Seeking Salvation
"The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." - Matthew 11:12.
"The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." - Matthew 11:12.
Let it be stated clearly from the first that the violence spoken of here in these words by Jesus Christ, do not in any sense refer to a physical, carnal violence. With so much religious violence in the world today that needs to be clarified. The Kingdom of God is advanced by grace, God's sovereign and free grace. As the gospel is preached, through the operations of God's Spirit, people are pressed into the Kingdom of God's love. The good news as we call it, is much more, broader that is, than simply what is contained in the gospels, of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The good news is the law word of God's righteousness, summarised in the Ten Commandments. For there you will also find grace. There you will also find love. There you find God's expressed desire for wholesomeness amongst the humanity that he created. The love for God demanded in the first command is foundational. No experience of his love for you, means you have no experience of what real love is, and therefore are unable to love God or your neighbour as yourself. To avoid idolatry, blasphemy and Sabbath-breaking are all God-ward demands, the fulfilment of a loving relation to God, yet result too, in much benefit for human beings, if we stop and think about it long enough.
The other six commandments? Man-ward. "Thou shalt not," why? Because to commit adulterous, immoral acts leads to unwholesomeness, broken marriages, filthy disease, abortion and a multitude of other woes. To steal and lie leads to a breakdown in society, mistrust, violence and even murder. A simple perusal of these commandments, this summary of God's righteous law will lead you see hopefully, how diametrically opposed to God is the society of this world in which we live. But more importantly for you, how opposed is your heart and life to God's righteous standards. In a word, how sinful you are. A law-breaker, like the rest of humanity Romans 3:23.
The good news is contained in the Old Testament writings of the prophets, as people are called in their day, to repentance and faith, seeking to turn them from their lawlessness and to trust in God Isaiah 55:5-6. The same is carried over into the New Testament where the demands are exactly the same, "repent ye, and believe the gospel". So the whole Bible, Genesis through to Revelation is the good news. A supernatural Bible given to us by God, not a Scientific treatise, though scientifically precise. Not an Historical tome, though historically precise. But given in order to reconcile man to God, the way back from the dark path of sin.
This good news is being preached universally, says Jesus, and still is today, the world over, the message of God's saving grace "is preached." It awakens guilty sinners, it strikes fear, concern in the hearts of men with its warnings of judgment, divine retribution. It causes some such concern that they begin to seek, search into these things, by reading the Bible for themselves, labouring at it. Some turn to God in prayer asking, pleading for help to understand these things, to cry out lest they perish. They seek the Kingdom God, they press in to it with violence Matthew 11:12. But how you may ask, does one take heaven with violence, how does one seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Matthew 6:33? Read on, I'll tell you.
Do you mean business? That's the first question. Do you want in? Do you want this more than you want anything else in the entire universe? Allow me to tell you God loves seekers "he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" Hebrews 11:6, God loves the spiritual violent, that is, those willing to take heaven by storm. For this, you need, Strength of Desire: In order to get out of your natural state of sin, in which you were born and have lived all your days. This will take more than just saying a sinners prayer as some would advocate. In many, far too many, religious circles today, becoming a Christian is presented as something that is just so easy to do, just do this, say this. Or just come and join the Church, and be one of us, all are welcome. All may well and should be welcome, but becoming a Christian, getting out of that old sinful nature takes a tad more power than that. It takes almighty power, God's power, not ours. So firstly there has to be the desire, and strong desire to get out and get in, out of sin and into Christ. To be desirous you need seriously to be convinced of your own miserable condition. Take God's word for it, you came into this world blind, ignorant and estranged from God, with a "carnal" mind (that) is "enmity against God" Romans 8:7. The worst of you and yes the best of you, the nicest, sweetest, most respectable, all of you Romans 3:10-18. Do you have the strength of desire to get out this condition?
To use your mind coupled to that desire. To sue God, give him no rest until he puts a pardon in your hand. God calls you to reason with him Isaiah 1:18, he made you that way, a reasonable, rational creature. So he bids you use the faculty of your mind while you yet have it, to search his word, the Bible, think seriously about what he says, the truth about yourself, himself, and the distance between you, and how that can be closed. You know, the way you have used your mind before, but in sinful ways. In order to obtain all manner of things the world has to offer you, some legitimate, some not. But you would scheme and plot, you'd go to any lengths in order to obtain your lusts, nothing would stop you. Well nothing must stop you now, you must be prepared to shift heaven and earth to get into the Kingdom of God. There must be a sense of urgency, the need is dire, it can't wait, you don't have tomorrow. Today you are in sin, and tomorrow you may be dying. Put more than your mouth into this, put your whole heart into it.
