The Sure and Safe Way

As Christians, we are all trying to get to one place—our heavenly home. And if there is a sure and a safe way to get there, I cannot understand why anyone would want to go any other way that is less certain. This is not a game where we can just get up and walk away a winner or looser, but it is a journey that we are all making toward an eternal destination. There will be no walking away from this. If we make it, we will be forever rejoicing; if we do not make it, we will be forever tormented. We cannot afford to gamble with our souls or the souls of others. We must be absolutely certain that the way that we are going, and the way we are encouraging others to go, is the sure and safe way, so that when we reach that land of promise, we won’t be disappointed, and the Lord won’t say to us, “I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

If I know that I absolutely must get somewhere and I am standing, trying to decide which path to take, if I know that there is one path that will certainly get me to where I am trying to go, that is that one that I am going to take. Even though another way may be shorter, or even easier, if I am uncertain about it, I will choose the sure and safe way.

If I am out in the jungle somewhere and I get bitten by a poisonous snake and I know that I only have a matter of hours to get help or else I am going to die; and if know of a way to go that is going to get me help, that is the way that I’m going to go no matter what I have to go through in order to get there. Who in their right mind would take a chance in that type of situation? It wouldn’t matter how easy any other way might be, I wouldn’t be taking any chances! I would be going in the direction where I know I am going to find help. But a snake bit, even physical life or death is nothing compared to what we are talking about this morning. If we would be unwilling to take any chances with a snake bit, why would anyone want to take a chance with hell?

It reminds me of a famous poem I once had to learn by Robert Frost: The Road Not Taken.

Tow roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth…

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Which path will we take? Like Frost, we cannot take both. We have to make a choice. But, unlike Frost, we can see the end of each path and see where it is going to take us. Will we have the courage to take the road less traveled? Jesus said, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Mt. 22:14); and, “…wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.” The way to salvation is not the more popular road, but it will be those who choose the more unpopular and difficult way that will make it to their much longed for and desired destination in heaven and looking back, will be able to say, we “…took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference”; that is why we made it home; we chose to take the right path.

Acts 9:1-2 says, “But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.” Acts 19:23 says, “And about that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.” In Acts 24:14: “But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets,” and Acts 24:22: “But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will determine your matter.” “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim unto you the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17). Well, ok, that’s the direction we want to go, but specifically, who is that way to salvation? The answer is that Christ is the way. John 14:1-6:

Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go, ye know the way. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.

So Christ is the way of salvation; eternal life is to be found in Him and Him only. The way that is found in Him is the road less traveled!

So what about the other way? If we must make a choice, then there must be another way that a person can choose to go. That other way is the way of the world. We can choose to go the way of Christ, or we can choose to go the way of the world. Those are really the only two choices available to us when it comes to our eternal destinations. Notice the distinction is made by the apostle John, or in other words, where he places the fork in the road: “We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 Jn. 5:18-20). There are those who are of God in Christ, then there are those of the world. When Jesus was hanged upon the cross, there was a man on His right hand and another on His left. To the penitent one He said, “this day you will be with me in paradise”; the other would not. When all the nations are gathered before Him, He will be sitting upon His throne and separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. To those on His right hand He will say, “come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” But to those on His left hand He will say, “depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mt. 25:31ff). “Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left: two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left. Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh” (Mt. 24:40-42).

We must make our choice; which path are we going to take? Are we going to go the way of Christ or the way of the world? “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt. 6:24). We can’t have it both ways. We must go one way or the other. If we won’t choose Christ, by not choosing, we have chosen to go the way of the world. If we want to take the road less traveled, the strait and narrow, then we must make up our minds and turn away from the other. James said, “But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord” (Jas. 1:5-7). He is double minded because he can’t make up his mind which way he really wants to go. He’s not willing to commit fully to either and so there he stands at the fork in the road looking down both ways. He is double minded because he has his mind on the things of Christ one minute and then on the things of the world the next. 1 John 2:15-17:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

He did not say, “don’t do the things of the world.” He said, don’t even love the things that are in the world. It is very possible for a person to go to church, say his prayers each day, and in general, behave as a Christian, but in his heart have a longing for the things of the world. Lot’s wife was going in one direction, but her heart was going in the other direction; her feet were going one way, but her heart was going the other. As they were walking away from Sodom she looked back at what she was leaving behind as though she was sorry to be leaving. They were all warned not to look back, but she did it anyway and was turned into a pillar of salt. Jesus simply said, “remember Lot’s wife” (Lk. 17:32). When the Lord gives instruction, we are not to delay, we are not to be caught in hesitation between whether we are going to do what He says or not, we are to go the way that He has instructed and not look back.

James chapter 4 and the fourth verse says, “Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.” It is not unusual to see the figure of marriage being used to describe man’s relationship to God. In the Old Testament we find that those who went back into idolatry were said to have “played the harlot” (cf. Ezek. 23:43). In the New Testament, the church is said to be the bride of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 11:2). So those who are friends with the world are adulteresses in that the are breaking their marriage vow to the Lord and are being unfaithful to Him. The ASV has as a footnote for “adulteresses”: “That is, who break your marriage vow to God.” Not only are we unfaithful to Him, but we make ourselves the enemy of God; we are putting ourselves into a position of opposition against Him.

            “Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (Jas. 4:5-8). We can go in one of two directions: we can go one way and fight against God or we can go the other way and fight with God, and since God always wins, I know which side I want to be on. If we will just draw ourselves closer to Him by our faith and obedience to His word, He will draw Himself closer to us.

