Permission to enter
Have you ever been denied access? …access to anything: your own computer, an airplane, a country, a bank, a school, a concert, your own house..? Didn’t that feel horrible? I mean, here you came all this way, looking forward expectantly to enter… and, you were denied! You thought you were ready!
“Permission to enter” relies on specific requirements: password, tickets, passport, account information, ID, or the correct keys. It is so important to have it down right (whatever is required). You may wish it wasn’t that way, but, you’ve got to comply. It’s all very logical. It’s that way here on earth, and it’ll be that way when we leave this earth and start “the after-life”.
What Jesus expects for entry into His Kingdom
The Bible explains what Jesus expects for entry into His Kingdom. Contrary to popular wishin’ and ‘a hopin’ — we don’t pass into oblivion. In God’s creation you don’t get-off scot free. The Bible says there are consequences that come with your choices here on earth.
We really do want to get it right for that day at His Gates. He created all this, so He sets the parameters for entry. So what does God want? What exactly does He expect of us?
God demands a heart totally given-over to Him.
His requirement is quite simple actually, but it cost Him His life to provide it for us. Something so costly from God, sort of gives God the right to require something from us, you think? Plus, He is a totally holy, holy God. No changing Him.
His grace is free, but His salvation requires our whole heart, not just bits and pieces. Not sinless — but given to Him without reservation. That sounds reasonable to me. Thank God He did not require a sinless heart. Who on earth would survive God’s condemnation! (Romans 8:1)
You do not have to get sinless to get saved, but God does want a fully committed heart that then grows little by little to be more and more like Christ, less and less sinful. He called us to walk “blameless in His sight” – not to keep a love for the world in our heart. That would be “serving two masters”.
Jesus said only this kind of heart will enter heaven: Luke 10:27
…“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
FOR MORE read: Jesus Saved Me. How to get born again.
Dichotomous heart syndrome
Did you know that Jesus never accepts a dichotomous heart into His Kingdom? Ever thought about that? Could it be that you are dichotomous? Have you examined yourself lately?
Being Dichotomous
Know what that is, right, being dichotomous? I call it dichotomous heart syndrome. It’s an altogether too common condition in humans. Actually, it’s quite natural to humans.
It’s where a person cultivates a “this-way-that-way-two-sided-heart”. Their inner soul is divided between the right, and the left. They are streaming from their inner soul a divided message.
It’s where a person slides from one side to the other side, inside their soul – whenever it suits them. They fall into the delusion that they love Jesus, on the one side, and, plus, they love the world on the other side. That is quite impossible, Jesus said. It’s evidenced by your life works.
Being dichotomous is not a sin thing – but rather a heart thing. Truly born again Christians sin, and sin again, and reject those sins. The dichotomous person sins and …integrates it into their life. Like the rich young ruler, they are not saved. It is a part of what 1 John 3:9 says about salvation and sin.
1 John 3:9
No one who is born of God
[deliberately, knowingly, and habitually]
practices sin,
because God’s seed
[His principle of life, the essence of His righteous character]
remains [permanently]
in him [who is born again
—who is reborn from above
—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose];
and he [who is born again]
cannot habitually [live a life characterized by] sin,
because he is born of God and longs to please Him.
Loving the world, that “love of the world”
- is manifested where “…money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever — is valued more than the Lord” or “anything else you trust in and rely on instead of God”. (Luke 16:13. Also see the parallel Matthew 6:24)
- It involves being “in agreement with” two diametrically opposing sides: loving Jesus, AND also holding to and defending “the world” to which Jesus has expressed opposition.
The problem with a dichotomous heart is: It is part of what Jesus died to save us from!
Maybe this “dichotomous” life thing is why Jesus will have to say to so many, “I never knew you”.
“‘I never knew you;
depart from Me
[you are banished from My presence],
you who act wickedly
[disregarding My commands].’”
– Matthew 7:21-24
Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. “Who you gonna serve” (as Bob Dylan sang it) is the “your choice” side of the salvation equation. 
Jesus provides the legal end of things (“legal admission”) but you are the one with feet: walk His way in your heart, or walk the other way. Your heart condition is revealed in the choices and beliefs you follow.
YOUR CHOICE + LEGAL ADMISSION = ENTRANCE GRANTED
You are either nailing Him to that cross, or you are serving a risen Savior. Can’t do both.
Jesus said you must commit to one or commit to the other. Jesus does not ever save the soul that commits to both. And He is the One doing the Entrance permissions at the gates of heaven! So, make your choice. It’s one or the other of these choices:
2. I will stick to my predilectons, and my beliefs, and try my luck elsewhere.
The dichotomous heart has a divided loyalty issue. Jesus says: You can’t keep two sides fighting for control. He demands 100% of us. Christians continue struggling with sinning, but we don’t accept sin as okay.
13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand devotedly by the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon [that is, your earthly possessions or anything else you trust in and rely on instead of God].” – Luke 16:13. Also see the parallel Matthew 6:24
Do you serve a living Savior? You are either all-in with Jesus, or …yur not with Him at all. My Savior left that cross dead, and arose three days later, alive and well. Are you still nailing Jesus to that cross, still agreeing with the world, the flesh, and the Devil?
The problem with
a dichotomous heart is:
It is part of
what Jesus died
to save us from!
