Somebody Loves You

Guest (Male): We need to understand that the way, the road is unpaved, and the gravel and the rocks are there before us. It's not an easy way. It takes a strong will and determination and personal sacrifice to stick with that road. And how many people give up when it gets hard? They want an easy way.

I am falling in love. I am falling in love. I am falling in love. I am falling in love with you.

Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. We are in the middle of our study of what God's word reveals about heaven and hell, the only two destinations in the afterlife. Today, Raul will urge us to choose the narrow yet richly blessed path to heaven. Keep listening to see that sin separates us all from God, but when you repent and receive His redemption through Jesus, you can follow your Savior all the way to a wonderful eternal home. Here is Raul Ries with today's study.

Raul Ries: This morning, if you have your Bibles, turn to Matthew chapter seven, verses 13 to 14. The title of my message, One Gate Into Heaven. Let me read you the text out of Matthew 7:13 and 14. 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 only few who find it."

So here Jesus is giving us a great exhortation because we're living in a time where people think it's easy to get to heaven, but it's not. I know salvation is the free gift of God, which is so cool. Paul the apostle in Ephesians chapter two, verse eight says, "By the grace of God we are what we are." But then it's not of works lest any man should boast. And here Jesus is going to teach us some great lessons because it's amazing when you look at the scripture here that God allows every person to have a choice.

A choice to accept Him, to reject Him, to walk in the light or walk in darkness, to be obedient or to be disobedient. Nobody can ever point their finger at any other person or even God and say, "You made me do it." No, you did it. You have a will. And especially the things of eternity, because the choices that I make, good or bad, will not only affect me in this life, but it will affect me in the next life to come. And a lot of people don't realize that.

But He will never force anybody to come to Him, or that you and I would worship Him. He always gives you the opportunity. You make the choice. And yet He has given to us not only the freedom of choice, but the freedom to go about choosing the narrow road or using the wide road that is before us. And then how I thank God my life and your life, that He's given us the privilege to choose, to accept, and to step behind and to look at other people that are making the wrong choices. And even though we've shared with them, they still reject Him because they hate Him. They don't love Him.

Now, what man is facing today, and what we all are facing today, is the matter of choice. Now, a gate is a place where it brings security. It's a gate that when we walk through it, not only we have security, but we're in a place of safety, a place of safety. And that's exactly where we're heading as children of the Lord. There is only one way, there's only one truth, and there's only one life. John 14:6 says, "Jesus said, 'I am the way, the only truth, the only life, and no one comes to the Father except through me.'"

Acts 4:12, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Must be saved. It's not about religion. You can join a church and sign a piece of paper. And yet, even though you sign that piece of paper, that church may be able to guarantee you something, but they can't guarantee you eternal life. Only Jesus. And that only comes as I submit, as I bow before Him, and humble myself before Him because the Holy Spirit has been convicting my life.

And when the Holy Spirit convicts my life, I can do two things: accept Him, reject Him, obey or disobey. Obey or disobey. And we have to remember that Jesus is outside of the door knocking, waiting for you to open the door. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus said, "Behold, I, Jesus, stand at the door and knock of your heart. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him and dine with him and he with me." Now, the only way that we can hear the voice of God is if we're seeking for Him. That's the only way.

You can't force people to go to heaven, and you can't force people to go to hell. Every person makes a choice. We all make a choice, again, to be in the light or to be in the dark. And Jesus here is talking about a door. In John chapter 10, he talks about the door to the sheepfold, and they know His voice and they enter in. In John 10:7, He says, "Then Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came to me before me are thieves, robbers,' it says, 'but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.'"

"The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and they know me, as my Father knows me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd." He's talking about the Jews and the Gentiles.

Now, Jesus will never, ever force you. He's created us with the will to make choices. The choice to take the narrow path or to take the broad way. And what's incredible about that, I got blown away because the gate here is not only speaking of eternal life, but think about when we not only get to heaven and when we get to heaven and see people that we thought would never be there. And yet, because of the love and grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, there will be no excuse for anyone not entering through the gate.

Listen to Peter in 2 Peter 3:9. He says, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." That's the key, repentance. Have you truly repented in the Lord? The word that he uses for narrow in the Greek means that it doesn't get wider, it gets narrow this way where you almost can't get in. That's the narrow. And he said only few make it. But the way to destruction, many, many go there.

Think of all the people that will be surprised one day when they stand at the, not the bema seat of Christ, but when they stand in Revelations chapter 20, verse 11 through 15, which is the White Throne Judgment of God before He creates the new heavens and the new earth. This is where hell is open, everyone in hell is brought out, hell is cast into the lake of fire, the Antichrist, the false prophet, every demon will be cast into the lake of fire, and then, as the books are open, every person that ever went to hell will make a line.

