“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6………….
““But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.” Mt. 21:28-32……….
One son said he would do his father’s work but refused to do it, and the other son said he wouldn’t do his father’s work and ended up doing it, and the one Jesus said was honored in this story was the one who TURNED – who REPENTED – who CHANGED HIS MIND – who despite his words CHANGED DIRECTION and DID what he was supposed to do! What about the son who SAID he would do the right thing but disobeyed, who rebelled, who went against his father, who TURNED AWAY from his declaration that he would do what was right and DID WRONG? Which DID his father’s will? The one who DID his father’s will! So what does this have to do with tax collectors and harlots and the Pharisees – and what does this have to do with YOU and ME?
The Pharisees put their trust in themselves, pridefully and self-righteously believing they could measure up to God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness, to earn their way to Him in their own flesh, by their own will, depending on themselves and what they thought was their own goodness, and worked hard to SAY and to APPEAR to be righteous, while the tax collectors and harlots, those considered back then horrible sinners, who KNEW THEY COULDN’T MEASURE UP TO GOD and REPENTED and TURNED TO GOD, who PUT THEIR TRUST IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, they honored God and were honored by Him. See the connection between the son who said he would do right but did wrong, the son who said he would do wrong but did right, and the Pharisees who self-righteously trusted in themselves and their “goodness” and the tax collectors and harlots who REPENTED and TURNED TO GOD?
Friend, who does God forgive? To whom does God promise everlasting life? To whom does God promise a forever relationship with Himself? Upon whom does God shower His mercy and grace, all His spiritual blessings, His provision, and the promise of heaven? To those trying to measure up to Him, to earn their way to Him? NO! To those who SAY and APPEAR they will do right but do wrong? NO! To those who TALK THE TALK but DON’T WALK THE WALK? NO! To those who trust in themselves rather than in Christ? NO! To those who start out doing wrong, who know and acknowledge they are doing wrong and confess their sins to Him and seek His forgiveness and believe Christ died in their place on the cross to pay their sins and sin penalty and who was raised from the dead and who PLACE THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST AS LORD, TRULY REPENTING, TRULY TURNING TO GOD AND HIS WAYS, TRULY COMMITTING TO LIVE FOR CHRIST AND DOING SO? YES!
If you’re doing the wrong thing, on the wrong track, headed in the wrong direction, humble yourself and repent and place your trust in Christ as Lord and give your life to God and His ways. This is the person God forgives and honors, and this is the one who receives Christ as Lord and everlasting life! If you’re headed the right way, on the right track, headed in the right direction, believing in Christ as Lord and living your life accordingly, carry on.
It’s not about what we SAY, friend, nor how we APPEAR to ourselves and to the world. It’s not about what we PROMISE, about what we DECLARE and PROCLAIM if our words come without REPENTANCE, FAITH IN CHRIST, and TOTAL DEVOTEDNESS TO GOD AND HIS BLESSED WAYS. It’s about SAYING and DOING what is right, and the way of righteousness is the way of Christ, and Christ’s way is REPENT, BELIEVE IN HIM, and FOLLOW HIM FOREVER!
Which direction are you headed? Jesus Christ is THE WAY. He is THE TRUTH. He is THE LIFE. The TRUTH about THE WAY to EVERLASTING LIFE is this.
Repent. Believe in Christ as Lord. Follow Him forevermore! Friend, THIS IS THE WAY!