What Are the Keys to the Kingdom?

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WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM?

The Bible reveals to us that there are two keys to entering the kingdom of God. What they are is clearly delineated in one verse. However, the interpretation of what one of the keys represents has created a great divide on how someone can enter. This verse is found in the book of John.



Suggested Reading: John 3:1-5

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." NASB

Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, one of the rulers of the Jewish sect, the Pharisees, conveying to him that unless someone is born again, they cannot see the kingdom of God. He thought Jesus was referring to being born from the womb a second time.

5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. NASB

But Jesus clarified by saying that this birth must consist of two things: water and the Holy Spirit. This begs the question.



What does the word water mean?



SALVATION BY WORKS CAN BE LOST

Those who believe salvation (the way to heaven) is secured or earned by obeying the tenets of their faith would say the word water refers to water baptism.

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. NASB

They would teach that water baptism forms the basis for the forgiveness of sins. If the recipient is a baby, their parents can repent for them during the baptismal process performed by a priest who admonishes those who have gathered to witness the ceremony to pray to God the Father, that through His Son Jesus the Holy Spirit would show up, which together symbolizes purification from sin and the new birth in the Holy Spirit. Thus, the baby becomes a child of God. To provide further proof that this is the baptism that saves a verse taken from the book of 1 Peter appears to support this perspective.

1 Peter 3:21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you — not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience — through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, NASB

This salvation process is described as being by works because it includes some activity, ritual, ceremony, self-reliance, speaking or living in the right way, etc., which will satisfy God’s agenda for entering into heaven at death. All of the religious systems mentioned in the previous chapter, other than Atheism, Confucianism, and Unitarianism, could be characterized in this manner. Even the salvation protocol that is mentioned next is disputed by some Christian churches that contend if salvation by grace through faith is not supported by works, then a believer can lose their salvation.



SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IS IRREVOCABLE

This approach is substantiated by verses from the book of Ephesians. Please turn there in your Bibles.



Suggested Reading: Ephesians 2:4, 8-9

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; NASB



By grace (the source of salvation which proceeds from that particular gracious act of God the Son in dying upon the Cross to pay man’s penalty incurred by him through sin17) you have been saved (deliverance from a present spiritual death18) through faith (accepting grace; believing the gospel).

The verb saved in Koine Greek is in the form of a perfect passive participle. Perfect indicates the tense of the verb, i.e., the kind of action expressed by the verb. This refers to actions completed in the past with present results. Passive pertains to the voice, i.e., how the subject is related to the action of the verb. In this instance, the subject receives the action of the verb. A participle is a verbal adjective. It denotes the purpose as to why someone is doing something or why something is being done. With that said, we can state how to express this verse.

These believers received the reality of being saved because they accepted grace at a point in time in the past with present continual results, i.e., they remain in a perpetual saved state forever.

And the word that refers back to the concept of salvation (2:4, 8a), whose basis is grace and [the] means is faith19) is not of yourselves (doesn’t have its source in man). The following verse clarifies something else that salvation isn’t centered on.

9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. NASB



Salvation is not as a result of works, i.e., not of self-effort or works demanded by and in agreement with the Mosaic Law or any other system of religion, and as such, no person can boast that they had a part to play in it.

The commentary, Weust’s Word Studies, sums this up best. A Christian was given perfect salvation in a past time when he believed, and as a result of that past completed work of Jesus Christ on the Cross and his past acceptance of the same, he at present is a saved person. His present possession of salvation is based upon one thing only: what Jesus did on the Cross for him and his past acceptance of that work. That means that the works of an individual, past or present, do not enter into his acceptance or retention of salvation. Salvation is the alone work of Christ.20 This brings us to the following question.



What is the basis for the forgiveness of sins?

This is found in the book of Colossians.



Colossians 2:13

And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, NASB

If you read this verse without Greek glasses on, it would say something like this. And you, the believers at Colossee, who before salvation, were continually spiritually dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision (which is a sign of the sin nature) of your flesh (body). However, when you repented and believed in Christ, He (God the Holy Spirit) has made you alive together with Him (Christ), having forgiven (wiped away) us all trespasses (all deviations from the truth).