And as the books were open, whoever's name was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire forever and ever and ever, and this is second death. Imagine. People that sit in churches will be in the lake of fire because they think that religion's okay. If I go to the service this morning, I'll be fine and hear the message, but I don't have to practice the message. And people like that are deceiving themselves. It's like when you look in the mirror and you depart from the mirror, you forget who you really are.

We must never forget that one day we will stand before God and we'll have to give an account to Him. We cannot make any excuses when we stand before the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's why He says the actual gate is wide where destruction comes. But the way to get into heaven is narrow. But the way that is broad, philosophers, I mean, think about every person that puts down Jesus Christ and that tries to deceive people from the truth and the light. They listen to the philosophy of their lives.

They believe in false things. They eat appetites that are not lawful to the Lord, and what I'm talking about there is carnality, the appetites of the world that destroy and hook people and they end up going to hell. The passions that we have in our hearts for the world and for the things of the world when we are told not to love the things of the world but to love Jesus Christ with all of our hearts and with everything that is in us.

Guest (Male): This is Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. We'd like to take just a brief time out and remind you that we are here to inspire and equip you on your journey with the Lord. Visit somebodylovesyou.com to check out our comprehensive selection of Bible-based resources, including Raul's Heaven or Hell series, available on both CD and USB. Now, back to the final part of our study, One Gate Into Heaven.

Raul Ries: Next thing that I want to talk to you a little bit about is here, it's the way to eternal life. It's very specific, very specific. He says few, not many. Because I hear a lot of pastors, a lot of teachers, where they're making salvation like all you have to do is believe and you're in. I'm sorry, but that's not what the Bible is saying. Salvation is the free gift of God. And Paul goes on to say that when you truly accept Christ and you accept Him as your Lord and Savior, then there's fruit that comes into your life.

In Jeremiah 21:8, Jeremiah says, "Now you shall say to this people," God says through Jeremiah tell the people this, "Thus saith the Lord: 'Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.'" Isn't that neat? The way of life and the way of death. Choose you this day who you're going to serve. Listen, secondly, here. The way is Jesus. Acts 4:12 says this, "Nor is there salvation in any other," you should underline that, "for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." What name? Jesus.

Jesus is the only way. Salvation is life's decision. He says there are two ways, two roads to life. One is easy and the other one is very hard. We're not saved by works. We're saved by faith in Jesus Christ. But listen carefully. Paul and James, true faith brings true works. People shall know you by your fruits. You can tell which is a peach and which is a pear. And the same way in our lives, you cannot ever say, "Well, I accepted Christ and I did this and I did that." No, you're going to be tested by your fruits.

What kind of fruit do you possess? And then if we walk by the power of the Holy Spirit, then there's no way we can walk in the darkness but we're walking in the light as He is in the light. It is a walk where you and I cannot do whatever we want to do. We're in submission to Jesus Christ. You see, the narrow and hard way requires commitment, determination, discipline, control, and, listen carefully, self-denial. Self-denial. This path is very narrow, very difficult to get through.

And it's only through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience, obedience to the word of God. When you got saved, when I got saved, what happened? The moment I got saved, I knew that I was going to have a different life. And I never read the Bible, and I wasn't in a church, I was in my home. And yet what's incredible is that when I got saved that day, the next day, the first thing that I wanted to do is I wanted to find out who God was. So what I needed? A Bible.

So I went and got me a Bible. And when I got the Bible, I began to read it. Then secondly, I thought, "I gotta find a church." And the Lord led me to a church, Calvary Chapel, the same person that I got saved through, Chuck Smith. You see, God speaks, but the problem is we don't listen. We don't listen to what God is saying. And we know that the world's a dangerous place, it's full of mines, full of booby traps.

And Satan's out there waiting to see how can he get you. Why? Because he studies your life just like he did Job. He studies your life because his whole goal is to destroy you, to destroy you fully and completely. And as the narrow way is very hard and very, very difficult, only few find it. Only few find it. Interesting. Again, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, and if any man open the door, I'll come in and sup with you and you with me." You've got to invite Him in.

Self-denial and the will to struggle, not only is it in my life, but when we talk about self-denial, it means that I submit my will to God. He says, "If any man wants to come after me, let him, number one, deny himself; two, take up your cross; three, follow me." And the word deny means to do what? To forget about myself and my desires and to die to myself, to carry the cross. And then I can have eternal life, and then I can be in the presence of Jesus Christ.

We need to understand that the way, the road is unpaved, and the gravel and the rocks are there before us. It's not an easy way. It takes a strong will and determination and personal sacrifice to stick with that road. And how many people give up when it gets hard? They want an easy way. You see, a person must endure hardness and suffering. 2 Timothy 2:3 says, "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."