The most ernest, like nothing else mattered, like it was more important than your next breath. Go amongst the living, go where the Kingdom has already been found by others. "Why seek ye the living amongst the dead"? A Church, a living one. A place where people take these things very, very seriously. Where the Bible is read and preached, where the preacher makes you tremble at God's word, and quiver at the thought of damnation and hell. You may have to travel to find one these days, there are not many around, but find one like your life depended upon it. Do not be distracted, nor put off, by anyone or thing, do not settle for anything but God himself. This is your most earnest, the most serious business you'll ever attend to.
You keep going, when you don't feel like it. Believe me you set yourself on this course and all hell will stand against you. There is a devil who wants you for hell. You go on, through all the opposition. It will come from your nearest and dearest, a wife, a husband, kids, mates, you'll be hated for Christ's sake, Jesus warns about this Matthew 10:34-38. Still want to go to heaven? All manner of difficulties will be placed in your pathway, of a sudden you will begin to think discouraging thoughts, of turning back, it's too hard, too difficult. You must go on till you break through into the Kingdom of God, till you know he is yours and you are his, till you know that heaven smiles on you. When you know God's smile of approval, his overwhelming love, and the inner cleanliness that only Christ can bring you to, all the hardships, all the battles, all the difficulties, will pale into insignificance. When you break through into heaven's light, all will be well with your soul.
You'll need some. To help you along the way. I mean why ought you to seek the Kingdom of God and his rightness? Well, because you have a need.
You are, in the Bible's, in God's terms that is, utterly and eternally lost without Christ. You are far from and without God in this world and will be throughout all eternity, lest that is you get out of your sin and into Christ, or get Christ in to you, he is your only hope of glory Colossians 1:27, the glory of heaven, that is. You have no hiding place from the storm of God's judgment coming upon this world's humanity, no cloak, no excuse for your sin, God holds you completely responsible John 15:22. There is coming wrath, terrible retribution coming upon sinners, the advice given is, flee, run from that coming wrath Luke 3:7. But where to? Jesus Christ of course, the only Saviour of sinners John 16:4; Acts 4:12. And with violence, with an intensity, like you meant it. Jesus, the loving Saviour seriously asked a question one day of some extremely evil men, "how can ye escape the damnation of hell" Matthew 23:33, for them it was not possible, they had crossed the line, but for you it is, if with violence, with strength of desire, making it your earnest, most serious business, you may well escape hell. Jesus is your way.
I mean you don't know for sure do you? But one thing is certain if you waste overmuch time you won?t get in. The days are limited, the day is coming when God will bring the shutter down on the day of grace, there is, in spite of what others may tell you, a time when divine patience runs out, when God says enough. "my Spirit shall not always strive with man" Genesis 6:3. The time comes for some people when they cross an invisible line, and God says enough. A time when you shall be overtaken with wrath. So allow this to motivate you, spur you on, drive you forwards into God's Kingdom. The open arms of Jesus beckon you, "come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28, what hinders you? Come!
The truth is, most give up. The most perish of a truth. They fall by the wayside, it's too hard for them. They'll suffer all kinds of indignity, they will suffer loss to themselves in order to fulfil their lusts. They'll travel from one side of the world to the other to commit adultery, but they won't travel down the road to Church to hear a soul saving message. They give up because it doesn't come to them easy. We get everything, especially in the west, very easy, on a plate. Breakfast in bed and that's how you expect God to deal with you. Unless he comes with it on a silver platter, to just where you are and when you want it, and how you want it. You're just going to quit. No resolution, no strong desire, no real courage. What's that motto of the British SAS, 'Who Dares Wins.' Well, if you haven?t got the bottle, the stamina, the courage, you are never going to be a soldier for Christ, that's for sure. Dare to win, dare to be differnet, dare to trust Christ.
The ability is not of you, but with God, nothing is impossible with God. I mean God sent his Son Jesus into the world, that through him men might be saved, so it's a possibility, it's not impossible. I mean if God went to the lengths of having his Son crucified, and raising him from the dead, isn't it just possible that it was for you? The greatest sinners have been saved (1 Timothy 1:15). The hardest of sinners have been converted. The vilest, the blindest, none are too hard for God. The history of the Church is full of names of men and women who once like you, were lost, blind, naked, far from God. God-haters, idolaters, blasphemers, Sabbath-breakers, abusers of parents, murderers, adulterers, thieves and liars, and have found light and life, even salvation. There is a list drawn by the Apostle Paul a New Testament writer, "know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. You see? So don't you think there might just be some hope, possibility, for you even?
