The Road of Life: The Road to Salvation

The

Road

of

Life:

THE ROAD TO

SALVATION

Michael K. Lilley

Preface

God gave us the road map (the Bible). It's up to you to read it and follow it! The rules and directions are all there. Even if you've never believed in putting your faith into the Bible, and what it proclaims, it doesn't hurt to try. You will never know unless you try!

Antidote

You know how a mother tries to warn her child not to cross the road without looking both ways but the child neglects their mother's warning and runs across, nearly getting struck by a car? Well, God warns us in the Bible about our judgment. He also safeguards us with the promise of our salvation through Jesus and how we can be safe before crossing the road of life.

Our Navigator

Make sure you're driving on the right path. There are a lot of distractions on the road. Big flashy signs and alluring entertainment. We may choose to go left or right and detour our path towards God. Take the righteous path and drive straight to God. Put on Christ as you would trust seat belt and let him navigate you onto the Holy path. He gives us grace to stand against evil desires. As the Scriptures say,

Proverbs 3:34

“God opposes the proud

but favours the humble.”

Road Map

How do we know if we are on the right path in our Christian walk with the Lord? Everyone we meet is a part of our journey. The people we meet should not be in our way but on our way to growing with the Lord. Neglecting who may detour us on our path will not help us grow in our faith. Be diligent to help the lost along our road to salvation. We should maintain perseverance in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly along our path and an unflagging faith that had persevered Jesus to proclaim the Word to the world. As Christians we should uphold what we have been instructed. Your loyalty will be divided between God and the world (James 4:8).

Division by Proclamation

Share the gospel with everyone on your path. Your faith is inexplicable to an non-believer. So use the Gospel to help them understand. They will see how different you are, but remind them you used to be just like them, following the world, and share how God changed your life (Titus 3:3-5). The divergence in opinion will distinguish the Holy from the Unholy (Luke 12:51). Because you who have God's approval will be recognized! (1 Cor 11:19). Mockers will ridicule you and impostors will quarrel with you (Proverbs 14:9). There is a 50/50 chance of losing friends. It's unfortunate but you will find out who your real friends are. It's a win/lose situation we all don't want to be in: to find ourselves in a sorry plight over our differences.

However, it's better to find out sooner than have the burden of resentment to build up on your shoulders for years and fading into a nought relationship bound by distrust.

Avoid Quarrels

Remember, do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual genealogies or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. If people are causing divisions among you, give a first a second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. For people like that have turned away form the truth, and their own sins condemn them. (Titus 3:9-11)

Humble Servant

So humble yourselves before God.... Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:7,9,10)

Self-Examination

We are so busy trying to save and encourage others but sometimes forget to look at ourselves and ask God to show us who we are and who we should be for Him. It's time to park the car for a moment and ask God to show us what we look like through His eyes and ask Him to show us how to live more for Him and only Him. Don't forget to pray for yourself sometimes and ask God to show you the person He wants you to be and to give you the strength, courage, and knowledge to show you the person He sees in you.

Let the Lord show you what you are missing before you're ready to cruise down the road. Sometimes we check the rear view mirrors too concerned about other drivers and miss what God has to help us on our path. He may be trying to flash His headlights at you but you fail to realize you're driving in the dark right into a road barrier. Take yourself out of the dark and ask God to help you flick on the headlights.

Effective Prayer

When speaking to the Lord acknowledge His authority, wisdom, goodness, and righteousness by being humble. God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Respond with deep, inner worship of Him asking for His wisdom, guidance, strength, and provision.

Ask and it will be given to you. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matt 7:7,8)

Simple Logic of True or False – Believe or Beleive Not

It's a fifty/fifty chance. In the Christian faith if I didn't believe in God I'd go to Hell. If the proclamation of the Gospel was true and I believed in it faithfully I'd be safe.

So, if being a devout Christian and put my faith in Jesus, and it's true then I go to heaven. If it's not true and I still get to go to heaven then I lived a good life and I'm still safe. If the Bible was true and I didn't believe it then I go straight to Hell.

Entering The Narrow Gates

Satan hinders us from our path towards God. He despises holiness and tries to 'woo' us away from God so that we are separated by His Holiness. With these theological ideas Satan tries to fill us with the idea of spiritual independence from God.

Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

If I believe in the proclamation of the Bible then I'm impervious to what happens to me after I leave this world. It's better to safeguard your salvation in Jesus Christ than missing an opportunity of eternal life and leaving it all up to chance! God left us with the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Read it and obey it!

Epilogue

To be concluded......

Appendix

The Living Translation Bible: Second Edition