February 12, 2021

Famous statements by Gary Rose



Tom Cruise: “I WANT THE TRUTH!”

Jack Nicholson: “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!”


Yesterday, my friend Bruce Arnold send me a YouTube link ( https://www.youtube.com/embed/594Oxq4c0XA?feature=player_embedded%20 ) which listed the top one hundred famous movie lines and I enjoyed it thoroughly! I hope you take the time to either click on the link or paste it into your browser; it will be time well spent.


My favorite lines were from “A Few Good Men”. The exchange between these two men has been the most memorable of all the movies that I can remember.


This prompted me to think: what is the most memorable saying that anyone has ever said? My answer to that question is found within the last verse of the Bible passage below…


John 19 ( World English Bible )

16 So then he delivered him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away.

17 He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called “The Place of a Skull,” which is called in Hebrew, “Golgotha,”

18 where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

20 Therefore many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

21 The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘he said, I am King of the Jews.’”

22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

24 Then they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it will be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says, “They parted my garments among them. For my cloak they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.

25 But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!”

27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.

28 After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.”

29 Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth.

30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished. He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.


It is Finished” signifies the end of Jesus’ suffering and the inauguration of the new covenant between God and human beings. With these words, Jesus gave up his spirit and those who have obeyed Jesus’ gospel have the hope of eternal life. To me, these words are the most important ones that anyone has ever said. Are they important to you? I sincerely hope so!

 

Bible Reading for February 12 - 14 by Gary Rose

 

Bible Reading for February 12 - 14

World  English  Bible

 

Feb. 12

Genesis 43

Gen 43:1 The famine was severe in the land.

Gen 43:2 It happened, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little more food."

Gen 43:3 Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'

Gen 43:4 If you'll send our brother with us, we'll go down and buy you food,

Gen 43:5 but if you'll not send him, we'll not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.' "

Gen 43:6 Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?"

Gen 43:7 They said, "The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?' "

Gen 43:8 Judah said to Israel, his father, "Send the boy with me, and we'll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.

Gen 43:9 I'll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don't bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever,

Gen 43:10 for if we hadn't delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now."

Gen 43:11 Their father, Israel, said to them, "If it must be so, then do this. Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;

Gen 43:12 and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

Gen 43:13 Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.

Gen 43:14 May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

Gen 43:15 The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

Gen 43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and make ready; for the men will dine with me at noon."

Gen 43:17 The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph's house.

Gen 43:18 The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, "Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time, we're brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys."

Gen 43:19 They came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,

Gen 43:20 and said, "Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

Gen 43:21 When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.

Gen 43:22 We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don't know who put our money in our sacks."

Gen 43:23 He said, "Peace be to you. Don't be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money." He brought Simeon out to them.

Gen 43:24 The man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.

Gen 43:25 They made ready the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

Gen 43:26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to him to the earth.

Gen 43:27 He asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?"

Gen 43:28 They said, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive." They bowed the head, and did homage.

Gen 43:29 He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" He said, "God be gracious to you, my son."

Gen 43:30 Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.

Gen 43:31 He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, "Serve the meal."

Gen 43:32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians don't eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Gen 43:33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one with another.

Gen 43:34 He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him. 

 

Feb. 13

Genesis 44

Gen 44:1 He commanded the steward of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.

Gen 44:2 Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, with his grain money." He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

Gen 44:3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

Gen 44:4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, "Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, 'Why have you rewarded evil for good?

Gen 44:5 Isn't this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.' "

Gen 44:6 He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.

Gen 44:7 They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!

Gen 44:8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord's house?

Gen 44:9 With whoever of your servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondservants."

Gen 44:10 He said, "Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found will be my bondservant; and you will be blameless."

Gen 44:11 Then they hurried, and every man took his sack down to the ground, and every man opened his sack.

Gen 44:12 He searched, beginning with the eldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

Gen 44:13 Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.

Gen 44:14 Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.

Gen 44:15 Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that you have done? Don't you know that such a man as I can indeed divine?"

Gen 44:16 Judah said, "What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? Or how will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord's bondservants, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found."

Gen 44:17 He said, "Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my bondservant; but as for you, go up in peace to your father."

Gen 44:18 Then Judah came near to him, and said, "Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's ears, and don't let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh.

Gen 44:19 My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father, or a brother?'

Gen 44:20 We said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.'

Gen 44:21 You said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.'

Gen 44:22 We said to my lord, 'The boy can't leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'

Gen 44:23 You said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.'

Gen 44:24 It happened when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

Gen 44:25 Our father said, 'Go again, buy us a little food.'

Gen 44:26 We said, 'We can't go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man's face, unless our youngest brother is with us.'

Gen 44:27 Your servant, my father, said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons:

Gen 44:28 and the one went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces;" and I haven't seen him since.

