No Shortcuts
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. – Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV.
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And 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. And where I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:1-6 NKJV.
Rob Sloan was thought to have been the third-place runner in the Kielder Marathon, in northern England. However, he has been stripped of his medal due to disqualification. During the run, he took a shortcut via a spectator bus. As event Director Steve Cram describes, “He’s the only runner in the whole of the race who ran the second half of the race quicker than the first half.” You can do that if you ride a bus! It makes the whole marathon thingy much more pleasant! (Reuters 10.13.11)
Rob must have thought that he would actually be able to deceive everyone about his marathon performance. He found out though that his great plan for an easy run had a few flaws in it. His plan was not allowed by the event officials. That’s why it’s called a marathon. You run every step, in every mile, without any shortcuts via buses. Rob tried to bluff his way through, denying what he had done, until he was finally forced to admit his attempted deception.
Many apparently believe that there is a shortcut to Heaven, to the “Father’s house.” No need to include Jesus in this plan, just take the turn onto the broad way, through the wide gate, and it will all turn out fine. Because, everyone knows, that everyone is going to Heaven; some are just taking a different road. At least that’s what I seem to be hearing more and more in recent days. The Biblical spiritual fact is that Jesus is the only “way” provided by which we may travel to Heaven (i.e. “the Father”), or as King David says, the “house of the LORD (Psalm 23:6).”
Attempts to travel to Heaven by any other means than through Jesus will fail. The event coordinator of this Heavenly event is God Himself. God has given one prerequisite for dwelling in the “house of the LORD forever.” That most important prerequisite is Jesus. We are told this in Romans 10:9-13, “…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’” In John 1:12, we are told, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
Have you taken a ride on a bus down the broad road of destruction, or are you on that narrow road through Jesus that leads to life eternal?
(There is only one way to Heaven, and that Way is Jesus.)