The Way to Heaven - Part 1

Welcome to the InTouch podcast with Charles Stanley for Monday, August 8 Jesus declared that he is the only way to heaven. Today's podcast gives us the straight talk about salvation. Most of the time we think about Jesus speaking that he probably spoke the logic roads but if you read the New Testament is what you will discover that some of the most important things Jesus said, he said only one person only one person you would think what would have said that to a crowd somehow in his own wisdom and knowledge and understanding.

He knew if he said some things that one person far and wide.

It would go in the conversation they were going to read about in the Scripture in just a few moments is one of the most important things he ever said. In fact, it's the truth. It's a statement that he made that everyone needs to hear, and not only just to hear, but to understand because the truth is what he said that this particular person is his explanation of how anyone and everyone gets to heaven. So when you turn if you will, to the third chapter of John. How does a person get to heaven. What is the way and this is an explanation that Jesus gave in this third chapter. There's a conversation between him and the man named Nicodemus of us read a few verses there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews and this man came to Jesus by night and said to Rabbi, we know that you come from God as a teacher but no one can do these things that you do unless God is with and he said truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, how can a man be born when he is old, he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he Jesus answered, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is one of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I sent to you. You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of but do not know where it's coming from and where it's going. So is everyone who is born of the spirit.

Nicodemus said to him, how can these things be, and Jesus answered and said to him, are you the teacher of this role do not understand these things. Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we've seen and you do not accept our testimony.

If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how would you believe if I tell you heavenly things no one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up so that whosoever believes in him have eternal life. You civil what the world does that have to do with getting to heaven let's talk about for a moment. This identify who this Nicodemus is Nicodemus is a ruler of the Jews in his day. He was a teacher of the truth. He was the kind of man who would certainly be considered a good man because he was not only a teacher.

He believed that Old Testament Scripture, and he no doubt attended all of the ceremonies. He was a keeper of the law, not only the teacher but he demonstrated by the light that is live and it's interesting that Jesus know where accuses him or condemns him in any fashion.

He was a good man. I'm sure that being a Pharisee that he stuck to the law absolutely meticulously, he only ate certain things in the board of the others he ties his income fatefully on the Sabbath day he was in the synagogue. Teaching in the temple and so here's a man who could not be criticized for being unkind disrespectful or a man who was dishonest or deceptive. Everything about him seemed to be right and yet this man whose life was so right. Jesus said to him, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God except a man be born of water and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

What in the world. Does that mean and SE more than likely many of you have said it sometime of the other and talking to someone about your life love a good person, and the way you measure it out. It looks pretty good to you and so you would say well I'm certain I'm going to heaven because I do not do the following thing or I'm going to heaven because I do the following things and surely God is a God of love and he's a God of love he would take me in when I die, so I'm not worried about. I will remind you of something you have forgotten one of the most important things about this whole issue of living and dying and being made acceptable in the eyes of God, and I want to explain that he says some considering his own life. Although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh that is in his own works, and goodness. He says if anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, that is, if anyone has a right to expect God to accept them on the basis of their conduct their works and their so, for he says I do and then his what he does. He gives the reasons he says. For example, circumcised the eighth day of the nation of Israel, a tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews as to the law of Pharisee that put him hop on the level as the seal a persecutor of the church as the righteousness which is of the law was found blameless, but whatever things were gain to me, those things are counted as loss for the sake of Christ and Paul came the conclusion now that work that he would not be made acceptable in the eyes of God because of his good conduct or anything else they did, and though he was absolutely committed to being a Pharisee and following the law of meticulously it wouldn't work and he discovered that a very difficult way when God struck him down the Damascus road and spoke to him, transformed his life and made him the greatest missionary in human history. What is it then about this new birth. What is it about this being born-again business, why, why does he say I say to you solemnly, he said, don't be amazed that I said you you must be born again and then he begins an explanation and what I want you to see is I want you to understand why it is absolutely necessary for you to be born again.

Now let's look at the word. For example, when he uses this term here to be born again. It also is translated to be born from above that wall, but use that will uses it here. For example, and in the same chapter and verse 31 he who comes from above is above all same Greek word that is born again or born from above. Now when you and I were born you and I were born physically and we are earthly and we have earthly limitations when we are born again we are born from above. It is the work of God in our life. The work of the Holy Spirit. And so what Jesus did to explain to this brilliant Pharisee who was a good man very sincere. What he did.

He used to physical illustrations.

One, for example, was the idea physical birth and the other was when so here's what he said.

Nicodemus, he says don't be amazed at this, you must be born again and so when we look at that and we ask will. How can a person be born of the Spirit.

How can a person be born from above numbers.

We understand the physical birth that's rather simple and so when Jesus brought this up. It was a shock to Nicodemus because he knew what physical birth was about now. Jesus is going beyond the physical into the spiritual realm. He's talking about the kind of person God wants them to be and the kind of person that that God only God can make them to be and so let's think about it for a moment in first Peter if you turn there for a moment and look at this first chapter and that when we talk about being born-again born from above what is involved in so first Peter this first chapter and listen to what he says in this third verse he says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

That is this born-again experience transforms a person's life, places them in a relationship with God that they have listened.

They have an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, which will not fade away, reserved in heaven for and then for example, look, if you will. In this 19th verse he says, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ, so he's talking about how you and I are born again is the work of the Holy Spirit. He takes the word of God shows is revealed stones the truth about ourselves and then by his spirit brings about a new life within us. And so when a person says well I'm a Christian, but I'm not a born-again when you can be such a thing. There's no such thing as a non-born-again Christian that here's where a lot of people get tripped up in their understanding somebody says will I don't know why I have to know it's walking, I just be a Christian. What had to be a born-again one will listen to me carefully. One of the things that you overlooked and one of the things that many people overlook when it comes to becoming a Christian is. They simply do this where if I have enough good works, and I don't do a lot of things of you that other people do you mean to tell me that God is not going to accept me and listen to what Jesus said.