Who's that? Jesus Christ. He enlisted you and I. There are two ends: the broad way that ends in destruction, and then the narrow way. The narrow way is the way of obedience, the way of loving God with all of your mind, all of your soul, all of your heart. And yet, as the narrow way ends in life, that is the fullness of life and the highest idea of life today, the highest. John 10:10, "A thief doesn't come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly."

1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those that are perishing, the broad way, but to us of the narrow way who are being saved, it is the power of God, the power of God." I love that. The power of God to those that walk the narrow way. Are you walking the narrow way today? Or are you walking the broad way? I will pray for you because you can't just say I'm going to heaven.

When Nicodemus came to Jesus in John chapter three, Nicodemus was one of the guys in the Sanhedrin; 72 made up the Sanhedrin. And he was rich, a lot of money, a lot of power. And when he heard Jesus, he didn't come by day, he came by night. And when he came by night, he said, "Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said this to him, "You must be born again." Of what? Of the Holy Spirit.

And when Nicodemus heard that, he said, "How can a man go back into his mother's womb and for a second time have a physical birth?" And Jesus says no, it's not a physical birth, it's a spiritual birth. And then Paul the apostle in 2 Corinthians 5:17 said, "Therefore, if any man is in Christ Jesus, all things have become brand new." You've been changed by the Holy Spirit. If you said you accepted Jesus Christ but you're still in the same place, something is wrong. Something is wrong.

If you haven't seen a change in your heart and you have no hunger and thirst for God, you better check your heart again. If you are committing sin in your life and you have no conviction of your sin, then you better check your life again because you might not be a Christian. You might be just a religious person coming to church. There is many, many that are unwise. They enter the white gate, notice. They travel the broad way. They travel the easy way. And they end up what? Perishing and experiencing destruction, gnashing of teeth. That's what Jesus taught.

Matthew 6:24, here's where you make the choice. "No man can serve two masters." Who rules your life? Jesus or the world or Satan? And let me give you a final scripture out of the book of Isaiah chapter 1:18. He says, "Come now, and let us reason together," so He's bringing Israel said, okay, let's reason together, "saith the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are like red as crimson, they shall be white as wool."

And then He goes on to say that even though these things are there, God says, "I will accept you if you're willing to repent." The reason in chapter one of Isaiah is the people were lifting their hands unto the Lord in worship, and the Lord said, "You hypocrites, put your hands down. Your hands are full of blood. Repent."

Guest (Male): If you have not yet received God's gift of salvation made through Jesus Christ, we invite you to make this all-important decision today. Turn to Him in true faith and repentance. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. To hear today's lesson in its unedited form, just call us at 800-634-9165 and for a donation of $5 or more, we'll send a copy to you. Just mention today's study, One Gate Into Heaven.

We'd also like to tell you about Raul's four-part Heaven or Hell series on either CD or thumb drive. Now, this study will help you better understand what God's word says about everlasting life. You'll also learn more about the Lord's unconditional redemptive love. To purchase Raul's four-message study titled Heaven or Hell, visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165. We'll send you the CD collection for $18, or if you'd like, the flash drive for just $10. The number again is 800-634-9165.

Or write to us at Somebody Loves You Radio, Post Office Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765. For podcasts of all of our previously aired radio programs, visit iTunes and Spotify, or look for them on the Somebody Loves You Worldwide YouTube channel. You'll also want to make this channel your go-to for live-streamed Bible teaching, including Raul's Straight Talk program every Tuesday at 10:00 AM West Coast time. And if you have specific Bible questions you'd like to ask Raul, you can email him at pastorraul@somebodylovesyou.com.

We appreciate the generous partnership of everyone who supports our mission to share the good news of Jesus Christ, and every contribution is tax-deductible. Join us next time for our continuing focus on heaven, addressing the question of whether husbands and wives remain married in the afterlife. We'll see that our relationships will shift as we experience complete, perfectly fulfilling communion with Jesus Himself. Now, let's rejoin Raul for a closing comment.

Raul Ries: One more. Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me, all of you who labor are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me," again the teaching of God's word, "for I am gentle, lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." And listen to what John says in Revelation 22:17, "And the spirit and the bride say," this is Jesus, "come and let him hear, he who says come, and let him who thirst come, whoever desires, let him take of the water of life freely."

Three times: come, come, come. He's doing what? He's inviting. And yet, as Jesus gives the great invitation, people reject Him and they resist Him. I would pray this morning that we would take an examination of our hearts and prove ourselves if we're truly in the light or we're in the darkness. Are we on that narrow road or are we following in that broad road that leads us to destruction?

I am falling in love. I am falling in love. I am falling in love. I am falling in love with you.

Guest (Male): This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.