Here’s an Eternal Promise to help you face the satanic fear-mongering Islamic terrorists such as ISIS (or ISIL or DAESH), Al Shabab, Boko Haram, and all others like them who are involved in the current Christian genocide: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35).

Today we are going to focus on the eternal promise found in Romans 8:35 that says:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That’s Roman’s 8:35-39, and I encourage you to memorize and meditate upon this wonderful promise from God.

Well, the reason this eternal promise is so important at this time is because of the intense persecution facing Christians around the world. And not only a persecution, but a Christian genocide.

USA Today Story – Kirsten Powers: John Kerry should recognize Christian genocide – December 7, 2015

HEADLINE: Secretary of State should call what ISIL is committing by its true name.

“In October, Islamic State militants in Syria demanded that two Christian women and six men convert to Islam. When they refused, the women were publicly raped and then beheaded along with the men. On the same day, militants cut off the fingertips of a 12-year-old boy in an attempt to force his Christian father to convert. When his father refused, they were brutalized and then crucified.

“This has become the plight of Christians in the Middle East at the hands of the Islamic State terrorist group, also known as ISIL or ISIS. Beheadings, crucifixions and enslavement are visited on those who won’t renounce their religious beliefs. The lucky ones are murdered in more mundane ways or driven from their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs.”

A little further down in the story, Powers writes:

“Indeed, ISIL warned Christians in a video, ‘You will not have safety, even in your dreams, until you embrace Islam.’ Its militants or their affiliates have murdered or claimed credit for killing Christians in Syria, Nigeria, Iraq and Libya.

She ends the piece with:

“ISIL doesn’t want to co-exist with Middle Eastern Christians. It wants to eliminate them. Let’s stop pretending otherwise and call this what it is: a genocide.”

The threat from the islamist terrorists is “fear death or convert”. But the message from God, from Jesus Christ Himself, and from the apostles is “don’t fear death, rather fear not counting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and  don’t convert to Islam (or any other religion that rejects Jesus as the only way to the Father and the only atonement for sins)”.

These muslim terrorists don’t get it because their godless hatred has blinded them from the hearing the truth. True Christians don’t fear death because we know that when we die – either naturally or at the hands of a terrorist, the very embodiment of evil – that we will be released from this world to be forever with the True God, our Heavenly Father, praising King Jesus. We will not face the punishment of our past sins, but will be welcomed into the presence of God with the crown of eternal life!

So, while they hope to instill fear – which, by the way, is what Satan always hopes to do… instill fear of him and hear of death – these fear tactics hold no real power over the one who is Christ’s.

Does this mean Christians will not mourn the loss of loved ones? No, of course not. Does this mean Christians will not even feel the pain? Well, some accounts say that martyrs have signaled no pain, but it may even mean we experience a brief period of pain. I say brief because in light of eternity, this life, is but a blip. So imagine the small amount of time it is to be martyred compared to eternity with God where all pain and all tears are wiped away.

But it does mean that we will be victorious unto our very own death because God will uphold us during these trials.

Let’s hear the fulness of this eternal promises from Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome:

Romans 8:31-39 VOICE – So what should we say about all of this? If God is on our side, then tell me:whom should we fear?  If He did not spare His own Son, but handed Him over on our account, then don’t you think that He will graciously give us all things with Him? Can anyone be so bold as to level a charge against God’s chosen? Especially since God’s “not guilty” verdict is already declared. Who has the authority to condemn? Jesus the Anointed who died, but more importantly, conquered death when He was raised to sit at the right hand of God where He pleads on our behalf. So who can separate us? What can come between us and the love of God’s Anointed? Can troubles, hardships, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger, or even death? The answer is, absolutely nothing. As the psalm says,

On Your behalf, our lives are endangered constantly; we are like sheep awaiting slaughter.