So what should we do? “…Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.” I think that to some degree, “with the wash your hands,” he is making reference to the Jewish practice of washing their hands before they ate. In Mark 7, the Pharisees asked Jesus why His disciples ate with defiled hands, or with hands that had not been washed according to tradition. When Jesus was brought before Pilate, he washed his hands before the crowed which symbolized being clean of the blood of Christ. The idea hear is that we are to keep our hands, or really, ourselves out of trouble, out of the things of this world, and focused on the things of Christ. If we are involved in worldly things we are to clean up, as a person might wash his hands of the filth and dirt of this world so that they might be ready to do service to God.

“…And Purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.” If our hearts are divided between God and the things of this world, we are to clear our hearts of worldly thoughts and desires so that they may be purely devoted to God. Psalms 24:1-4 says, “The earth is Jehovah's, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? And who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto falsehood, And hath not sworn deceitfully.” If we are going to go the way of salvation, then we must commit to it fully, and without being divided over it.

Most of us learn while we’re still very young the difference between good and evil. We know that there are going to be those who are saved and those who are lost. Very often, though, where we start to have greater difficulty is somewhere between the two. Just how good do I have to be in order to be saved? How good is good enough? How bad is too bad? The tendency seems to be to try and find some other path that goes both ways but ends up with us in heaven. In a decision between choice A or B, we find ourselves looking for C. Now, I’m not in a position to say that anyone is going to heaven or hell; that’s not my job; the Lord will take care of that. My job is to do the very best that I can and try to persuade others to do the same. But, I do know that there will be those who are lost and those who are saved. I do know that the only way that a person can be saved is in Christ. I know that if we live in sin and live certain types of lifestyles the Bible says that we are lost. I also know that the Bible teaches us a sure and safe way to salvation, and if we will go that way, we can know that we are saved and have nothing to fear when the Day of Judgment comes. We can look forward to that day with a full-assurance of faith and know that it will be a glade homecoming for us. I know that no one is perfect and that we are not saved by our own merit, because we all fall short. But, why would we want to take that chance when we know that there is a way that is sure, safe, and right with God? Why would a person want to gamble with his soul? Why allow ourselves to be in a position where we can only say, “I hope that if I were to die right now I would go to heaven,” when we can be sure that if we were to die right now we will go to heaven?

If I know that I am going to remain in that sure and safe way by not drinking alcohol, then why in the world would I want to take the risk? The Scriptures clearly teach us not to drink unless it’s for medicinal purposes. Just look at a few passages with me. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Pr. 20:1).

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? Who hath complaining? who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; They that go to seek out mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly: At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange things, And thy heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not hurt; They have beaten me, and I felt it not: When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again. (Pr 23:29-35)

Paul said,

The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Ro 13:12-14)

So it’s not only the drinking, but also the partying that often goes along with it. In another place Paul said, “Abstain from every form of evil” (1Th 5:22). Just think of all of the ills brought upon society because of the consumption of alcohol. Timothy was told to drink a little wine for his stomach’s sake and other illnesses (1 Ti. 5:23), but its use as a medicine is the exception to the rule.  Are we really going to risk an eternity in hell for the sake of a few drinks? Or, are we willing to risk salvation in order to have instrumental music in worship, a one-man pastor system, or women in the pulpit? Why are we seeing praise teams, drama skits, and witness sessions among our brethren today in some places? The gospel is not very difficult if we will just do what it says. Why muddy up the water and stir up confusion by bringing things in that aren’t supposed to be there? If we just do what the Bible says and leave everything else out of it, we will be going down that safe and sure way and will not have to worry about all of this other stuff. The plain gospel and nothing else, what the Bible teaches us in its purest form, just accepted the way that it reads, is safe and it is sure! If we want to go to heaven, and we know that that is what is going to get us there, that should be the direction we take! The point I am trying to make with this lesson is not that if we’re not sure, then we should play it safe. That would be a good thing to do, but the point I’m trying to make this morning is that since we are given a sure and a safe way to go in the gospel, that is the way that we should go and leave it just the way it is; without cutting corners, without fooling around on the side, without adding things to it that’s not there, just leave it the way it is and follow it, that is the sure and safe way. There’s not one way, then a safer way, but there is really only one way, and that way is the safe way and to wander away from that is to be in danger of.

The less traveled road may be more difficult, that’s why it is called straight and narrow, but there is nothing that we will sacrifice or struggle with that will be greater than what we will receive in return! In other words, the blessings and rewards that will come to us as faithful Christians by far out way anything that it may cost us right now. Some may be persecuted, some may have to part with family, some may even give their lives for their faith in Christ, but even that is nothing compared to what is to come for those who have remained faithful until death. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor. 2:9).

Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and for the gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (Mk. 10:29-30)

Are we willing to go in that direction this morning?

            At some point in our lives, we must come to this crossroads of sorts in our lives, and we must make a decision. If we have not already done so, we must stop and consider our options. There are two paths that we can take, only two. We cannot take both of them; if we decide not to select a path, then by doing so, we have actually made our decision. We can see where each one leads to; one path leads to heaven and the other one leads to hell. One path is sure and it is safe, if we will take it, it will lead us to eternal life. That path is found in Christ. The other path is of the world, and it is just as sure to lead to destruction. If we choose to take the path of Christ, we must obey the gospel; we must do what the Bible says without adding to it and without taking away from it; we must not water it down. It is only safe and sure when it is followed as it reads. There are many who claim to be going the right way when they have actually strayed by perverting the gospel and gone off into error. The sure and safe way isn’t the easiest way, but it is the right way and it will be well worth the effort in the end. As Frost said, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”