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Sunday, July 9, 2017, 8:18 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “God Will Make a Way.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read various scriptures (in the ESV) on the subject of “the way.”
Jesus is The Way (Jn. 14:6)
Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God, to heaven, to salvation from sin, and to eternal life with God. “And there is salvation in NO ONE else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). He is not only God, our Lord and our Savior (our Messiah), but he is our creator. We were made by him. He is the giver of life, both physical life and spiritual life. There is life in no other. And, in him no lie is found, for he is truth, and what he proclaimed is truth. He is the Living Word and the author of scripture (our Bible – Genesis to Revelation), and it is truth.
The Way of The Lord (Matt. 3:1-3)
The way of The Lord is a straight path, i.e. it is honest, upright, trustworthy, undiluted, pure, unmixed with the world of sin, and genuine (unpretentious). It is not hypocritical, and it does NOT immerse (engage) itself in the culture of a society. It does NOT lead people to believe that they don’t have to repent of (turn away from) their sins or that they don’t have to obey Jesus in order to be saved. It does NOT use God’s grace to us as a license for lasciviousness, but it leads people to leave their lives of sin behind them to follow Jesus Christ in obedience, and in surrender to his will for their lives.
And, the way is a journey, not just a one-time experience, after which you live life however you want, and then one day you go to heaven. It is the way of holiness, and it is living and walking in righteousness. It makes “no truck with the world” (1). For, if we walk (in lifestyle) according to our sinful flesh, we will die in our sins, even if we proclaim faith in Jesus Christ (See: Ro. 8:1-14; Lu. 9:23-25; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 4:17-24; Eph. 5:3-6; 1 Jn. 1:5-9).
In the Same Way (Matt. 5:14-16)
As believers in Jesus Christ, and as his followers, we are his body, the church, the City of God (the Holy City). Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is not only The Way, The Truth, and The Life, but he is The Light. He is truth, righteousness, and holiness. He is our light, and his Word is light, and his righteousness and holiness are light. And, to be holy means to be separate (unlike, different) from the world of sin, because we are being made into the likeness of Christ. So, it is this light that we are to let shine before the world. We are Christ’s representatives to the world, so we are to let Jesus shine through our lives, and we are to live holy and godly lives pleasing to him. And, we are to share his gospel of salvation, which is the way by which people can be saved from their sins, and have eternal life with God.
The Way is Narrow (Matt. 7:13-14)
So many people today are trying to make the path (way) to God and to heaven broad (all-encompassing), rather than teach the narrow way, which is “(figuratively) the closely-defined path God ordains to travel on to gain His approval” (2). The broad way teaches that we can merely believe in Jesus’ existence, and accept his forgiveness of our sins, and we are saved, secured, and bound for heaven, and that nothing can ever take that away from us, no matter how we live our lives from that time forward. It “does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves his self-respect… The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public” (3). This way is easy, but it leads to destruction for all who choose this path.
But, the narrow way, which is the way of righteousness, truth, and holiness, and which leads to life, is hard (restricted), and that is why so many people are rejecting it and are making their own easy way to God, which is misleading, because the easy way is really a path to destruction, not to God. For, if we walk according to the flesh, we will die in our sins. If we practice sinning against God, we don’t have the promise of eternal life with God. But, if by the Spirit, we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, we will be saved from our sins, and we will live with Christ for eternity (Ro. 8:1-14).
The Way of Truth (Matt. 22:15-17)
The way of God is the way of truth, not a way of lies which tickle itching ears with feel-good messages that pamper (indulge) human flesh. God’s way does not concern itself with pleasing humans, but his way is concerned with humans pleasing God. God’s way is not swayed by popular opinion, by the culture of our society, or by TV, movies, the internet, social media, or by the philosophies, values, morals and attitudes of what is considered the “norm” of a society. His way is holiness and righteousness no matter what anyone else does, or no matter what anyone else says. He is also not impressed by appearances, for he can see the heart of man. He knows those who are truly his and those who are just playing games. He knows who has an appearance of godliness, too, but who denies its power by his/her lifestyle (2 Tim. 3:5).
God has made the way for us to walk in his way. He sent his Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for our sins. He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21). Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). When we believe in him, with God-given faith, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are resurrected with Christ to newness of life, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ro. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24). If we claim to have fellowship with God, but we walk (conduct our lives) in darkness (sin), we are liars (1 Jn. 1:6). Genuine faith in Jesus Christ involves both repentance (turning away from sin) and obedience to Christ.
As was stated earlier, The Way is not just a one-time experience, but it is a journey, i.e. it is a daily walk. Our salvation is not complete until Jesus Christ returns. So, our Lord continues to make the way for us to follow him, to obey him, to know his will, and to walk in his truth, as he leads us each day in the way he would have us to go. He gives us the counsel, direction, strength and power to walk in his ways, and to go wherever he leads us. He opens doors that no one can shut, and he shuts doors that no one can open. So, where he leads us he will make the way for us to go there, too. So, we should not fear, but we should trust our Lord. He is completely faithful!