But no matter what comes, we will always taste victory through Him who loved us. For I have every confidence that nothing—not death, life, heavenly messengers, dark spirits, the present, the future, spiritual powers, 39 height, depth, nor any created thing—can come between us and the love of God revealed in the Anointed, Jesus our Lord

Romans 8:35 in the NKJV Version reads this way:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long: we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

SEGMENT 3

The writer of Hebrews says something similar:

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV)

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

1 CORINTHIANS 15

53 We’ll step out of our mortal clothes and slide into immortal bodies, replacing everything that is subject to death with eternal life. 54 And, when we are all redressed with bodies that do not, cannot decay, when we put immortality over our mortal frames, then it will be as Scripture says:

Life everlasting has victoriously swallowed death.

55 Hey, Death! What happened to your big win?

Hey, Death! What happened to your sting?

56 Sin came into this world, and death’s sting followed. Then sin took aim at the law and gained power over those who follow the law.

57 Thank God, then, for our Lord Jesus, the Anointed, the Liberating King, who brought us victory over the grave.

2 CORINTHIANS 4

7 But this beautiful treasure is contained in us— cracked pots made of earth and clay—so that the transcendent character of this power will be clearly seen as coming from God and not from us. 8 We are cracked and chipped from our afflictions on all sides, but we are not crushed by them. We are bewildered at times, but we do not give in to despair. 9 We are persecuted, but we have not been abandoned. We have been knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our bodies the reality of the brutal death and suffering of Jesus. As a result, His resurrection life rises and reveals its wondrous power in our bodies as well. 11 For while we live, we are constantly handed over to death on account of Jesus so that His life may be revealed even in our mortal bodies of flesh.

13 We share the same spirit of faith as the one who wrote the psalm, “I believed; therefore I spoke.” We also believe, and that belief leads us to acknowledge 14 that the same God who resurrected the Lord Jesus will raise us with Jesus and will usher us all together into His presence.

16 So we have no reason to despair. Despite the fact that our outer humanity is falling apart and decaying, our inner humanity is breathing in new life every day. 17 You see, the short- lived pains of this life are creating for us an eternal glory that does not compare to anything we know here. 18 So we do not set our sights on the things we can see with our eyes. All of that is fleeting; it will eventually fade away. Instead, we focus on the things we cannot see, which live on and on.

2 CORINTHIANS 5

1 We know that if our earthly house—a mere tent that can easily be taken down —is destroyed, we will then live in an eternal home in the heavens, a building crafted by divine—not human—hands. 2 Currently, in this tent of a house, we continue to groan and ache with a deep desire to be sheltered in our permanent home 3 because then we will be truly clothed and comfortable, protected by a covering for our current nakedness. 4 The fact is that in this tent we anxiously moan, fearing the naked truth of our reality. What we crave above all is to be clothed so that what is temporary and mortal can be wrapped completely in life. 5 The One who has worked and tailored us for this is God Himself, who has gifted His Spirit to us as a pledge toward our permanent home.

6 In light of this, we live with a daring passion and know that our time spent in this body is also time we are not present with the Lord.

7 The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes. 8 There is no doubt that we live with a daring passion, but in the end we prefer to be gone from this body so that we can be at home with the Lord. 9 Ultimately it does not matter whether we are here or gone; our purpose stays fixed, and that is to please Him

HEBREWS 2

14 Since we, the children, are all creatures of flesh and blood, Jesus took on flesh and blood, so that by dying He could destroy the one who held power over death—the devil— 15 and destroy the fear of death that has always held people captive

JOHN 3

16 For God expressed His love for the world in this way:He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. 17 Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction.

18 No one who believes in Him has to fear condemnation, yet condemnation is already the reality for everyone who refuses to believe because they reject the name of the only Son of God. 19 Why does God allow for judgment and condemnation? Because the Light, sent from God, pierced through the world’s darkness to expose ill motives, hatred, gossip, greed, violence, and the like. Still some people preferred the darkness over the light because their actions were dark. 20 Some of humankind hated the light. They scampered hurriedly back into the darkness where vices thrive and wickedness flourishes. 21 Those who abandon deceit and embrace what is true, they will enter into the light where it will be clear that all their deeds come from God

Paul tells us not to worry because what we face here is a blip in time and not to be compared with the awesome reality of eternal life in the direct presence of our loving Father and King Jesus!

