“There are only two kinds of people in the end. Those who say to God ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘Thy will be done” C S Lewis.

Being given the ability to choose between God and His adversary is the greatest of choices God could have bestowed upon mankind. And it all comes down to where we wish to spend eternity. Is there anything that is more important than our eternal destiny? I say no but many will say yes there are things more important than thinking about what comes after this life. The reason for this attitude among the perishing is one of unbelief. Many just won’t believe there’s life after planet earth, hence, two kinds of people.    

C S Lewis had it right. More recently I, too, have written of the magnitude of a sincere and informed eternal decision. But more importantly Jesus speaks of this subject quite forcefully in His word “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13, 14. “Hodos” is the Greek word for way and can also be translated path, road, or highway. Highways are, for the most part, broad and can accommodate a huge throng of people. Jesus says many will travel that broad highway and be destroyed. Many will seek after destruction because they just find it too difficult to accept or believe that any other path exists. Many will seek after the lusts and desires of this life, never coming to the realization that these things are all temporary.

This lost generation looks at believers and says “We don’t want to be like them, we don’t want to miss out on all the thrilling and fantastic adventures that these Christians can’t even appreciate because of their religion”. “We want what’s coming to us”, many will say, “I deserve it”, (sadly, if they stay in that frame of mind they will soon realize they got exactly what they’ve asked for). God says, “Thy will be done”.

As believers in Christ we can enjoy this life God has blessed us with. We can have relationships with folks who, for the most part, think as we do and this places us in a position of fellowship that is never understood by those who are perishing. Everyone has a need for fulfillment and as such Christians turn to Christ, we say to God “Thy will be done.”

The lost, on the other hand, have a big empty void inside them. There’s a place for God in us all but those who refuse to allow God His place in them are at a loss to understand why they can not be filled. They struggle continually, in vain, to fill that emptiness by giving in to the lust of their hearts. Every decision is pretty much a moral decision these days, and yet the ones who are perishing can’t or won’t see it that way. It’s all about how much pleasure they can derive out of any and all situations. All the sinful pleasures that unbelievers strive to be engulfed in are only going to turn out to be a fleeting pleasure at best. Adhering to the carnal lusts of the heart will always result in pursing more and new pleasures but never actually achieving fulfillment.

What those who are perishing can’t seem to grasp is that all Christians sin. Oops, here come the emails. Those who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ don’t suddenly become perfect people, but the lost think that’s exactly what happens. Then when they witness a believer stumble, as we all do, all they can see is a hypocrite. We’re not perfect, not by, any stretch of the imagination, but we are forgiven.

At some point, many who are perishing because of their unbelief begin to seek after a more fulfilling “spiritual” life. Satan loves to lead these unguided seekers to something that sounds like it might have come from God but actually comes from Satan himself. Many will be lead to their own demise by listening to others with an agenda that is in direct opposition to God. Many will fall in step with leaders, supposedly Bible teachers, who through their own deceitful interest teach lies. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:15.

The problem is, many people as they seek after some form of spirituality, remain ignorant of God’s word. Therefore it’s impossible for them to heed Jesus’ words to “beware of false prophets.” This in turn gives these cunningly false prophets a license to deceive the masses. These ravening wolves have an agenda, and it isn’t to teach from God’s word. A huge deception I see currently affecting many people’s spirituality is the onslaught of self help books. Many of these books can actually take on a Christian look and feel yet be quite contradictory to God’s word.  

I’ve seen and heard of some extremely heretical practices occurring in Churches across this county. As Christians we are to be focused on Jesus Christ, we aren’t to take our eyes off Him. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “... No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62. If we take our eyes off Jesus Christ we will turn away from Him and get caught up in things that will lead us astray.

Yet we see many pastors and others who once taught from the Bible turning to alternative sources for teaching and using these alternatives to lead people away from the word of God. Using these alternative sources they corrupt the lives of others, and there are some pastors who actually use these very heretical alternatives for preaching from the pulpit. Rick Warren’s now famous book, “The Purpose Driven Life” as well as Warren’s “The Purpose Driven Church” and the study materials that accompany these teachings are all distractions to move people away from the word of God.

In my home town of 4800 people and about 100 churches there’s at least one church that has gone bonkers over the “The Shack” written by William P. Young. They’ve gone as far as to erect a small structure in front of their regular assembly building depicting “The Shack”. They’re promoting a book of fiction that depicts God as a character that is completely contrary to the God of the Bible. When we begin to incorporate props such as this for teaching in our Christian Churches we begin to move away from God and closer to where Satan would have us. There are many other distractions being presented with a Christian look and feel but they are all deceptions. Tell me, if you can, what’s wrong with teaching exclusively from God’s inerrant word?

More and more we see these erroneous teachings invading our once revered sanctuaries and we know this is going to continue and become even more pervasive. Every single denomination and non-denomination is being attacked by some sort of false teaching and false doctrines and as such they will continue to move further and further away from a foundation built on Jesus Christ.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first...” 2 Thessalonians 2:3a In Paul’s admonition to the Thessalonians he makes it clear that before Christ’s return there must first come a falling away, and scholars are divided on whether Paul is referring to the falling away by believers or a world wide rebellion to God. All we need to do is look at what’s happening in many of our Christian Churches today to see what Paul meant. 

