Coming To God

Coming To God COMING TO GOD
By JOHN T. HINDS

It is a fundamental truth that no journey can be made without starting. It is equally true that the destination is reached by completing the journey. To start or travel only a part of the way is all in vain if the end be not reached. This principle is just as true in the matter of coming to God as to any journey we may take in this world. The expression “coming to God” may be used in dif-ferent senses. It may refer to coming into the personal presence of God, which thing all pious people hope for in the heavenly state. It may also refer to the coming into a state or place which God has provided for us. When the prophet said the dust would return to the dust ‘ ‘ and the spirit to God who gave it ’ he must have meant the place that God has provided for disembodied spirits. Ultimately we may come to God in both these senses. We also come to him when we come under his favor or into his kingdom—when we become Christians. The popular notion about going to heaven is that it does not make any difference what road you take; or, to use a more popular expression, it does not make any difference which church you join. This is heard both publicly and privately when the importance of the church is up for consideration. Of course, the Bible says no such thing nor anything that sounds like it. But this fact does not seem to disturb those who confidently assert it to be a fact just why preachers and others will boldly assert that for which there is not even a scrap of Scripture is indeed strange. It seems that people who make such bold statements would feel the necessity of at least trying to quote some passage as proof.

If it be an earthly journey we are never so careless as to say it makes no difference. In fact, we know that we must take a road that goes to the place we wish to reach or else we will not go to that place. Why should we reason differently about the journey from eartn to heaven? If a man wishing to go to some distant place should ask people he mot how to go, how would they answer him? Suppose one would say, “If you will take a certain road, change cars at a certain place, I think you will reach the place.” Would this be satisfactory? Surely not. The man would probably say that he did not want to miss the destination, was intending to make the trip but once, and could not afford to take chances. He would likely also ask the other man if he had ever been to that place or knew certainly that the proposed road would take linn to the place. If he should renly that he had never been to the place and did not know the road vmuld be certain to take him there, then the inquirer would conclude that the information was unreliable and would seek information from some one else. This would be his conclusion each time someone told him he thought a certain road w ould lead to the desired place, but confessed that he had never been there and did not know certainly that the road proposed was the right one.

Such answers could not leave him otherwise than confused. But suppose some one should suggest that he consult the Railway Guide, a book that is official on the question of routes, distances and destinations. He w ould be told that the Guide was made by those who had been over the roads and that they knew exactly what they were talking about. Would this be satisfactory? Would it be correct? No one would question it for a moment. But suppose the inquirer wants to go to heaven instead of some place on this earth, would indefinite and uncertain answers be less dangerous or unsatisfactory? If some preacher should say: “Come around to our church prayer-meeting night and I will state your case to the church and we will all go to the Lord in prayer in your behalf. I think you will get relief and be saved.” Should the inquirer be satisfied with this? He should ask the preacher if he had ever been to heaven and knew therefore that the road he proposed would lead there. If the preacher only thinks so, his advice is entirely unreliable. The same would be true of all preachers who would give a similar answer to this important question. If the speaker said he knew the road he proposed would reach heaven when he did not know it, the situation would be all the worse. But again let us suppose the inquirer is advised to get a copy of the New Testament, with the suggestion that it has for its author Christ who has been on earth and is now in heaven. As he knows the way, what he says in that book on the subject is official and final. No dif-ference what any individual thinks or supposes about the' train to a certain place, what the time card says is official and correct. So, no difference what any one guesses or imagines about the road to heaven, what Christ says in the New Testament is absolutely right and final.

If there be ten or more roads leading to a place any one of them will be all right that suits the traveler’s con-venience. If there be just two roads to the place, then one of the two will have to be taken if the place is reached. But if there be just one road to that place, then that road must be traveled or the place will not be readier. This is too plain to. need more than a bare statement. In the journey to heaven the case is- the same. If there be a number of roads that lead to heaven, then any one of the number that, pleases will be all right.. But if there be just one road to heaven for gospel subjects, then that road must be traveled or heaven will be missed.

What is the fact in the matter of the way to heaven? Two or more roads or just one? This is very definitely fixed by Christ himself. In his contrast of the two; des-tinations and the two ways leading, to' them he says, the way leading to life is narrow and few find it, while the way leading to destruction is broad and many go that way. See Matthew 7:13. By no sort of juggling of words or logical scheming can this passage be made to say there are many ways to heaven. If language means anything, the passage teaches that there is just one way to heaven and only few comparatively find this way. Jesus ex-presses the same thought in different words in John 14:6 where he says: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one cometh to the Father, but by me." Our sympathies for our friends who do not walk in this way may make us wish there were many ways so each could have his choice, but the fact remains that Christ says there is one way. That is final. It seems impossible to state the case plainer than he has done. Why people will assert in the face of his words that there are many ways to heaven and that it makes no difference which road you take is hard to understand. For the benefit of those who are slow to accept these plain statements I will give some additional proof of the fact that there is just one way, one road or one church. In presenting the matter from the viewpoint of sheep, shepherd and sheepfold Jesus said: “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd’’ (John 10:16).) He meant that he would call the Gentiles who did not belong to the Jewish fold and they, both Jews and Gentiles, would become one fold under one shepherd. This shows that both would go the same road or belong to the same church. The simple reason for this has already been given. There is only one way or church; hence, all must go that way.