And he makes the point that nothing, absolutely NOTHING – not even the most twisted muslim terrorist – can separate us from the LOVE of GOD.

Look at what Jesus says about this:

Matthew 10:28-33

28 Don’t fear those who aim to kill just the body but are unable to touch the soul. The One to fear is He who can destroy you, soul and body, in the fires of hell. 29 Look, if you sold a few sparrows, how much money would you get? A copper coin apiece, perhaps? And yet your Father in heaven knows when those small sparrows fall to the ground. 30 31 You, beloved, are worth so much more than a whole flock of sparrows. God knows everything about you, even the number of hairs on your head. So do not fear.

32 Whoever knows Me here on earth, I will know him in heaven. And whoever proclaims faith in Me here on earth, I will proclaim faith in him before My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns Me here, I will disown before My Father in heaven

So, you see, those how trust in Jesus have no fear of Death nor of those who can kill just the body. Why? Because they are unable to touch or destroy the soul. Our Lord Jesus is able to preserve us blameless in soul and spirit, and our Heavenly Father is able to keep anyone or anything from snatching us from His hand. While it doesn’t mean we won’t face persecution and even death because of our faith, it does mean we will be eternally alive, healthy, and well in the presence of God enjoying His perfect place called Heaven.

And that’s a Word of Promise today from Eternal Promises. I’m Jeff Tobler, and I want to encourage you to seek the Lord while He may be found, because if you seek Him with all of your heart, the promise of God is that you will find Him.

This is Jeff Tobler, and the Lord bless you richly!

Here’s an Eternal Promise that should get you excited and very curious to know more: “You are the Temple of the Living God”. In this Eternal Promises Radio Show broadcast, Jeff Tobler walks us through an in-depth exposition behind this true concept, as well as the conditional nature of this promise, and what it means for YOU!

Listen to part 1 of this 2-part series!

Listen to ALL broadcasts!

Radio Show Transcript

Thank you, Scott. This is Jeff Tobler, and we are focusing on the Eternal Promises that state “believers are the temple of the Living God”, and we just got done quoting out of John 2, starting at verse 19:

John 2:19-22
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

Where Does God Dwell?

You see the old worship patterns were based off of many physical patterns and earthly examples that were meant to lead us into a worship of God in Spirit and in Truth.

Empty repetition or rituals have never been the goal. God has used these in the past to teach us about spiritual truths and heavenly realities, but God has always wanted us to worship Him in Spirit. He has always wanted us to serve Him at all times and in all places, out a pure, tender heart of love toward Him and others.

David reveals the heart of God in Psalm 51:

Psalm 51:16 –Psalm 51:17 (NKJV)
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

This was in part Jesus’ mission. He helps us to clearly see this as He talked with the Woman at the Well, where He said:

John 4:23-24 (NKJV)
“The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

In other words, Jesus’ whole ministry is about opening our eyes to who God is, what His will is for us, and what TRUE worship looks like.

In Hebrews 8:1 we are told this in plain words:

Hebrews 8:1-2 (NKJV)
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

Did you here that? Our High Priest, Jesus, is the final and only high priest now ministering over the true tabernacle which the Lord built, not man. He goes onto say that the earthly priests “…serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” So all that was done on the earth were copies, types, shadows… but NOT of any substance. Jesus is the substance, to Whom all the copies, types, and shadows pointed, but of themselves where nothing.

Stephen, a man filled with the Holy Spirit in the beginnings of the Chuch, expounds on the tabernacle, the temple, and the TRUE dwelling place of God:

Acts 7:44-50 (NKJV)
“Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built Him a house.

“However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these things?’ “

There you have it. The Most High does NOT dwell in temples made with hands, but rather in people who confess their sinfulness and start loving and obeying Jesus.

