There'll be No Bastards in Heaven

I'm an Uber driver. Never thought I would say that, but I am, and I love it. I love the different people I meet from all walks of life, and from all parts of the world, and I never leave central Arkansas. 

Recently, while working the airport, I met a man initially from Nigeria, but now living in Prosper, Texas. We hit it off instantly, seeing that I lived in Sherman, Texas for three years. We talked about all kinds of topics until he asked what brought me to Arkansas. I then proceeded to share with him that I was a pastor, and following the call of God brought me to Arkansas.

The conversation quickly turned to religion, and what the man believed.  He attends Prestonwood Baptist but is not a member. It was evident as he shared that the man had encountered the prosperity gospel in Nigeria and the United States, and was not a fan, and rightly so. Unfortunately, as he shared his beliefs, it became apparent that he didn't know the gospel at all.

He prefaced his theological  beliefs with these words, "You won't agree with my beliefs." And he was right. At the heart of this theology was the need for a person to be good, like Jesus, to go to heaven. I didn't have time to tell him that Jesus was perfect, maybe another day, if the Lord wills. 

In his theology, a good person, no matter what religion, or no religion at all, can go to heaven. They just have to live like Jesus. He said, "It all comes back to Jesus." There obviously problems with his theology, but one glaring problem is found in the teachings of Jesus, you know, the one that people are supposed to be like to get to heaven.

If Jesus is the example to follow, then shouldn't we follow his teachings? Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Furthermore, Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:5-6). If we are to follow the example of Jesus, we must also follow the teachings of Jesus. If Jesus is wrong about heaven, then he is a liar and not a worthy example to follow. If he is right about heaven, and he is, then he's more than worthy to follow, he is worthy of giving our lives to him.

One will never see the kingdom of heaven without being born again. The only way to be born again is to believe in the saving work of Christ. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). There will be no illegitimate children in heaven, but only the children of God who receive and believe in Jesus, born of the Spirit of God.

A bastard is an illegitimate child. Therefore, there will be no bastards in heaven. Give your life to Christ today. 

The Redemption of Lot Carey

Each birthday I experience I have this growing desire to forget the precise year I was born. Sadly, the older I get the harder it is for me to remember it. At least, I know when I was born.

Lot Carey lived without knowledge of when he was born. He only knew that he was born on a plantation in Richmond Virginia around 1780.  

He grew up on the plantation rejecting the Christ his parents followed. He lived a godless existence. Then, one day, he was sitting in the gallery at the First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia listening to a sermon from the third chapter of the gospel of John. He heard the story of Nicodemus coming to Jesus by night, and the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus about being born-again to enter the kingdom of God. When the preacher said, "You must be born-again" the Holy Spirit pierced his heart, and he gave his life to Jesus Christ.

Overtime, Lot Carey redeemed his family from slavery on the Virginia plantation, which enabled him to become the first black missionary to Africa. He died serving the Lord on the mission field. Lot redeemed his family from slavery, but Jesus redeemed him from the slavery of sin, and made him a son.

The gospel is God sending his Son to redeem us from the slavery of sin, securing us as his sons, and giving us freedom to live for God fulfilling his plan for our lives. 

We Should Question Our Salvation

"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if, in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him " (Romans 8:9).

You can be sure that you are saved. The verse above reveals that assurance of salvation comes from the Spirit of God dwelling in the believer. If the Spirit of God is not present, then one does not belong to Christ, and as a result, is not saved.

Likewise, you can be sure that the Spirit of God lives in you. Paul declared in subsequent verses, " For all who are led by the Spirit of God are of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God..."(Romans 8:14-16). There are three indications that the Spirit of God lives in you: First, the Spirit leads you. This means that love for God is growing in your heart, and the fruit of the Spirit is evident in your life. You are changing from the inside out. Second, you have a growing and intimate relationship with the Father. Third, the Spirit confirms to your spirit that you are a child of God.

As a pastor, my responsibility is to tell people how to be saved, and what should be true for a saved person's life and experience, as revealed in the word of God. I can't tell people they are saved because only God assures salvation. Assurance of salvation comes from the Spirit of God and the Word of God. And the word of God cannot assure one's salvation alone. You must have the assurance of the Spirit of God.

Today, I bear a heavy burden. My burden is for the families that have decided to stop bringing their middle school kids to the worship service because their kids are questioning their salvation (I do not know the identity of the families). Questioning one's salvation is not a bad thing. In fact, questioning, or examining one's salvation is commanded of us. Paul commanded the Corinthians, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test" (2 Corinthians 13:5). Parent, what if your child is not saved? Are you going to tell them they are saved because they prayed a prayer? Faith in a prayer does not save, only faith in Jesus Christ. If your child is questioning salvation, it is a good and godly thing, especially if he or she is not saved. If your child is saved, it will give greater confidence to live for Jesus.

Parents, tell your children how to be saved and the subsequent life change that takes place in a saved person's life. Only God can assure them of their salvation. Please contact me if you have any questions. This is a matter of life and death.