There are two senses in which we can go immediately to heaven:
1) We can go there directly (no mediators) - im-mediate
2) We can qualify for life in heaven NOW
DIRECT ACCESS - NO GO-BETWEENS
We can go directly to God; we have the hotline, the red phone. Jesus provides us with direct access to God the Father. In fact, this is the only way we can have access to God.
Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."
The Bible says that Jesus is "the exact representation of God."
Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father. Jesus responds: "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father."
Paul tells us: "there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus."
In order to go to heaven you must go through Jesus. He is the door. (John 10:7). What happens when you put other mediators between yourself and God? Each mediator is like a backward pair of binoculars; instead of getting a clearer picture of God, He appears further away. Or consider this. Each mediator is like a nested Russian doll. Each doll gets smaller and smaller. When you finally get to Jesus, instead of being
magnified, he is diminished.
John the Baptist is the greatest person ever born of a woman (according to Jesus). But John warned his followers: "He must increase, I must decrease."
Jesus says that we are not to even to pray to Him, since we are to pray to the Father! (John 16:23). We are to pray through Him. He is the one mediator. Jesus is the key to heaven.
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ACCESS NOW - NO WAITING
We can truly go to heaven RIGHT NOW! In fact, the Bible warns that we need to go to heaven TODAY, before it is too late. Heaven is the hidden treasure that can be found. It is the pearl of great price that can be purchased. NOW! Jesus spoke concerning the tax collector Zacchaeus:
"Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham."
Paul tells the Ephesians that they have been made alive, they have been saved, and they are even now seated with Christ Jesus in heaven. Salvation is an event, with continuing consequences. This is a truly radical concept, but it is what the bible teaches. How can these things be? Going to heaven is like eating really spicy food. You get to taste it NOW and LATER. If you don't eat it now (believe - click WILL WORK FOR FOOD), you won't taste it later, either.
Why are you waiting? Wash away your sins, calling on the name of the LORD! Whoever calls upon the name of the LORD will be saved. See Romans 10:8-10. |
****************** Matt. 4:17 - Heaven is very close!
Lk. 19:9 - Today salvation!
Eph. 2:4-6 - Sitting in heaven!
John 6:47 - Present tense!
Rom. 5:1 - Got peace!
John 3:18 - Condemned already?!
John 3:36 - Wrath now?!
John 5:24 - Passed over!
Phil. 3:20 - Citizens now! |