Look at what the OT prophet Isaiah declares:

Isaiah 57:15 (NKJV)
For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

You see, God has never truly dwelt with the Tabernacle nor in the earthly Temple, even though He used it to meet with and instruct His people. No, we can’t build any tabernacle or temple on this earth now or in the future that God will accept as His true temple, because He has already made one in Jesus’ death and resurrection and in His Church, individually and corporately.

Which leads us to the third point, which we will cover in a moment:

Believers are the legitimate and eternal Temple of the Living God

So then, all believers and worldwide Church make up the temple of the Living God! As His Body on this earth, wherever we go we have God in us and He is our God. We don’t have to travel over hill and dale, over land and sea, to go to some distant so-called “holy temple” or “holy place”.  Wherever we are, we are in His holy place. We have instant access to God because He is in us – the temple of His choosing.

In fact, Jesus made sure of this by prophesying the end of Old Covenant worship in the Jerusalem Temple by destroying it in 70 AD, thereby destroying the old sacrificial system along with it.

Paul writes:

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NKJV)
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV)
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

In his letter to Ephesus, Paul writes of a Temple still in process on this earth, but of Heavenly origin:

Ephesians 2:19-22 (NKJV)
Now, therefore, you are… members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

And Peter agrees saying, in Christ we are“living stones” that God is using to “build up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood” and that we now “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)

When we give up our own desires so that others would know the Lord, that is an acceptable sacrifice. And when we offer up prayers for others, this is now the offering that is compared to as spiritual incense before the Lord.

The only way to please God, and to worship in Spirit and in Truth

The only way to please God, and to worship in Spirit and in Truth is to believe in Jesus, to repent of your sins, and begin to serve and follow Jesus. The Spirit of Christ will lead you into Truth. He is the foundation of this life of worship. Remember, you no longer need to go to a temple or building to worship and serve God.

Instead, as believers in Jesus Christ we are free to worship Him at all times with a life filled with gratitude, and a tender heart of love toward Him!

Before we leave this topic, it’s important to understand why Paul kept pressing this point to the Corinthians. They were not living properly and he was reminding them and warning them. Listen to what he says:

2 Corinthians 6:11-18 (NKJV)
“What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? … And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?

For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
Therefore
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
“I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”

It is out of a great love for them that Paul is rebuking them for their wicked heart of unbelief. But what is the remedy? Well, in the very next verse, Paul plainly states what they must do. Let’s read it together:

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Here’s an Eternal Promise that should get you excited and very curious to know more: “You are the Temple of the Living God”. In this Eternal Promises Radio Show broadcast, Jeff Tobler walks us through an in-depth exposition behind this true concept, as well as the conditional nature of this promise, and what it means for YOU!

Listen to part 2 of this series!

Listen to ALL broadcasts!

Radio Show Transcript

Thank you, Scott. Welcome to Eternal Promises Radio Show. I’m your host, Jeff Tobler.

I want to personally thank you for joining the broadcast today and remind you of THE eternal promise of Eternal Life for everyone who believes and lives for Jesus Christ.

“And this is the promise God has promised us, even Eternal Life!” (1 John 2:25)

Because,

“All of the promises of God in Christ are “YES” and in Him, “AMEN”. (2 Cor 1:20)

Today, we are going to focus on the amazing, but sometimes misunderstood Eternal Promise that says:

“For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them, and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ ” (2 Cor 6:16b)

And by the end of the broadcast you will discover clear insights and understanding on:

1. The role of God’s Old Covenant Temple
2. Where God ultimately dwells
3. And, what it means when we read that We are “the Temple of the Living God” in the New Testament.

Now, to be clear, this is a conditional promise, which is to be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ! If you are not currently a whole-hearted Christian, walking in an obedient love-faith relationship with Jesus Christ, I encourage you to lay hold of eternal life by laying hold of Jesus, by faith, and holding fast to Jesus and His teachings the remainder of your days on this earth.

Now, if you are currently a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, the sent Messiah for the Jews and the Savior of the whole world, this is the Promise: “You are the temple of the living God”.