God Will Make a Way / Don Moen
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way…
(1) By A. W. Tozer: The Old Cross and the New by A. W. Tozer
(2) Strong's Greek: 4728. στενός (stenos) -- narrow
(3) Same as #1
Jesus is The Way (Jn. 14:6)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God, to heaven, to salvation from sin, and to eternal life with God. “And there is salvation in NO ONE else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). He is not only God, our Lord and our Savior (our Messiah), but he is our creator. We were made by him. He is the giver of life, both physical life and spiritual life. There is life in no other. And, in him no lie is found, for he is truth, and what he proclaimed is truth. He is the Living Word and the author of scripture (our Bible – Genesis to Revelation), and it is truth.
The Way of The Lord (Matt. 3:1-3)
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”
The way of The Lord is a straight path, i.e. it is honest, upright, trustworthy, undiluted, pure, unmixed with the world of sin, and genuine (unpretentious). It is not hypocritical, and it does NOT immerse (engage) itself in the culture of a society. It does NOT lead people to believe that they don’t have to repent of (turn away from) their sins or that they don’t have to obey Jesus in order to be saved. It does NOT use God’s grace to us as a license for lasciviousness, but it leads people to leave their lives of sin behind them to follow Jesus Christ in obedience, and in surrender to his will for their lives.
And, the way is a journey, not just a one-time experience, after which you live life however you want, and then one day you go to heaven. It is the way of holiness, and it is living and walking in righteousness. It makes “no truck with the world” (1). For, if we walk (in lifestyle) according to our sinful flesh, we will die in our sins, even if we proclaim faith in Jesus Christ (See: Ro. 8:1-14; Lu. 9:23-25; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 4:17-24; Eph. 5:3-6; 1 Jn. 1:5-9).
In the Same Way (Matt. 5:14-16)
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
As believers in Jesus Christ, and as his followers, we are his body, the church, the City of God (the Holy City). Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is not only The Way, The Truth, and The Life, but he is The Light. He is truth, righteousness, and holiness. He is our light, and his Word is light, and his righteousness and holiness are light. And, to be holy means to be separate (unlike, different) from the world of sin, because we are being made into the likeness of Christ. So, it is this light that we are to let shine before the world. We are Christ’s representatives to the world, so we are to let Jesus shine through our lives, and we are to live holy and godly lives pleasing to him. And, we are to share his gospel of salvation, which is the way by which people can be saved from their sins, and have eternal life with God.
The Way is Narrow (Matt. 7:13-14)
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
So many people today are trying to make the path (way) to God and to heaven broad (all-encompassing), rather than teach the narrow way, which is “(figuratively) the closely-defined path God ordains to travel on to gain His approval” (2). The broad way teaches that we can merely believe in Jesus’ existence, and accept his forgiveness of our sins, and we are saved, secured, and bound for heaven, and that nothing can ever take that away from us, no matter how we live our lives from that time forward. It “does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves his self-respect… The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public” (3). This way is easy, but it leads to destruction for all who choose this path.
But, the narrow way, which is the way of righteousness, truth, and holiness, and which leads to life, is hard (restricted), and that is why so many people are rejecting it and are making their own easy way to God, which is misleading, because the easy way is really a path to destruction, not to God. For, if we walk according to the flesh, we will die in our sins. If we practice sinning against God, we don’t have the promise of eternal life with God. But, if by the Spirit, we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, we will be saved from our sins, and we will live with Christ for eternity (Ro. 8:1-14).
The Way of Truth (Matt. 22:15-17)
Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
The way of God is the way of truth, not a way of lies which tickle itching ears with feel-good messages that pamper (indulge) human flesh. God’s way does not concern itself with pleasing humans, but his way is concerned with humans pleasing God. God’s way is not swayed by popular opinion, by the culture of our society, or by TV, movies, the internet, social media, or by the philosophies, values, morals and attitudes of what is considered the “norm” of a society. His way is holiness and righteousness no matter what anyone else does, or no matter what anyone else says. He is also not impressed by appearances, for he can see the heart of man. He knows those who are truly his and those who are just playing games. He knows who has an appearance of godliness, too, but who denies its power by his/her lifestyle (2 Tim. 3:5).
God has made the way for us to walk in his way. He sent his Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for our sins. He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21). Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). When we believe in him, with God-given faith, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are resurrected with Christ to newness of life, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ro. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24). If we claim to have fellowship with God, but we walk (conduct our lives) in darkness (sin), we are liars (1 Jn. 1:6). Genuine faith in Jesus Christ involves both repentance (turning away from sin) and obedience to Christ.
As was stated earlier, The Way is not just a one-time experience, but it is a journey, i.e. it is a daily walk. Our salvation is not complete until Jesus Christ returns. So, our Lord continues to make the way for us to follow him, to obey him, to know his will, and to walk in his truth, as he leads us each day in the way he would have us to go. He gives us the counsel, direction, strength and power to walk in his ways, and to go wherever he leads us. He opens doors that no one can shut, and he shuts doors that no one can open. So, where he leads us he will make the way for us to go there, too. So, we should not fear, but we should trust our Lord. He is completely faithful!
God Will Make a Way / Don Moen
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way…
(1) By A. W. Tozer: The Old Cross and the New by A. W. Tozer
(2) Strong's Greek: 4728. στενός (stenos) -- narrow
(3) Same as #1
