YOUR CHOICE, WHICH ROAD? God has made a covenant to save us, humans, from a world, doomed to destruction. A covenant is an agreement between two are more parties to carry out a certain action. But this covenant is not one-directional. For Him to ratify this covenant, we have a part to play. What is our obligation in this covenant?
We are living in very challenging and stressful times in which possession, money, and wealth matter to all. However, if not careful, the pursuit of wealth will pull us away from what really matters, which is our relationship with God and one another.
Satan uses the things of this world to tempt and lure us to him. However, the Word of God provides us with the guidance needed to avoid his trap. In the Bible, God has provided us with practical guidance on how to live above the stresses of life, and we are given instructions on how to manage the resources He has given us.
In this series, from a biblical perspective, we will look at how to manage effectively the resources God has given us while prioritizing what really matters.
Review any of our previous lessons @ SabbathSchoolDaily.com.
Also, you can obtain the study guide to these lessons @ Sabbath.School or ssnet.org
Asking For God’s Guidance
Holy Father, in our human weakness, we come to you for strength. We do not have the power to save ourselves. We ask that you open your ear to hear us and extend your arm to save us. In Jesus the Name Amen
Previously we established that a covenantal agreement is a contract or promise. Contracts or promises can be unilateral or bilateral.
A unilateral agreement is one in which one party fulfills their side of the agreement regardless of what the other party in the agreement does.
An example is that in which Jesus says: God sends rains on the Just and the unjust. In other words, in many cases, both the good and bad benefit from God’s blessings. God gives some things to humanity without any demands on our part.
In contrast, God’s promise to save us and give us eternal life is not unilateral. God’s agreement to save humanity is a bilateral agreement. It requires action on behalf of both parties. What is our obligation in this agreement?
Jesus’ death on the cross made God’s desire to save humanity possible for every person who has lived or will ever live.
But God’s promise to save us is not the same as His promises about the season as in Genesis 8:22
22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)
The season will come, and the season will go no matter what we do.
Or the promise not to destroy the earth again in a world-wide flood as in Genesis 9:9-16. These promises are unilateral they are offered to everyone with no stipulations.
But His offer to save us from eternal death and give us eternal life is a bilateral agreement. Jesus taught that His death on the cross was for everyone. But in Matthew 7:13-14 we see that rather than take the path God has laid out many people will choose to take the broad way and reject His offer to save them from destruction and eternal death. Jesus says:
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13, 14).
But we should not be deceived by the narrow gate:
[D]o not therefore conclude that the upward path is the hard and the downward road the easy way. All along the road that leads to death there are pains and penalties, there are sorrows and disappointments, there are warnings not to go on. God’s love has made it hard for the heedless and headstrong to destroy themselves. It is true that Satan’s path is made to appear attractive, but it is all a deception. . . .
The [narrow] road may be rough and the ascent steep; there may be pitfalls upon the right hand and upon the left; we may have to endure toil in our journey; when weary, when longing for rest, we may have to toil on; when faint, we may have to fight; when discouraged, we must still hope; but with Christ as our guide we shall not fail of reaching the desired haven at last. Christ Himself has trodden the rough way before us and has smoothed the path for our feet.—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 139, 140. (Split)
The idea that God will save everyone is called “universalism.” That is contrary to what the Bible teaches. To be save, we must make a choice between the wide road and the narrow road.
Though the road is narrow and sometimes difficult, if we are willing, we can make it. So how do we, traveling the narrow road, extend our hand to obtain the gift of salvation and eternal life that God offers through Jesus? The following verses give us some clues.
I John 5:13 (Belief in the name of the Son of God)
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13) (Split)
Matthew 10:22 (Endure until the end)
22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22) (Split)
John 6:29 (Believe in Jesus, whom God has sent)
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:29)
2 Peter 1:10-11 (Work diligently)
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10, 11)
It is evident that Paul understood that God’s promise of salvation is bilateral. It has two parts: a part for God to do and a part for us humans to do. Near the end of his life, Paul with confidence told Timothy in a letter that he had upheld his end of the agreement. Having many of his friends abandon him and knowing he was going to be killed Paul’s faith was strong.
He said in 2 Timothy 4:6-8
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6–8, NKJV).
Notice that Paul says, “I am ready [because] I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
Paul makes it very clear that salvation is by faith alone, not by the deeds of the law. Therefore, he is not pointing to his works as a means of earning merits with God so that he can be saved.
The “crown of righteousness” he talks about that is awaiting him is the righteousness of Jesus.
Paul, by faith, claimed the righteousness of Jesus for himself and he held on to it until the end of his life.
The point here is that although Paul had some responsibility in accepting the Gift that God offers to save humanity, he knew that his good behavior had nothing to do with his being saved.
It is our faith in Jesus’ blood and righteous life that saves us. It is our duty to accept God’s gift of salvation. We show that we extend our hand to accept it by what we do when we choose to travel the narrow road.
The Book of Deuteronomy is another example of a bilateral agreement between God and Humanity. It pronounces blessings and curses to the Israelites. Blessings are promised when they do as He instructed, and curses, when they did contrary to his instructions. Today as people of God, do these blessings and curses apply to us? Find out on Day 3 To Harken (that is to obey) Diligently
Watch Past and Present Lessons @ SabbathSchoolDaily.com