The primary verse we chose is 2 Cor 6:16, but this eternal promise is repeated throughout the New Testament, and promised and alluded to throughout the Old Testament.

For instance, Paul writes to the believers in Corinth reminding them and encouraging them of this Truth.

For instance, in his first letter, early on he writes:

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

And a few chapters later, he again writes:

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Well, why is Paul writing this? What is he driving at? Thankfully, he gives us the answer by saying:

“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

In other words, since we are God’s Temple, meaning He dwells inside of us – in our bodies, we should now be using our bodies (heart, mind, soul, and strength) to do those things which please and honor God. We are His, and He is ours. Therefore, we should make every effort to live a life that pleases God rather than grieving the Holy Spirit.

Well, before we get too far into this amazing eternal promise that believers actually are the Temple of the Living God, let’s step back to examine the origins of this concept, directed by God for the good of His people.

What was the role of the Temple found in the Old Covenant?

Anyone remotely familiar with the Old Testament or the Jews has some understanding of Solomon’’s Temple, or later Herod’s Temple.

Now, to be accurate, this notion of God’s Temple, goes back even further to the instructions given Moses to build a Tabernacle in the Wilderness.

This Tabernacle was portable, made of poles and animal skins, along with other materials, whereas the Temple we read about later was a fixed building made primarily of stone and covered in gold and other precious commodities.

But the result was the same. These “dwelling places of God” were instituted as a place where God would meet with the people, notably the priests on behalf of God’s people, and where ritual cleansing would take place, as well as sacrifice and offering for past sins committed.

At the time, God instituted the sacrificial Law to be carried out in the Tabernacle, and later, the Temple. These laws showed the people that their sins needed to atoned for by the shedding of blood – that is, the sacrifice (or ritual killing) of an animal so that the guilty party how had repented could be free from the penalty of death.

The writer of Hebrews says it this way in Hebrews 9:22:

“According to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”

The VOICE translation says:

“Under the law, it’s almost the case that everything is purified in connection with blood; without the shedding of blood, sin cannot be forgiven.”

The tabernacle provides a rich study into the empty types and shadows that ultimately pointed to the rich and meaningful substance found in their fulfillment, Jesus Christ. You see, we tabernacle with God when we enter into an abiding relationship with Jesus, and we have our sins forgiven because of the sacrifice of sins that Jesus paid for by His blood being shed in our place!

The Temple and Laws pointed His people and future generations to the coming Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. The Temple served to teach about the atoning blood of Jesus Christ as the only sacrifice for all sin. The Temple taught the people that God wanted to “be their God” and that He was looking for a people who would gratefully and lovingly serve in the greatest Temple there ever was – one not made on this earth, but made without hands.

Which leads us to the second point.

Where Does God Dwell?

Well, there is no denying that there was once a physical Tabernacle and Temple under the Old Covenant, instituted by God. But after Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus revealed the heavenly tabernacle and temple not made with hands, and inaugurated earthly worship in this heavenly tabernacle by focusing on relationship rather than on real estate; on love rather than location.

Jesus alludes to it in John 2, starting at verse 19

John 2:19-22
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

You see the old worship patterns were based off of many physical patterns and earthly examples that were meant to lead us into a worship of God in Spirit and in Truth.

Empty repetition or rituals have never been the goal. God has used these in the past to teach us about spiritual truths and heavenly realities, but God has always wanted us to worship Him in Spirit. He has always wanted us to serve Him at all times and in all places, out a pure, tender heart of love toward Him and others.

David reveals the heart of God in Psalm 51:

Psalm 51:16 –Psalm 51:17 (NKJV)
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

This was in part Jesus’ mission. He helps us to clearly see this as He talked with the Woman at the Well, where He said:

John 4:23-24 (NKJV)
“The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

In other words, Jesus’ whole ministry is about opening our eyes to who God is, what His will is for us, and what TRUE worship looks like.