I think you’d agree with me when I say that this appears to be saying that when you were made alive with Christ, then your sins were forgiven. Some would go so far as to say that this forgiveness of sins occurred at salvation when they were baptized in water. Others might say that this happened following repentance of one’s sins and belief in Christ as to who He is and what He has accomplished. By the way, are you aware that the correct interpretation of this verse will nullify each of these conjectures? Are you ready to find out why?

As I said initially, you need to have Greek glasses on to understand what is meant by the words having forgiven. Here’s what I mean. The original New Testament manuscripts were written in what was called Koine Greek, the common language of the people at that time. When it was translated into English, sometimes the structure of the sentence appeared to be saying one thing when it actually was saying something else. This is particularly the case when a participle appears in Scripture accompanied by the Aorist tense.

Earlier in this study, we learned what these words mean. However, there’s something else that they signify when they’re occurring together, which is that they’re classified as an Aorist Participle. What this tells us is that the action of the minor verb precedes the action of the main verb or verbs in the verse of Scripture. This will bring about an awareness of something happening before something else took place that we weren’t able to tell from the English translation.

The words of the minor verb having forgiven are, you guessed it, an Aorist Participle, which indicates that the forgiveness of sins occurred before the action of the main verb quickened. What this tells us is that all of the sins of the Corinthian believers were already forgiven at a point in time before they received the Holy Spirit. The only place prior to salvation where all of their sins were already forgiven was at the cross.

With that said, let’s try to find out what the word water means according to this salvation perspective. Please go to the book of 2 Thessalonians.



2 Thessalonians 2:13

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. NASB

The believers at the church of Thessalonica were reminded that God chose them for salvation through sanctification (power) by the Spirit and faith in the truth, i.e., when they believed the gospel message. There we have it.

What we’ve learned is that there are two different views as to what the two keys to salvation are and whether we can contribute in any way to obtaining it and conversely to losing it.

As I contemplated such, this verse came to mind.

Proverbs 14:15 The naive believes everything, But the prudent man considers his steps. NASB

The naive (those who are easily influenced) believe everything they’re taught without proving it, i.e., seeing if it lines up with Scripture. But the prudent (wise) man considers his steps by testing every word. Here’s a question to consider.



Do we believe every word that is brought forth from the pulpit?

When we don’t analyze and study the Scriptures, we could be in for a rude awakening, as the following article will attest.



DUPED BY FAITH?

A scam always looks obvious from the outside.

A wealthy Christian died in New York who, out of the goodness of his heart, made provisions in his will for believers all over the country to buy luxury cars for a couple [of] thousand dollars each. By the grace of God, you can reap the blessings of this deal. Your car will arrive after the property is released from probate, which will take about a year. Make your cashier’s checks payable to (. . .)

Yeah, right, you say. Suuuure.

But you’re reading the story in the newspaper.

[Now,] put yourself in a pew, looking toward the pulpit. The person discussing the plan is the same person whose advice you trusted to save your marriage, the one who encouraged you to live righteously, the one who prayed with you in times of trouble, the preacher whom you called “the man of God.”

Federal authorities say hundreds of people across the country fell for the fictitious story of a man named John Bowers who died and left “miracle cars” for believers. The scam touched home when at least 20 people at Breakthrough Christian Center in St. Petersburg bought into it, too. More than a year ago, they borrowed money from relatives, took out [loans,] and dipped into their savings for cars that don’t exist.

These “miracle cars” netted more than [19 million] from New York to California from October 1998 to June, when the U.S. Attorney’s Office arrested three people whom investigators say were the masterminds and charged them with conspiracy, [fraud,] and money laundering. As the story unfolded, people shook their heads and asked the same question many of the victims asked: “How could they be so gullible?”

But authorities say scams targeting religious groups are unique. They make victims believe their investments go beyond material things. They manipulate the one thing they know they can find among people who believe in a God they have never [seen: faith (…)]

At Breakthrough Christian Center in St. Petersburg, the miracle [car] scam played out like this: Senior pastor Glenn Miller told his congregation last year that the car deal would be an “uncommon harvest” of blessings for their small storefront church. Members, some who had unreliable transportation or none at all, were told they could buy all kinds of cars on the [cheap—a] 1998 Toyota Camry for $1,000, a Lexus for $3,000, a Cadillac Escalade for $6,500. Church members took his endorsement as a guarantee. To them, he is a “prophet,” a person who sees divine visions from God. Some never saw pictures of their intended [cars and didn’t know what color they would be] or whether they would be two-door or four-door cars.