The Gospel of Christ is not so much concerned about your sins – because Jesus already took care of that – at the cross. His sacrificial death already paid the price for your redemption, for your entrance into His Kingdom. Only one part is missing. That missing part for salvation is what He does not take care of. He convicts us so we can choose Him.
The part he leaves to us is the issue of your choosing sides. Have you truly chosen Him, committed to Him alone? God is asking you to repent of it all. Truly choose Him alone. You can’t have it all: Jesus, and… the world, the flesh, the Devil. Ain’t happenin’. God’s grace is limited.
Beware of a flim flam dichotomous heart. It will get you condemned on That Day.
The sacrifice was made,
the penalty was paid
– now what will you do
with God’s offer of salvation
through faith in Christ?
– Source: Legally Damned – Legally Forgiven
John 3: verse 3
“Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born again
he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
One thing you lack
Are you opposed to the world and all it offers and teaches — and exclusively living for Jesus and all He represents? After all, the truly saved are citizens of Heaven, and we are His Ambassadors, His representatives here on earth. How can an “ambassador” serve the country he is from (Heaven) AND also serve the country he is stationed in (earth)? That is quite impossible, as Jesus said about serving two masters.
Is this you: Do you argue for the world’s agendas? Are you voting for evil agendas and arguing for Jesus at the same time? Really?! Does who and what you vote for reflect a dichotomous heart syndrome?
I tend to suspect that the many divided friendships and breaking-up churches are because of the anger of a so-called Christian with dichotomous heart syndrome. Why all the anger? Where’s the love of Jesus that reconciles and forgives? There seem to be so many so-called Christians that are still hanging onto their commitment to parts and pieces of the world. That does not work for you, Jesus said.
Lets look at Matthew 19:16-26. A rich young ruler went to Jesus saying– I’m good. I’ve done everything right. “What do I still lack?!” Jesus answered: “You still lack one thing….”
There was one thing the man was holding onto. (Some apparently have more than one thing.) He valued riches more than he valued a right relationship with God. That one thing was keeping him from loving God with all… (Luke 10:27): “love the Lord your God with all….” We are not His disciple if we hold back an area of our life. That is Jesus’ standard for entrance into His Kingdom.
Jesus says to each of us, basically (my paraphrase of Matthew 19. verse 21): Go get rid of that which you love more than Me and then “come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].”
That rich young ruler lacked one thing: “he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God)”. What about you? What do you lack? That one thing is robbing you of full commitment to Jesus. What habitual beliefs and “loves” do you still cling to? (Colossians 3:7) You may be like the rich young ruler: One thing you lack.
Are you
opposed to
the world
and all it offers and teaches?
The way to salvation is a control issue. Quite simple, actually. Who are you willing to follow 100% now? It’s your choice, Jesus says. You cannot straddle the fence, trying to be both. For true salvation to happen — ALL your heart has to match-up to Jesus. There are many, in churches even, who just don’t get it: they hold onto the world’s ways and teachings
Salvation does not make you perfect. Yes, sins are sure to follow salvation. But your heart’s desire is always for Him.
Sin? Not so much a problem for salvation. But your heart allegiance – well now, THAT must be a singular heart. You can’t live for sin, live in sin — and call your self repentant. Jesus died to save us from a committment to sin.
Jesus saves the heart that rejects sin, rejects the world’s ways, rejects the world’s teachings, rejects all the world has to offer — and sincerely and in truth commits to Jesus.
Your choice:
- You either stay with where you are at – with your side, “the world, the flesh, and the Devil“, OR…
- You reject the side you are on now — and choose to only follow Jesus’ way.
Jesus is the most loving and gracious Master. I have chosen to follow Him, and Him alone. His way makes more sense. You think?
17 Now to the King eternal,
immortal,
invisible,
the only God,
be honor and glory
forever and ever.
Amen.
– 1 Timothy 1:17
“I thank God He has promised to keep working on me – but I am not relying on my good works to save me. Jesus alone saves.” -Source: Never Again. It’s all grace – that He would save a sinner like I.
“The only humans entering heaven’s gate will be those sinners who confessed their sinfulness – and yielded their will completely (100%) to Christ in that moment of salvation. In that moment of time they were made brand new. They were freed from condemnation! Only sinners arrive in heaven… the redeemed sinners.
But they were not made sinless. Only Christ has been sinless, ever. But from that moment on… some go on to shine and, in Christ, conquer more sin, while others go on to fail and fail and fail, yet cling to Christ in the midst of it all, to the end. We’ll have to wait till we arrive in heaven — to then begin living sinlessly.
Yielding 100% to Christ means I sincerely give Him my all, truthfully. No sham. No holding back. It does not involve cleaning-up my act.
It involves turning from all that is contrary to Him — and committing to Him, in spite of my sins. He then begins cleaning up my act, little by little (the “sanctification” work of the Holy Spirit). But I come to Him with all that’s wrong with me, “just as I am….” And I continue that same way – sincere, in truth committed to Him.” – Source: Is this you?
FOR MORE:
You do not have to get sinless to get saved, but God does require a fully committed heart. A dichotomous heart is a divided heart – not sold-out to Jesus. A “this-way-that-way-two-sided-heart” cannot be saved. What kind of commitment do you have to Jesus?
_____________
…100% to Christ means I sincerely give Him my all, truthfully. No sham. No holding back. It does not involve cleaning-up my act. It involves turning from all that is contrary to Him — and committing to Him, in spite…
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