He said most assuredly, I study you. You will not enter into heaven unless you're born-again or what in the world is that mean it means that the Holy Spirit must give you a second birth, but it is the birth of your spirit is the birth of the spirit of God within you.

When you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior. The Holy Spirit comes in your life and what does he do he gives you a new life, a new spirit. You are not the same person. Once you're born-again you may look the same. Sometimes you may not even act like you want to, but once you're born-again but the spirit of God you're born-again forever and ever. They hear is the trap somebody says will not wait a minute. I know that my conduct must be acceptable to God and all in all they go give giving us all the things that could've been said about Pharisees and Nicodemus. Here are the possible here's the one thing you forget what you forget is you have a sinful nature when you came in the world you came into the world a sinful nature. If you don't believe that. Ask your mother she'll tell you when you were two years of age when you were three years of age. You were just rebellious at that age.

When the truth is every single one of us came in this world with a sinful nature. When Adam sinned in the garden who represented the whole human race. Every single person thereafter came into this world with a sinful nature been away from God that swallowed shall ask the way they act. And that's why people still act the way that when the 70 or hundred years of age until God transforms their life wants this. You and I can fix up the outside. That doesn't transform your inside your sinful nature is what makes you lost this and what makes you lost is not, would you drink when you use profanity of do a lot of things that is make you both what makes you lost is this you have a sinful nature on the inside of you. It is been away from God. It is a rebellious nature. You may calm it down and sometimes and you may be a little better here and little better.

There times, but deep down inside that rebellious nature must be dealt with and the only person who can deal with your nature is the Lord God himself.

You can stop this and start that, but it's your nature is on the inside of you. It's who you really are and so when Jesus said you must are some of the tell you Nicodemus.

You must be born again, that must be a transformation. You must have a second birth, not just the physical birth but a second birth is not what you do is what God through his spirit will do in you. So what happens when a person is born again the spirit of God comes into your life to listen to abide within you the Scripture says, and in the eighth chapter of Romans. For example, listen with the apostle Paul said to make it very clear to us how important this is just what he says.

He says for the mind that is the unbeliever. For example, for the mind, he says, is set on the flesh and its death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life that is a person who lives for themselves apart from God. He says their mind is set on death. A person who is not born-again does not have the ability to live a godly, righteous, holy life, God is a holy God and God hates sin. The same God who hates sin is willing to forgive you of your sin and to transform your life and give you a new nature, which is what the Bible is referring to when he speaks about being born from above being born again a new life. There is a change that takes place. Now you and I have a brand-new nature and this nature is meant toward God.

You have this desire to obey him now if you don't if you don't obey him. It really bothers you the spirit of God brings about conviction you want to do what's right. You want to read the word of God. You want to pray.

You gotta fellowship with him. What happens spirit of God makes you miserable.

Listen somebody says not to anyone before I became a Christian I think I got along better than I do now. Well, the reason is saying that is what their conscience didn't bother him as much because they drank it often drugs in the affairs of this and that wages psychosocial squatted down spirit of God comes in your life you get out of God's will, what is he do, he brings it to the surface to remind you who you are, your acting like who you are not and so that's the way he guides us and leads us. When I think about the greatest change. The greatest illustration of the change that takes place in a person's life and there born-again is what I think about you know the caliber looks like that so long as they can be they caterpillar when he's crawling along the ground a little puddle of water as big as 1/4 got to make a choice to go around all a little pebble no bigger than your thumb choice to go around or crawl over everything inside of a burden from here over yonder is forever. Then one day that caterpillar crawls up the tree out on the limb and on the stem attaches itself under leave and very slowly weaves this tube around himself. We call it a cocoon that caterpillar died to its old way of life and now beautiful golden black and blue and what's he doing now flying over the pebbles flying over water pools flying over everything was heaven whole new life now and still are crawling and creeping they can fly over here and land on this battle that pedaled flower beyond and fly back there. Listen while once before he was creeping that he's sorry and I want to say to you, no matter how long you been creeping in sin, depressed down in the dumps living off of alcohol surviving on drugs you think. After maybe one marriage after the other financial things not going well. All that may be reversed and you may have all of that stuff.

Deep down inside you don't have any peace because you have peace with God deep down inside, something's missing your empty that place God created for himself and use empty. The truth is you are a slave to sin you want to be free is I get free you can go from caterpillar living the butterfly living the moment you receive Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

The new birth experience. Something's going to happen all that change is not going take place instantly is in the caterpillar that and there was some time that look like really dead but all that time. Something was happening.

The transformation was taken place because you see, caterpillars don't have wings right that I have wings.

So in this death. What's happening there is an evolving going on that caterpillar dies, the caterpillar life transformed by this awesome creation of God, and now what appeared to be dead as much alive with all the changes take place in your life instantly know does that new nature come instantly. Yes, then what happens.

You and I begin to grow and we grow we begin to understand the things of God in our life changes attitudes, behavior, future eternal destiny changes the moment you say to him, Lord Jesus. I receive you as my personal savior that is the only way you're going to get to heaven is what is, except a man or woman be born again, you cannot enter. You cannot see you even understand the kingdom of God. And it's yours for the asking and believing and that's my prayer for you. Thank you for listening to part one on the way to heaven. If you like to know more about child family were in touch ministries intense that it lacking the presentation in touch ministries