In Hebrews 8:1 we are told this in plain words:

Hebrews 8:1-2 (NKJV)
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

Did you here that? Our High Priest, Jesus, is the final and only high priest now ministering over the true tabernacle which the Lord built, not man. He goes onto say that the earthly priests “…serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” So all that was done on the earth were copies, types, shadows… but NOT of any substance. Jesus is the substance, to Whom all the copies, types, and shadows pointed, but of themselves where nothing.

Stephen, a man filled with the Holy Spirit in the beginnings of the Chuch, expounds on the tabernacle, the temple, and the TRUE dwelling place of God:

Acts 7:44-50 (NKJV)
“Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built Him a house.

“However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these things?’ “

There you have it. The Most High does NOT dwell in temples made with hands, but rather in people who confess their sinfulness and start loving and obeying Jesus.

Listen to part 2 of this series!

Jesus says there are only two doors (or gates) and only two paths that people choose in this life. But according to Jesus, only ONE of them leads to LIFE. In this Eternal Promises Radio Show broadcast, Jeff Tobler walks us through the meaning behind Jesus’ difficult saying of “NARROW is the gate and DIFFICULT is the path that leads to Life!”

Listen to part 2 of this series!

Listen to ALL broadcasts!

Radio Show Transcript

Welcome to Eternal Promises Radio Show. I’m your host, Jeff Tobler. I want to personally thank you for joining the broadcast today and remind you by way of encouragement that “this is the promise God has promised us, even Eternal Life!” (1 John 2:25)

Because, “all of the promises of God in Christ are “YES” and in Him, “AMEN”. (2 Cor 1:20)

Those two verses, 1 John 2:25 and 2 Cor 1:20 are our two foundational verses.

But today we’re going to discuss the eternal promise found in Matthew 7:14 where Jesus promises “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it”

The promise of Jesus involves the two doors (or gates) that Jesus warns about, and the two paths (or ways) associated with each door. He’s telling us to be very careful about our choice, because the destination of each path is markedly different and our choice in this life on this earth determines where we will spend eternity, in the blessed paradise-like presence of God which we often call Heaven, or in the tormentingly painful lake of fire, which we often call Hell. Now we can go through these two destinations in detail, but which one would you choose, if you had the choice?

Yes, most reasonable people will choose Heaven. And most people believe they are going to Heaven when they die. But this an area that you want to review to make SURE you have met the conditions God requires.

In Jesus’ teaching, He was very specific about the requirements for entering into the Kingdom of God and enduring to the end. It starts with choosing the correct Door by which we enter. He said their are two doors and two paths, contrary to many “spiritual leaders” leading many astray by telling them that there are many paths to God and that they ALL lead to God and Eternal Life. No, quite the contrary. There are two paths and only One of them leads to Eternal Life. Choosing which door is crucial, because the door you choose and the path you take determines your ultimate outcome.

As I’ve said before, God’s promises are two-fold. For every blessed promise there is an equally real promise of consequences or curses that we choose to receive because we have disobeyed the voice of the Lord. Here Jesus contrasts the two promises:

Let’s hear directly from Jesus:

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
“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. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

The Voice says it this way:

“There are two paths before you; you may take only one path. One doorway is narrow. And one door is wide. Go through the narrow door. For the wide door leads to a wide path, and the wide path is broad; the wide, broad path is easy, and the wide, broad, easy path has many, many people on it; but the wide, broad, easy, crowded path leads to death. Now then that narrow door leads to a narrow road that in turn leads to life. It is hard to find that road. Not many people manage it.”

So Jesus makes it very clear for us. Please don’t miss this point. Jesus is urging people to choose wisely, based upon God’s will for them, that they wouldn’t perish. It’s awesome to think how caring our Father is to send Jesus to help us to see very clearly the Way or Path we must travel… the path that leads to life!

The word picture Jesus is painting for is two gates each leading to a path. The one gate that is very narrow leads to a difficult or constricting path filled with denying ourselves for the Lord’s will to be done in our life and the life of others.

Most won’t choose this path, and yet this is the one Jesus, the Son of God, says we should choose. Did you hear that? Most reasonable, some very intelligent at that, won’t choose the wise path that leads to eternal life.