Gen 44:29 If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.'

Gen 44:30 Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the boy's life;

Gen 44:31 it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol.

Gen 44:32 For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I don't bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.'

Gen 44:33 Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, a bondservant to my lord; and let the boy go up with his brothers.

Gen 44:34 For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn't with me?--lest I see the evil that will come on my father."

 

Feb. 14

Genesis 45

Gen 45:1 Then Joseph couldn't control himself before all those who stood before him, and he cried, "Cause every man to go out from me!" No one else stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

Gen 45:2 He wept aloud. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.

Gen 45:3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Does my father still live?" His brothers couldn't answer him; for they were terrified at his presence.

Gen 45:4 Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." They came near. "He said, I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

Gen 45:5 Now don't be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.

Gen 45:6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.

Gen 45:7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.

Gen 45:8 So now it wasn't you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Gen 45:9 Hurry, and go up to my father, and tell him, 'This is what your son Joseph says, "God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don't wait.

Gen 45:10 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, your children's children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.

Gen 45:11 There I will nourish you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your household, and all that you have." '

Gen 45:12 Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.

Gen 45:13 You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. You shall hurry and bring my father down here."

Gen 45:14 He fell on his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.

Gen 45:15 He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.

Gen 45:16 The report of it was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, "Joseph's brothers have come." It pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

Gen 45:17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this. Load your animals, and go, travel to the land of Canaan.

Gen 45:18 Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.'

Gen 45:19 Now you are commanded: do this. Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

Gen 45:20 Also, don't concern yourselves about your belongings, for the good of all of the land of Egypt is yours."

Gen 45:21 The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

Gen 45:22 He gave each one of them changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.

Gen 45:23 To his father, he sent after this manner: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provision for his father by the way.

Gen 45:24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, "See that you don't quarrel on the way."

Gen 45:25 They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.

Gen 45:26 They told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." His heart fainted, for he didn't believe them.

Gen 45:27 They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them. When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived.

Gen 45:28 Israel said, "It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die." 

 

Feb. 12, 13

Matthew 22

Mat 22:1 Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them, saying,

Mat 22:2 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,

Mat 22:3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come.

Mat 22:4 Again he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have made ready my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!" '

Mat 22:5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise,

Mat 22:6 and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.

Mat 22:7 When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

Mat 22:8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren't worthy.

Mat 22:9 Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.'

Mat 22:10 Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests.

Mat 22:11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn't have on wedding clothing,

Mat 22:12 and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?' He was speechless.

Mat 22:13 Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.'

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few chosen."

Mat 22:15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.

Mat 22:16 They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter who you teach, for you aren't partial to anyone.

Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

Mat 22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test me, you hypocrites?

Mat 22:19 Show me the tax money." They brought to him a denarius.

Mat 22:20 He asked them, "Whose is this image and inscription?"

Mat 22:21 They said to him, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

Mat 22:22 When they heard it, they marveled, and left him, and went away.

Mat 22:23 On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him,

Mat 22:24 saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed for his brother.'

Mat 22:25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no seed left his wife to his brother.

Mat 22:26 In like manner the second also, and the third, to the seventh.

Mat 22:27 After them all, the woman died.

Mat 22:28 In the resurrection therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had her."

Mat 22:29 But Jesus answered them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

Mat 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like God's angels in heaven.

Mat 22:31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven't you read that which was spoken to you by God, saying,

Mat 22:32 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?' God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

Mat 22:33 When the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

Mat 22:34 But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together.

Mat 22:35 One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.

Mat 22:36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?"

Mat 22:37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 A second likewise is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

Mat 22:40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

Mat 22:41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,

Mat 22:42 saying, "What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "Of David."

Mat 22:43 He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,

Mat 22:44 'The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?'

Mat 22:45 "If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?"

Mat 22:46 No one was able to answer him a word, neither did any man dare ask him any more questions from that day forth.

 

Feb. 14

Matthew 23

Mat 23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,

Mat 23:2 saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sat on Moses' seat.

Mat 23:3 All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don't do their works; for they say, and don't do.

Mat 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.

Mat 23:5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments,

Mat 23:6 and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

Mat 23:7 the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi, Rabbi' by men.

Mat 23:8 But don't you be called 'Rabbi,' for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.

Mat 23:9 Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.

Mat 23:10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.

Mat 23:11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

Mat 23:12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Mat 23:13 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

Mat 23:14 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don't enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.

Mat 23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of Gehenna as yourselves.

Mat 23:16 "Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.'

Mat 23:17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

Mat 23:18 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated?'

Mat 23:19 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

Mat 23:20 He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it.

Mat 23:21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who was living in it.

Mat 23:22 He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it.