Unfortunately, one of my favorite Christian organizations which began back in the late 60’s and early 70’s and which God used mightily to create a huge movement, leading many to Jesus, is Calvary Chapel. It, too, is being attacked from every angle and now heading full steam towards the emergent/contemplative purpose driven agenda and kingdom now affiliation. Believe it or not there is only one purpose behind all these distractions and disruptions, and that is to eliminate the true Church and replace it with the apostate Church of the last days.

“Nearly every evangelical denomination and organization of any size in North America is going in this same direction as [the Calvary Chapel organization] to one degree or another.” Lighthouse Trails

Two separate paths and two different types of people. Different only by the choice they make. That choice will either lead them to an eternity with Jesus Christ in Heaven, or an eternity in a burning Lake of Fire. As different as the two people groups seem they are all equally known by God. God knows which path each person will ultimately take and He’s known it from before the creation of the world.

“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” 2 Peter 3:8. In this verse Peter is giving us a lesson in how God views eternity, and the fact that God is eternal. God is not restrained by time or space but He can see the beginning and the end of all things at the same exact moment. He already knows what decision you and I will make in regards to our eternal destiny. That’s how Jesus can say “broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat”. Matthew 7:13b. If you’re reading this commentary and you’ve not made that most important decision of your life to follow Jesus Christ, there’s still time, albeit precious little, so choose wisely.  

It’s appropriate that Jesus refers to His followers as sheep. Sheep have the propensity to follow rather than lead and sadly many will follow doctrines which consist of what man has derived from his own mind, most of which are at odds with the scriptures. In these “last days” there will be great multitudes that follow erroneous teachings and they are completely unaware of the fact that they are being led down the most destructive of highways. This truth isn’t something we will need to be looking for as occurring in the distant future, oh, no my friends it’s happening right now. This world of ours is heavily into following extremely deceitful and blatant liars. 

Jesus said “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:14. Jesus is that straight gate and narrow way referred to in the scripture verse above. There is no other Way in which one may enter Heaven. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6.

First and foremost, we must believe Jesus is who He said He is or there is no hope for salvation and no foundation for our Christian faith “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58. In the very next verse the Pharisees provide us with their understanding of Jesus’ words. “Then took they up stones to cast at him:” John 8:59a. You see, in the minds of the Jews who had just heard Jesus’ proclamation, He had blasphemed God by making Himself out to be God. Jesus had just committed the offence (in the eyes of the Pharisees) that would lead to His death. If you don’t understand what Jesus meant by saying “I Am”, He was referring to the voice that spoke to Moses from the burning bush in Exodus chapter 14. Jesus was that voice. Jesus is God and the Pharisees recognized Jesus was making that claim. They didn’t believe it of course, but they do now.

Again, two very distinct paths are available to the people of planet earth. All earth’s peoples have a choice to make. We are all God’s creation and we were all created in His image, more importantly God has no favorites when it comes to our salvation. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. God would love for all men to seek Him and come to repentance before it’s too late. Unfortunately, according to God’s own words, that’s not going to happen. Many will follow the wrong path.

None of us are pushed on to that broad highway that leads to destruction, but many people will be led there. Jesus says many will follow it because they choose to follow it. Few will make the alternative choice. How disturbing is that revelation? We can choose to believe what Jesus says or we can ignore Him and continue down the wrong path, but we can’t have it both ways. If we never consciously make the choice to follow Jesus, then we have made our choice.

Following a liar just because he or she gives persuasive and articulate speeches using words that sound like something God might say will not suffice as an excuse as to why you were lead astray as you stand before the White Throne Judgment Seat of God. If you’re following a man or woman who claims to have the answers and know the correct path to God, yet they deny the deity of Jesus Christ, you’re going to be in for a huge surprise as you stand before the King of Kings weeping as you realize that during your life on earth you had continually followed the father of all lies instead of learning the truth. God’s truth is obvious and those who don’t accept it are without excuse. 

Here’s the answer to this problem of being deceived or misled. Grab your Bible and open it to the book of Genesis and begin to read and study like you’ve never done before (and many haven’t). When you get to the last page of the Book of Revelation begin again. Since our eternal destiny is a life or death situation, continue this new study practice for the rest of your life. If you are familiar with God’s word it will be very difficult, probably even impossible, to be led astray by those who want to teach doctrines of men and those who have their own agendas apart from God. 

This concept of getting people to read everything that comes along, all the while neglecting the one book they should have practically memorized by now, is satanic. This evil is inspired by Satan and it’s working quite well. I’ve read that there are currently about 3,000 new books being published every day. That statistic, if true, is extraordinary to say the least, yet there has never been another book so popular in its sales that it holds the record for books sold to date, or as neglected once purchased, I’m speaking of the Holy Bible, God’s inerrant word. 

You say you want to hear from God? Read your Bibles. God will speak to you from every page. You may wish to ignore the admonition I’ve written on this page, which, of course will be to your own detriment. As we get close to the time of Jesus’ Second Advent, Satan is working exponentially to lead as many as possible down that destructive highway.

Thy will or my will be done. Your choice.

God bless you all,

Ron Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

All scripture is from the KJV