Notice I said some of these are very intelligent. And they are. But make no mistake, we could be a Harvard graduate with honors and still fail to choose wisely. And sadly that makes one a fool according to the Lord. Raw intelligence is not the same as wisdom.

There are some incredibly wise folks who have no high school diploma. And in case you’re wondering, there are some highly educated intelligent people who also have great wisdom in choosing the Lord and His narrow path.

Let’s read what Jesus said:

“There are two paths before you; you may take only one path. One doorway is narrow. And one door is wide. Go through the narrow door. For the wide door leads to a wide path, and the wide path is broad; the wide, broad path is easy, and the wide, broad, easy path has many, many people on it; but the wide, broad, easy, crowded path leads to death. Now then that narrow door leads to a narrow road that in turn leads to life. It is hard to find that road. Not many people manage it.”

So, the Promise involves two doors (or gates) that Jesus warns about, and two paths (or ways) associated with each door. He’s telling us to be very careful about our choice, because the destination of each path is markedly different and our choice in this life on this earth determines where we will spend eternity, whether it will be in the blessed paradise-like presence of God referred to as Heaven, or in the tormentingly painful lake of fire, referred to as Hell.

Let’s discuss in further detail that gate that leads to destruction which is very large and wide and very well worn. It’s a crowded path filled with ease and self-fulfillment.

This easy, broad, self-centered path of ease is the one Jesus warns us NOT to travel, yet the Lord says most DO choose this path. We understand this to some degree, don’t we?

We joke about lemmings blindly following the other lemmings to their demise. In fact, we tell our children, just because others are doing the wrong thing doesn’t mean you have to.

But that’s the way it is, the blind lead the blind. And the larger the crowd headed over the cliff, the more the majority is convinced they are going in the right direction.

But according to Jesus, Christianity is not a democracy where the majority decides. No, the right way is according the Jesus teachings alone, and He says FEW will be walking this path of life.

In fact, let me share a scene from the sixth chapter of John to show you how few even listened to Jesus:

In this chapter, crowds come to see and hear Jesus teach. Jesus draws a wonderful illustration about Him being the Bread of Life (or the food of life) … in other words, is it TRUE spiritual nourishment and if we digest Him, His teachings, His very pattern of life with our whole heart, we will have eternal life!

Let’s read portions of it.

Jesus:… “I am the bread that gives life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died as you know. But there is another bread that comes from heaven; if you eat this bread, you will not die. I am the living bread that has come down from heaven to rescue those who eat it. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever. The bread that I will give breathes life into the cosmos. This bread is My flesh.”

The low whispers of some of Jesus’ detractors turned into an out- and- out debate.

Crowd: What is He talking about? How is He able to give us His flesh to eat?

Jesus: “I tell you the truth; unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not know life.  If you eat My flesh and drink My blood, then you will have eternal life and I will raise you up at the end of time.  My flesh and blood provide true nourishment.  If you eat My flesh and drink My blood, you will abide in Me and I will abide in you.  The Father of life who sent Me has given life to Me; and as you eat My flesh, I will give life to you.  This is bread that came down from heaven; I am not like the manna that your fathers ate and then died! If you eat this bread, your life will never end.”

He spoke these words in the synagogue as part of His teaching mission in Capernaum. Many disciples heard what He said, and they had questions of their own.

Disciples: How are we supposed to understand all of this? It is a hard teaching.

Jesus was aware that even His disciples were murmuring about this.

Jesus: “Has My teaching offended you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascend to return to where He came from?  The Spirit brings life. The flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have been teaching you are spirit and life,  but some of you do not believe.”

From the first day Jesus began to call disciples, He knew those who did not have genuine faith. He knew, too, who would betray Him.