Mat 23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

Mat 23:24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!

Mat 23:25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.

Mat 23:26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also.

Mat 23:27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

Mat 23:28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Mat 23:29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous,

Mat 23:30 and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn't have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'

Mat 23:31 Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.

Mat 23:32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.

Mat 23:33 You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?

Mat 23:34 Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city;

Mat 23:35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.

Mat 23:36 Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Mat 23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

Mat 23:38 Behold, your house is left to you desolate.

Mat 23:39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' "



 

Are You on the Right Road? by Roy Davison

https://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/whatroad.html

Are You on the Right Road?

You may be on the right road or you may be on the wrong road.

What determines whether you are on the right road? How many other people are on the same road? How nice the scenery is? No, you are on the right road if it leads you to the right destination. You are on the wrong road if it takes you to the wrong destination. You are traveling on some road now. Where are you going?

Many are on the wrong road.

"Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace" (Isaiah 59:7,8).

Do you think you are on the right road?

Even so you must be careful because according to the Scriptures: "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12). "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts" (Proverbs 21:2). Jeremiah prayed: "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jeremiah 10:23). Man needs guidance from God.

God shows people the right road: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls" (Jeremiah 6:16).

How can you know you are on the right road?

The Psalmist prayed: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). You can know you are on the right road only by the word of God.

God's way is the right way.

Any other way is a wrong way because it leads to destruction. "The way of the Lord is strength for the upright, but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity" (Proverbs 10:29).

Abraham, the father of the faithful, was to "command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord" (Genesis 18:19).

The right way, God's way, leads to life; the wrong way leads to death. "I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble" (Proverbs 4:11-19).

We must be careful whom we choose to accompany. "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray" (Proverbs 12:26).

"In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death" (Proverbs 12:28). "The way of life winds upward for the wise, that he may turn away from hell below" (Proverbs 15:24).

The right road is the highway of holiness.

In a prediction of the kingdom of the Messiah, God's Anointed, Isaiah said: "A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray" (Isaiah 35:8).

Christ is the way.

Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

There are only two roads.

Jesus said: "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). "Then one said to Him, 'Lord, are there few who are saved?' And He said to them, 'Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able' " (Luke 13:23,24).

Have you passed through the narrow gate?

Many people think they are on the right road when they have never gone through the narrow gate.

"The way which leads to life" is the way of faithful service in Christ. Jesus admonishes His followers: "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).

"The narrow gate" represents God's conditions for salvation. One must go through this narrow gate to be saved and get on the right road.

The wrong road is broad and has a wide gate.

Some claim that everyone will be saved. Jesus said that few will find the way to life.

Some claim that good people in all religions will be saved. Peter said that salvation is only "by the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 4:10). "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Some claim that salvation can be earned by doing good works. Paul says: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified" (Galatians 2:16).

Some claim that they can be saved by faith only. James says: "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. ... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:24,26). James says about Abraham: "Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?" (James 2:22).

Some claim that they can be saved by performing religious rituals, when their lives are full of sin and their hearts are full of pride, jealousy and hatred. But we are warned: "Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God" (Hebrews 12:14,15).

Some claim that they are on the right road because their parents had them christened when they were babies. But Philip told the Eunuch that he had to believe with all his heart before he could be baptized (Acts 8:37).

Because the way to destruction is so broad, we could go on and on telling about wrong ways people think they can be saved.

How do we go through the narrow gate so we can walk on the right road?

Jesus said: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16). Paul wrote: "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).

The gospel of Christ "is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). The good news is "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3,4).

We must confess our faith to pass through the narrow gate. "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 to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation" (Romans 10:9,10).

The "good confession" (1 Timothy 6:12,13) is: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37; Matthew 16:16).

We must also repent to pass through the narrow gate. We must be sorry for our sins, decide to turn away from sin and serve God.

When some came to John for baptism although they had not repented, he replied: "Brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance" (Matthew 3:7,8).

When we are baptized on the basis of our faith, repentance and confession, we become a part of the body of Christ and receive forgiveness of sins. We pass through the narrow gate and begin a walk in newness of life.

Peter told believers on the day of Pentecost: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).

Paul explained to the Romans: "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3,4).

Are you on the right road?

"The way of life winds upward for the wise, that he may turn away from hell below" (Proverbs 15:24). Are you on the highway of holiness, the difficult way that leads to life?

Have you entered the narrow gate? Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, that He died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead the third day? Have you repented of your sins and completely dedicated your life to God? Have you confessed your faith in Christ? Have you been baptized into His death so you can rise to walk in newness of life?

If so, let us walk together on the way of life that winds upward to the heavenly city where death will be no more.

If not, I urge you to obey the Lord and enter the narrow gate that leads to the way of life.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982,
Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)