The ultimate carrot. I mean you, like everyone else, I suppose, search after earthly treasures? Think of all the silly little baubles you get wound up about, get such a passion over. The clothes, the jewellery, the cars, the houses and all that goes with them. What you wouldn't give for some of those things. Some folk would sell their granny's, even their souls for material treasures. What you wouldn't give for a win on your national lottery? And all for things you can't take with you when you depart this life. Think about it, seriously I mean. That flesh of yours that you pamper and spoil, you buy make-up, and creams and perfumes, all to look like a million dollars, but what eventually is going to happen to it? It will lie rotting in the grave with all the rest, for, "it is appointed unto men once to die" Hebrews 9:27;. And all these things you count so dear and chase after today will be left behind or on the scrap heap, or left for other folk to fight and squabble over. Did you ever see a removal van following a hearse? No, you did not. You came naked, and you go out the same way. So, why not seek, search for something that will last beyond the grave, take you comfortably into the next world, a loving relationship with God, eternal life, never to perish, even though you die, to live (John 10:28-30; John 11:25).
It's not an earthly pension you should be concerned about, but heavenly treasure Jesus says (Matthew 6:19) What is your pleasure and your treasure? Is it God and his Kingdom? Or is it the world and all its glitter? Whatever or wherever your treasure is, Jesus says, that's where your heart is (Luke 12:34). To find and enter God's Kingdom, your heart really needs to be in it, I mean to win it.
Bring them to mind often, meditate, think about them, on your own, quietly, prayerfully.
Remember you have but a short space of time in which to make progress, dying is not a spectator sport, we all participate. Ninety five million people die every year in this world, three people every second, in the last hour eleven thousand. Your time will come, then comes the judgment (Hebrews 9:27)
In the light of these things, is any sacrifice too great to make. To let everything go. I mean what good are materials, relationships, anything or anyone if they keep you from God, salvation and heaven. Your souls interest must be of utmost importance to you. The real issues in life, what are they? The kind of clothes you wear, fame, celebrity status? No, I'll tell what they are. Pain, sickness, suffering and death, because all these come to us all, sooner or later. And for you perhaps sooner than you think. Are you ready, can you not only cope, but conquer these? You can through faith in Christ Jesus.
People laugh about hell. I heard a young woman respond to a colleague of mine preaching about hell in the streets one day. She said, "I'll take hell, much more interesting." How utterly foolish! It is patently obvious she does not know much about the place. It is a place of absolute poverty, there is no Armani and Gucci there. It is a place of agonising pain, endless, where, "the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:44). It is a place of angry presence. O yes God is there, but in his burning wrath night and day for all eternity. It is a appalling prospect, no, not even Stephen Spielberg with his imaginative creativity could get near its likeness for horror. Believe God's word, hell is a place to be shunned.
A man who attended Church regularly asked his minister one day as he left the service, "do you think that if I died tonight I would go to heaven"? His minister, thankfully was a man of integrity, of sheer honesty, faithful to God, no man-pleaser, he said, "no, I don't." Instead of getting cross with the minister, the man went home and got on his knees, and he prayed and prayed and prayed, and just as the dawn broke God came to him and pardoned his sin, gave him eternal life and the hope of heaven. If you die tonight, where will you go?
Think of how you know you have behaved in the past, bring it painfully to mind all of it, and confess it. All your life you have neglected prayer, never spoken to your Maker. Think of the ways from infancy you've treated your parents, lied to them, perhaps maligned them behind their backs, even cursed them. Think of the revenge you've taken or felt in your raging heart towards your fellow man. The things you've coveted, you have had plenty of everything, but it was never enough to satisfy your greed. You've taken the world, all God has given you to enjoy and that with complete thanklessness. So, so proud, of your clothes, station in life, your job, position, your money, your knowledge, O so clever you. The sensuality, the burning lust in your bosom for the opposite sex, uncleanness of thought and perhaps turned it into action. You have had access to the Bible, you have been spoken to by ministers or other Christians, but you chose to take no heed. For all this and more, you are the object of God's just condemnation.
You have lived long without God, you decided a long time ago you had no need of him, you rejected his Son, you cast it all aside as worthless. Well why should God not cast you off, just completely reject you? I mean that's compatible with your treatment of him, isn't it? So why shouldn't he? A suggestive answer? Perhaps it's love. The kind of love you have never, never known, but could know. The kind of love that would blot out that past, and give you a new start, and new life. Ask, seek, knock and keep knocking till you get the answer you need. 'The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force' (Matthew 11:12). Will you?
Go to Contacts Page to order your own Free Testimony Tape
Search our site through Google Search Button below:-
'The Street Preacher's Publications' below:-