Miller also told members that the Rev. Creflo Dollar, the well-known founder of Georgia-based World Changers Church International, with more than 20,000 members, had also participated in the deal and was expecting cars. That made Breakthrough members believe they were in good company. A spokesman for Dollar recently told the St. Petersburg Times that not only had World Changers not participated in such a car deal but that no one had ever even approached Dollar or church leaders with the idea.

In late June, Calvester Benjamin-Anderson, a member who had taken out a $4,000 loan to buy a used Lexus and pickup [truck,] wanted an update. She called a number listed on [the] paperwork that came along with a receipt she got in the mail. Someone at the number referred her to a toll-free line. She dialed. It was a recording at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Missouri. “There are no cars,” the recording said. Four people had been arrested on charges including conspiracy, fraud, and money laundering. Gwendolyn Baker, 51, of Memphis, James R. Nichols, 26, and Robert Gomez, 27, both of California were masterminds in the massive scheme. Corinne Conway of Missouri was also arrested.

[Baker] was the name some Breakthrough members were told to put on their cashier’s checks. According to federal authorities, Nichols posed as executor of the Bowers estate and, along with the others, collected millions since October 1998 for more than 7,000 vehicles that investigators say never existed. Investigators say that some of the victims’ money was deposited into Nichols’ player’s account at a California casino.

Ashley Baker, a spokesman for the North American Securities Administrators Association, said there is a key to any religious scheme: “They make faith in God synonymous with the investment scheme,” Baker said. Once that happens, victims are loath to concede that they’ve been taken. They believe giving up on their investment would indicate a lack of faith in God, Baker said. [Even when they realize] it was a scheme, they try to handle the matter among themselves, Baker said. “You’re asking people to not only admit that they were [duped] but that their faith was misplaced,” he said.

After hearing from Benjamin-Anderson, Miller called a meeting of car buyers at Breakthrough. About 20 people showed up, several of whom had also bought cars for family members. Some left the meeting believing that talk of a scam was an “attack of the enemy” and that their cars were still coming. “There’s two sides to every story,” one member told a Times reporter.

The following Sunday, about [seventy] people gathered for worship. Miller, a stout man with white hair and a white pinstriped suit, sang along with his congregation. Spent from the vigorous praise, he wiped the sweat from his brow with a bright yellow hand towel that coordinated perfectly with his yellow tie and handkerchief. Members had a joyous time last Sunday during the evening healing service, he said before starting his sermon. One woman came with legs two different lengths, he said. But by God’s healing power, she didn’t leave that way. “A leg that was shorter than the other grew out to normal size!” Miller [proclaimed] as amens and hallelujahs filled the room.

He had a word from the Lord this morning. That word is “pray.” “Pray, and don’t get impatient,” he said. “Prayer keeps the river flowing. Glory to the lamb of God!” A miracle is about to take place at Breakthrough, he said. “You ought to tell somebody, “I’m on my way!’ “Worshipers turn to their neighbors: “I’m on my way!”

“The Lord spoke to my spirit man and said, [‘I have put the church, not only Breakthrough, but the body of Christ, through a test,’ Miller] told the congregation. Some people have failed the test by gossiping, complaining and “crying over a little piece of money,” Miller said, apparently referring to the members who spoke openly about losses in the car deal. You just don’t know, he said, God’s got “millions in store for you!”

The service took place inside a conference room at the Hilton in downtown St. Petersburg. The week before, Breakthrough had left its location inside a strip shopping center on 49th Street S in light of eviction proceedings. According to court records, Miller failed to pay landlord Ashok Shah nearly $32,000 in rent over three years.

Shah said Miller consistently failed to pay the monthly $1,800, not including [taxes] owed for three units since entering into the lease in June 1999. In the beginning, Shah said, Miller would tell him that members’ checks had bounced and that the church would make good on its debts. Shah, who is a Christian, said he believed Miller, who also said God would bless Shah “because I was blessing the church.”

