Frank Sinatra Christians? ("I Did It My Way")

      In the 1960's Paul Anka penned the lyrics to a song which was made famous by Frank Sinatra called "My Way."  It is about a person nearing the end of their life on Earth ("the end is near", "the final curtain").  It speaks of life's ups, downs, decisions and choices.  The song may be about having the courage to live your life without allowing others to unduly control you with their judgments.  Depending on a person's situation, this kind of courage might be a beneficial thing.  But, as a Christian, could this song ever be an appropriate theme song for our way of life?  When we are about to stand before the Creator of the Universe, would we be proud to stand before our God and proudly proclaim to Him that we did it our way? 

     I mean no disrespect to Mr. Sinatra, but there are many church leaders and followers of God who, without realizing it, are attempting to serve God like the popular song suggests.  For them, devotion and loyalty is more about what they want, what will please the people and what is popular and entertaining so that visitors will come to "church."  The safe and guaranteed way, the way that is right and cannot be wrong,  gets laid aside and even ridiculed so that they may keep their newly discovered improvements on what God has said.  They are usurping the authority and guidance of the Holy Scriptures to do it "their" way. Their goal is not complete and careful obedience and submission to an all wise and all powerful Creator.  They are quick to create  new and improved ways to worship and new doctrines to teach.  They say, "God's revealed ways are not  enough for our times and our culture."  So they let the culture dictate how they do things.  Sadly, they are demonstrating that they believe themselves to be smarter than God.  Jesus did say the way to life is straight and narrow and that few would find it (Matthew 7:13).  Jesus also said that worshippers who lay aside the teachings of God to follow the teaches of men worship God in vain (Mark 7:6-9).  Paul gave an interesting thought in Romans when talking about religious people who refuse to submit to God's Words.  He said, "Let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Romans 3:4). 

     A smarter than God person would likely say at this point that I am suggesting a "legalistic" approach to following God.  This would be an example of their not understanding the scripture and their defining words "their way."  They might suggest I am proposing we have the attitude of the "Pharisees."  I challenge anyone to show me one example in the Bible where God was unhappy with a person humbly being careful to do things "His way" as revealed in scriptures.  God's problem with the Pharisees was not their careful study of God's Word, but their failure to obey what they taught and their exaltation of "their" traditions above the Words of God (Matthew 23:2,3).  In reality, those who are going beyond the scriptures are more like the Pharisees than those who humbly and lovingly submit to only God's Word and His revealed examples of life and worship. 

     We all have a crucial choice to make.  We can worship and serve those who were created by God or we can retain God in our knowledge and reverence His every Word as truth and all sufficient for every "good" work (Romans 1:25; 2 Tim 3:16,17).  My Bible tells me over and over that doing it "my way" always has an unhappy ending when I have to face God.  On the other hand, can you imagine God ever being displeased with someone on the judgment day saying, "Sorry God, I am a sinner and you are all wise and knowing.  Please forgive me for always trying to worship and serve you "Your Way" as much as I possibly could."

Final Questions:  When we attend a gathering or assembly of those claiming to follow Jesus...:  Are we there to be pleased, entertained and catered to  OR are we there to humbly  hear the voice of God, a message from our Creator and Lord which might help us turn from our selfish ways and guide us closer to the narrow path which leads to eternal life?  Are we there to let God know how Great He Is and how important His every word is to us? Are we there to please God or to please ourselves?  Just asking.

Are You Going To Heaven?

                In 38 years of asking that question, I have rarely heard anyone say, "Yes, I know that for sure."  The answers I usually hear are:  "I hope so", "If I have been good enough", "If God finds me worthy."  Most of these answers came from religious people who believed in God. Of course the messages spoken at funeral homes imply that everyone is going to make it to heaven.  I wish that was the case. But even a casual study of the Bible shows that this is not true.  Who can be sure of their place in heaven when this life is over?

 

Wishful Thinking:

                Wishful thinking is hoping for something good, but not having assurance that it is absolutely a sure thing. Wishful thinking  often implies a lack of preparation necessary to make what is hoped for a reality.   Wishful thinking might be okay when watching your favorite team play in the Superbowl, but is it good enough when it comes to where you will spend eternity when your life on Earth is finished?  Is wishing, but not knowing for sure if you will go to heaven enough for you.  Jesus told the story of a prosperous man, planning for his future on this Earth.   But, He was giving no attention to what he should have been doing to prepare for eternity. He was called a "fool."

 

Luk 12:16-21 KJV  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:   And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?   And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

 

Biblical Faith:

                Someone might say, the above answers merely show humility and a recognition of the person's complete dependence on God.  This is good.  But, it is only a step in the right direction. We are all unworthy and undeserving of God's Mercy, but we are not all going to heaven.  Only those who humble themselves in the sight of God and submit themselves to His plan of faith have any hope or assurance of salvation.  We must be real disciples (followers) of Jesus Christ.  How to be disciples is clearly laid out in the Bible.  How much time and effort have we spend in preparing for eternity??

                Biblical Faith is believing, trusting and obeying the Words of Jesus.  "Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17) With real faith comes the assurance that God will keep His promises to save us.  God never lies. But he also never promises salvation to those who ignore Him and refuse to take the time to seek His will in their lives.  The Bible says you can KNOW if you are going to heaven OR NOT.

 

Are you a REAL disciple of Jesus?

Joh 8:31-32 KJV  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  (32)  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

Are you prepared for the day you leave this Earth?

Mat 16:24-26 KJV  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  (25)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.  (26)  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

Are you sure you are among those Jesus promises to come back and take home with Him?

Joh 14:1-3 KJV  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  (2)  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

Have Questions? Want Bible Answers You Can Trust For Eternity? Are You Going To Heaven?

For further study contact Robert  724-681-2724.  tarentumchurchofchrist.com

 

"Fake" News About Who Will Go To Heaven: Exposed.

(Top Five Beliefs Which Will Keep "Religious" People Out of Heaven)

 

Caution: God's Word is living, powerful and eternal (Hebrews 4:12,13; 1 Peter 1:22-25) and may cause you to question and even change the way you think about what you have been told.  You might even move closer to having "Biblical" faith which comes by hearing the "Word of God" (Romans 10:17). Be aware that believing and obeying what God says would prepare you for the judgment and keep you from being with the "many" who are on the path to destruction. It would result in you being among the "few" who find and walk in the "narrow way." (Matthew 7:13,14)

Romans  3:3-4 "…let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."

 

Fake News Reports You May Have Heard:

1.  "All who believe that God exists will be saved."  (Congratulations: these "all"  have arrived at the same level of faith as demons):

James 2:19-20 KJV  "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"

 

2.  "All 'good' people of all religions will be saved."(This implies that salvation is a product of each individual's good deeds even apart from submission and obedience to God's truth): 

Romans 3:23 KJV  "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

John 14:6 KJV "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

 

3.  "Religious people who follow the teachings  and traditions created by men will be saved." (Put simply, this is trusting the words of men more than the words of God):

Romans 10:1-3 KJV  "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

Mark 7:7-9 KJV  "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."

 

4.  "All who call Jesus their Lord will be saved." (This implies that what we say is more significant than what we actually do in matters of faith):

Matthew 7:21 KJV  "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

Luke 6:46 KJV  "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

 

5.  "The Grace of God universally covers all people's sins, even if they do not believe and obey the Gospel."

Titus 2:11-12 KJV  "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."

2Th 1:7-9 KJV  "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"

 

**For MORE information, questions or further study: Contact Robert at 724 681 2724 tarentumchurchofchrist.com