TOPIC: BE SOBER AND BE VIGILANT – THE ROAD TO HEAVEN IS VERY SLIPPERY INDEED! (PART ONE)

-THE WRITTEN WORD-
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue and to knowledge. And to knowledge temperance: and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness. And to godliness, brotherly kindness: and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things ye shall never fail: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”….2ND PETER 1:5-11.


-WHAT THE HOLY GHOST REVEALED TO ME ABOUT THIS MATTER-
Men and brethren, when a certain rich man asked our Lord Jesus Christ what to do in order to make heaven at last, our Master wasted no time in directing the attention of the man to the commandments of His Father, even our God. Our Lord pointed the man to the Ten Commandments, and asked him to live by it. And I am also asking you to do so - law or no law.

But the rich man was very much like many of us today, who would justify themselves even in the face of mounting contradictions in their lives. He quickly told Jesus that he was used to all the commandments of God, and that indeed he had obeyed all of them even from childhood! Possibly he said so to please our Lord and those who were listening. But he was in for a rude shock, as some of us will be at the end of this message.

Jesus then looked at him with His usual love and passion, and asked him to sell all he had and follow Him. To sell all he had, and follow our Master, Who seemed to have no place of abode? That was too much of a request, especially for a man who was enjoying all the good things of this life. So the man went away sorrowful. And as the man was still whining and murmuring in his heart, our Lord reminded all that witnessed the dialogue that it would almost be impossible for a rich man to make heaven at last! See the Book of Luke 18:18-27. We shall discuss the rest of that scripture whenever the Lord permits.

Through this encounter, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ reveals to us, that there are many things that we may never imagine, but which things can actually deny us heaven at last. The problem with that rich man was that he loved money – he was covetous. And many are like that today, even in the Church.  The man appeared to be pure in his own eyes, and perhaps in the eyes of those around him. Yes, he was indeed righteous, at least by what he said of himself. Yet something was lacking, something seemingly insignificant, but something that was likely to send him to hell fire.

According to that rich man, he had been a just person right from childhood. He must also have been a very good example of a good child even in his community. And he grew with that reputation. And perhaps everybody was calling him, “Mr. Righteousness”. But unknown to him and to his admirers, he was heading to hell fire. Such also is the life of many who claim the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus but are heading hopelessly to hell fire. They have been saved, and that by grace; but by their illicit lifestyles they are now trampling upon that very grace that once saved them.

The question our Lord is asking every believer today is this: what is your Christian identity? He demands to know what His salvation really means to you and to me. And He is asking the following questions, some of which cannot be contained here by reason of space, and He demands answers from each and every one of us.

Are you among the men and women on suit who parade our Churches on Sundays, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof? Are you one of those women in Church who dress like angels but inwardly are ravenous wolves? Or, are you among those women who dress as satan, and even as the world, and at the same time laying claim to the righteousness of God? What manner of banner are you displaying to yourself and to those around you as evidence of your salvation?

Are you one of those who sow money in Church and reap money, yet you live an ungodly life? Are you a thief – do you steal from your husband or from your wife, do you steal from your employees? Are you a pen robber or an armed robber? Do you live by robbing people on internet? Repent today and God will show you mercy. Do you discriminate against people by reason of the color of their skin, their race, their tribe, their language, etc? Are you a respecter of the persons of men and women? Repent today and God will show you mercy.

 Are taking bribe and giving bribe? Are you a hypocrite, a pretender, a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Are you a gossip, a tale bearer, an accuser of brethren? Repent today. Are you a virgin only in the body but not in the spirit? Have you sworn to celibacy yet wallowing in lust? Renounce your oath and marry so that you perish not. Are you among those who celebrate their nakedness and shame in public all in the name of looking “beautiful”? Know you not that satan is the naked one, that whosoever displays his or her nakedness in public is inhabited by satan? Repent today and cry to God for mercy and mercy shall be shown to you.

 Do you patronize men and women with familiar spirit seeking for what is not? Are you not aware that contact with folks with familiar spirits defiles our spirit man?  And nothing and nobody that is defiled can enter heaven. What indeed is your Christian testimony and identity? Have you divorced your wife or your husband, and then “married” a “sweet heart” even when your first spouse is still alive? You are in great error; and you are heading to hell fire with your eyes wide open. Have you not read that a marriage made by our Lord is “till death do we path”? If you must not take back your spouse, then you must remain single until he or she dies, or you yourself go to be with the Lord. But God has called us to peace.

Know you not, brethren of the Lord, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? What indeed is your Christian identity? If ye be a believer and have secured a job or contract either with your body or with an ungodly connection, you are living in satan’s coven without knowing it. Forsake that job and our Lord will give you that which is reserved for you in heaven. Are you among them that enjoy “blessings” from your relations abroad who are into all manners of evil? They send you stolen goods and you sell and make money! You even dare to give testimony with the proceeds of such iniquity! The anger of God is released against all unrighteousness and wickedness of men and women. Repent today.

We will surely give account if we fail to repent. Is your own ‘business” to deal on hard and illicit drugs? You are an agent of satan. Do you deal on contraband materials, and take pleasure in bribing errant Custom men and women in order to have your way? You are an enemy of righteousness. Repent today before it is too late. The clock is ticking, the hour is at hand. Save yourself from this adulterous and perverse generation. Do you drink alcoholic drinks, smoke and even womanize, you must repent today. Do you adulterate goods and sell them to the public? Time has come for repentance. Delay can be very very dangerous indeed.

I condemn you not. This message is meant for you and for me. If you "feel" condemned, then search your life. What you have heard is the truth and nothing but the truth. What you have heard is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and indeed the only Gospel available. He preached it, His first Apostles did. That is exactly what I am doing. If you reject it, it will still be used against you on the last day. Without holiness no eye shall our God.

Brethren, the second and Final Part of this message comes up tomorrow, even as the Holy Ghost would direct. And in few days’ time, as the Spirit leads, I will publish a message on how satan manifests as “jesus”, and how you can unmask him. It is a must read for whosoever desires to make heaven at last. Till then keep watching and keep praying. Our Lord Jesus Christ will soon be on His way to take us away from sinful and adulterous world.