The Only Way to Heaven

Sunday, September 3, 2023

by Dr. Paul Chappell

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

1 John 5:12

In 1891 two men in Pittsburgh were arrested for disorderly conduct. As they waited overnight in jail for their court date, the two struck up a friendly conversation. When they appeared before the judge, Paul Kingston who was originally from England, was given a six month sentence. The American, John Gorman was apparently involved in a lesser offense, for his sentence was only thirty days. Before the court, Kingston declared that he had reached an agreement with Gorman that if he would serve the thirty days in Gorman's place, he would receive a new suit of clothes. The judge rejected the proposed arrangement ruling that each had to serve for their own offenses, and they were both sent to the Allegheny County workhouse.

All over the world there are people trying to plea bargain with God. They offer all sorts of deals—doing certain things, not doing other things, aligning with a certain religion, trying to follow the Ten Commandments or the Golden Rule—in hopes that their standing in the eyes of God will be accepted as a result. Every one of these efforts is doomed to failure. The only payment for sin that God will accept is the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Our eternal destiny is not determined by anything else but where we stand with Jesus. All those who have accepted Him as Savior have eternal life, and all those who have not do not have eternal life. There is no great set of balance scales where the good and bad from our lives will be weighed to settle our fate. There is no amount of work and service for God that will replace faith in Jesus. Jesus warned, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23).

Today's Growth Principle
Jesus is the only way to Heaven, and all those who accept Him as Savior will never perish.

Old Testament Reading

Psalm 140-142

PSALM 140

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

¹ Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; ² Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. ³ They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. ⁴ Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. ⁵ The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. ⁶ I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. ⁷ O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

⁸ Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah. ⁹ As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. ¹⁰ Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. ¹¹ Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. ¹² I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. ¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

PSALM 141

A Psalm of David.

¹ LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. ² Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. ³ Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. ⁴ Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

⁵ Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities. ⁶ When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet. ⁷ Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth. ⁸ But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. ⁹ Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity. ¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.

PSALM 142

Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.

¹ I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. ² I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. ³ When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

⁴ I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. ⁵ I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. ⁶ Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. ⁷ Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

New Testament Reading

1 Corinthians 14:1-20

¹ Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. ² For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. ³ But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. ⁴ He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. ⁵ I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

⁶ Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? ⁷ And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? ⁸ For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? ⁹ So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. ¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. ¹¹ Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. ¹² Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. ¹³ Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

¹⁵ What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. ¹⁶ Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? ¹⁷ For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. ¹⁸ I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: ¹⁹ Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. ²⁰ Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 3

¹ My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: ² For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. ³ Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: ⁴ So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. ⁷ Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. ⁸ It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. ⁹ Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: ¹⁰ So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. ¹¹ My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: ¹² For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. ¹³ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. ¹⁴ For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. ¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. ¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. ¹⁹ The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. ²⁰ By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. ²¹ My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: ²² So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. ²³ Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. ²⁴ When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. ²⁵ Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. ²⁶ For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. ²⁷ Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. ²⁸ Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. ²⁹ Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. ³⁰ Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. ³¹ Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. ³² For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous. ³³ The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. ³⁴ Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. ³⁵ The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.