Paul presents the same idea when he refers to the church as the body of Christ and says that Christ is the head of that body. As the human body is used as an illustration we know that there is one body and one head. It would be absurd to think of it otherwise. But Paul plainly says “There is one body” (Ephesians 4:4). In the same connection he says “ one Lord.” Since Christ is the Lord and there is only one Christ, then there is only one Lord. But Christ is the head of the body. Then there is only one head. If only one head, then only one body. But again, the body is the church. Hence, the conclusion, there is only one church. That means, of course, only one that has Christ for its head and there-fore only one that is acceptable to God. When Paul says “one Lord” he means one true Lord. One God means one true God. So one body means one true body. As the body is the church, then one body means one church. Since there are many religious institutions claiming to be churches, Paul must mean there is one true church.

Since Christ is the head of the body which is the church to be in the church is to be under Christ the head. This can not mean anything except to be in spiritual relationship to Christ. This means to be in Christ or to be saved. To be out of the church is to be out of Christ. This fixes the question of morality being enough to save. Morality can not b enough if one is required to become a member of the church. The contrast between the broad and narrow ways is equally decisive on this question. The moral man who thinks morality enough to save prides himself on the fact that he is a good man, guilty of no outrageous crimes, every ready to treat his fellowman, right, but no member of the church. He does not like the restrictions of the narrow way nor the destiny of the broad way. To suit him there would have to be a way midway between the broad and narrow ways. But since the narrow way leads to life and the broad way to destruction, there is no destination for a Avay between these two. That may be the reason the Lord did not make a way midway between them—no place for it to end. The moral man is in an unfortunate condition; according to himself he is too good to be lost, and according to Christ he is not good enough to be saved. This of necessity puts him among those who will be rejected. Those that come to God must come through Christ.

Some folks object to the narrow way apparently for no other reason than it is narrow. They are opposed to anything that is narrow, it seems. All kinds of narrow-ness with them is charged to “a narrow mind”, which they are sure is the result of prejudice and ignorance, mainly the latter. All in vain usually you point out that the narrow way leads to life. The happy destination is lost sight of in their opposition to narrowness. But really what is wrong with narrowness? The question is both sensible and vital and deserves serious consideration. Refusing to consider it is no answer.

Again, we may ask, Is a road bad simply because it is narrow? Usually the reverse is true. If the foundation is solid and safe with a properly built road bed. it needs to be only wide enough to take care of the traffic. They are made as narrow as is consistent with the traffic, considered as to numbers and weight. All that can be left off the width can go toward making the road better and safer. It follows then that the narrow road is the better one. Why argue against that which is really in itself better than what you want? Both scripture and common sense are on the side of the narrow way. Why go against both of these ? Did it ever occur to you that when you speak lightly of the narrow way, you are really ridiculing the words of Christ himself ? Do you believe he is pleased with that kind of treatment of what he says? Had you ever thought about how serious a matter this is ? The way to heaven must be just as narrow as the truth which Christ uttered; it must be broad enough to include all who render obedience to that truth, and no more so. And this regardless of who preaches or who may be lost or saved. Nothing short of this is faithfulness to Christ. The railroad is perhaps the best road in the world yet the rails are just a few feet apart. The ponderous engine and the long train of cars weighing hundreds of tons go speeding over the rails in safety as a rule. This could not be if the rails were not of a standard width. A car can go all over the country, changing from one road to another, because the tracks of all roads are made exactly the same width. And the remarkable thing is that the railroad is a narrow road. Its safety is in the fact that everything is brought to a standard.

There are a number of things that might cause a wreck of a train. If by any chance the. dispatcher should give the wrong .order, -there would be great danger of a wreck. If the conductor or engineer refused to obey the orders, the danger would be just as great. 'But in addition to human weakness that might cause trouble there are other things that might also do it. To put some kind of obstruction on the track might easily derail the train with such loss of life and property as wrecks produce. When the flange of the wheel gets outside the rail, a wreck is almost sure to result. But if some spikes are drawn so the rails will spread, the danger, is equally great. There is no way to be safe except to have a standard track, follow orders, and keep the flange of the wheel inside of the rails. The lesson is just the same in the matter of going to heaven. Christ will not give us a wrong order. Preachers must deliver the message just as it was given by Christ. Man must not refuse to obey these orders. If we will keep our practice within the limits of God’s word, we will be absolutely safe. The road Christ made for us is the only one that leads to heaven. Our only chance to reach that place is to walk between the rails; that is, do just what he says, nothing more nor less.

Some years, ago an Arkansas coal miner fired a shot of dynamite just before leaving the mine for the day. He had only one match but his miner’s lamp was burning. After lighting the fuse, he stepped back to what he thought was a safe distance, but the explosion put his light out, leaving him almost three-fourths of a mile from the shaft in total darkness. All the other miners were gone. The thought of spending a night in the mine was not at all pleasant. He knew the track over which the coal cars hauled the coal went to the shaft which was the only way to light and safety above. Before losing his sense of location he stepped between the rails. But in such darkness, one might become confused and turn around and go in the wrong direction. To be sure of not doing this, he put one foot on a rail and never allowed it to leave the rail for the whole distance. Dragging one foot over a rail for such a distance was no easy task, but was better than a night in the mine alone. The way Jesus has made for the world is the only way that leads to heaven and eternal joys. The world is so dark with sin that our only chance is to get in that way, stay within the teachings he gives and keep going till the home is reached. True it requires some effort and persistence, but that is far better than spending eternity with the lost. To walk as Jesus directs will bring us home to God. The joys awaiting the successful travelers will pay for all the effort it requires.