Jesus:  “This is why I have been telling you that no one comes to Me without the Father’s blessing and guidance.
After hearing these teachings, many of His disciples walked away and no longer followed Jesus”

You see, this wasn’t difficult – or it didn’t have to be. Jesus had made it VERY clear a few verses prior, but they hardened their hearts against Him. Listen to what Jesus taught and see how simple it is to understand:

Jesus: “I am the bread that gives life. If you come to My table and eat, you will never go hungry. Believe in Me, and you will never go thirsty. Here I am standing in front of you, and still you don’t believe.  All that My Father gives to Me comes to Me. I will receive everyone; I will not send away anyone who comes to Me.  And here’s the reason:I have come down from heaven not to pursue My own agenda but to do what He desires. I am here on behalf of the Father who sent Me. He sent Me to care for all He has given Me so that nothing and no one will perish. In the end, on the last day, He wants everything to be resurrected into new life. 40 So if you want to know the will of the Father, know this:everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will live eternally; and on the last day, I am the One who will resurrect him”

We been learning about the narrow door and the difficult path Jesus promised leads to Eternal Life. Pretty eye-opening, isn’t it?

In Luke’s Gospel Account Jesus says:

“Strive to enter through the narrow door now, because many people—hear Me on this—will try to enter later on and will not be able to.” (Luke 13:24 VOICE)

Strive is a strong word and I know the Lord means what He says.

Well, what if you find yourself on the broad path? The answer is very simple. Simply do a U-turn, go back to and through the small gate and start traveling on the narrow path.

Today, if you are hearing this broadcast, this message is for you. I urge you to take Him seriously today and to please God by listening to and obeying His beloved Son, Jesus. Don’t delay.

I want you to enter into the narrow door who’s name is Jesus. He said: “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

And guess what, He is not only the Door but also the Way or the Path. Do you remember what He spoke to His disciples in John 14:6? He promised saying “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me”

Did you hear that? If you enter through Jesus you will be saved, and if you follow Him all your days, you will enter into eternal life when you die and be in the presence of your Heavenly Father forever.

Jesus is the door and the path. Once again, He’s made it so simple that a child can believe. He’s an awesome God!

Receive Jesus and receive the free gift of salvation, the Promise of the Holy Spirit, and rejoice in the love of the Father that He would so lavishly spend His Son on us to save us from eternal damnation and the Lake of fire and to place our names in the Book of Life that we would now be able to spend eternity in His blessed presence.

If you haven’t yet received the Lord and experienced the gift of being freely forgiven, but would like to receive Jesus and start following Him, learning from Him about the fullness of God and of His will, than let’s pray together and if you mean it from your heart, God will honor the prayer and do what He has promised to do. You have his word on it, and God cannot lie.

Let’s pray together

“Father in Heaven: I confess that I’m a sinner. I have sinned aginst you and I need a savior. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins. I believe with all my heart that He was raised from the grave on the third day, defeating death.

I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I repent of living for myself, and give my whole life to you, Heavenly Father.

Thank you for your amazing love, for adopting me into your family, and for the gift of salvation! For this day forward, I will serve Jesus Christ as my King and I give my full allegiance to Your Kingdom and your laws.

I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen!”

If you prayed that prayer you have just been granted privileged access into the Kingdom of God and become a child of the living God. Because this is the promise He has promised us, even Eternal Life!

When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our old nature is buried with Christ – and become a new creation. You’ve been spiritually reborn with a new heart, and new nature by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of Christ is in you and will help you finish the journey the He has just begun in you. Your job is too simply love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And do His will!

Now, to help you get started, we have an online resource. Go to EternalPromises.org/newlife and you will find help, direction, and encouragement.

Some of the first steps are to find a solid fellowship of believers. Second, immediately get water baptized in obedience to Jesus’ command.

And I want you to let us know that you’ve received Eternal Life today. Go to eternalpromises.org/newlife and fill out the NEW LIFE form so we can walk along side you, encourage you, and send you FREE resources to equip you on your new journey.

And that’s a Word of Promise today to you from Eternal Promises. I’m Jeff Tobler, and I want to encourage you to seek the Lord while He may be found, because if you seek Him with all of your heart, the promise of God is that you will find Him.

The Lord richly bless you!