In a brief talk with a Times reporter, Miller said he knew little about the car deal. He said he didn’t know whether it was a scam or not. Miller [said he also put money into the deal] but would not say how much or what the money was used for. He said he had heard from other sources that Dollar participated and relayed that information to his congregation. Miller said the roof at the strip shopping center [leaked] but declined to talk about the eviction in detail.

Isabell Reivas, known as “Mother Isabell” to people younger than her 64 years, was not able to make it to church that Sunday. With two strokes, open-heart [surgery,] and diabetes in her medical history, it’s difficult for her to get around. She doesn’t drive. Still, she had been happy to hear about the car deal. A Toyota Camry for $1,000? She couldn’t pass it up.

Her daughter, who lives in the area and catches the bus to check on her mother, could use the car to take Reivas places. With the car, Reivas wouldn’t have to pay the $7 to $10 per cab ride for trips to the doctor’s office and to [church—money] she couldn’t afford on her Social Security check, she said. Reivas said she asked family members to give her the money. Then, with the patience of Job, she waited. The car would come soon, she believed. Only after calling another member for a ride in [mid-July] did she realize it might not.

“Oh Lord, have mercy!” she said, wiping tears from her cheeks. “We scrambled to get this [money (. . .) I just will pray] and ask God to give me direction,” she said, looking upward. “God is love. What else can I say? God is love.” 21

So, here’s some advice to follow from a different article.



SHOULD CHRISTIANS JUDGE THE TEACHINGS OF THEIR LEADERS?

As Christians, we are commanded against following teachers blindly but are told rather to “test everything; hold on to the good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Apostle Peter warns us in 2 Peter 2:1-3 that there will be false teachers in our day just as there were false teachers in his day. Among their false teachings is a denial of the sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross to take away sin, which is a common theme among cultists today. Another characteristic of false teachers is [greed,] which motivates them in everything they do. Paul offers a similar warning to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29-31, calling the false teachers “savage wolves” who mercilessly attempt to destroy the faith of the sheep and draw them away from the Shepherd. Paul warned the church continually, pleading with them night and day to be on their guard against such deceivers.

From these passages, we see clearly that we are to distinguish between true and false teachers. [How, then,] are we to do that? First, as Paul instructs the Ephesians, we are to “no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14). Rather, we are to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ,” and we do this by “the knowledge of the Son of God” (v. 13). The knowledge of Christ can only be obtained through the Word of God, and it is by that Word that we distinguish between the true and the false.

In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus offers some critical advice in discerning who is a false prophet:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruits you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruits you will recognize them.” [NIV]

Plainly stated, is the teacher’s life marked by a progressive conformity to the likeness of Christ? Is the teacher bearing the fruits of the Spirit? Just as only good trees produce good fruit, so do only true teachers of Christ display the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), whereas false prophets and teachers display the acts of their sinful natures (Galatians 5:19-21). By these fruits, we recognize true and false teachers.

Second, does the teaching that is being presented conform to the message as proclaimed by the early church and the apostles? As Paul writes to the church in Galatia,

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!”

These are harsh words indeed that Paul has for the false teachers, but eternal condemnation is what they store up for themselves until the day of God’s wrath (Galatians 1:6-9).

The Apostle John tells us in his first epistle (1 John 4:1-6) how we are to discern which spirits are from God.

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.”

It is of utmost importance that Christians are well grounded in the Scriptures so that they are able to discern which teachers speak from God and which are false in their [proclamations]. Only then can we reject what is false and “hold on to the good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).22

That said, we have one significant question remaining that we’ll attempt to answer in two different ways in the upcoming chapter. What is salvation and sanctification?



Endnotes

17Weust’s Word Studies.

18The Pulpit Commentary Pc Study Bible version 5, 2006. BIBLESOFT. WEB. 1 December 2024

˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.

19Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament.

20Weust’s Word Studies.

21Sharon Tubbs. “Duped by faith?” Tampa Bay Times 3 December 2024

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22“Should Christians judge the teachings of their leaders?” Got Questions

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