselves glory.

On another occasion, during the benediction, this pastor waved his hand over the congregation and announced, “None of you will be left behind.” Again, my jaw dropped.

This supposed pastor is not God. He has not looked upon the pages of The Lamb’s Book of Life. A person may come to church every Sunday. They may have been proud members of the church for fifty years. They may serve on every committee. And, yet they could very well be left behind when Jesus comes for His church.

Being a church member does not necessarily mean the person has accepted Jesus as their savior. Their parents and grandparents may have been church members, causing the person to think that they are grandfathered into Christianity. Wrong!

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“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16

While I write articles concerning prophecy to do with the last days, I would be remiss omitting the truth concerning our need for salvation. Some choose to believe that there are many ways to heaven, performing good works being one way. Placing faith in Jesus as the one and only way seems ridiculous to these people. They choose to create their personal gospel, forming it into a nice, neat package that fits their lives.

Jesus was clear when he said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but through me.”

How about you?

Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart? Remember, absolutely nothing must happen before the Rapture. So, the question is—Will you be going or staying?

The choice is yours.

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