IN THE SCRIPTURES CHRISTIANITY IS SPOKEN OF AS "THE WAY". MAT 7: 13-14, 1 COR 12:31, HEB 10:20,
ACTS 24:22, ACTS 18: 24-28, ACTS 16: 16-18 AND 2 PETER 2:2 ALL USE THAT TERM.
ISAIAH IN THE 35TH CHAPTER DESCRIBED THIS WAY HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE IT HAPPENED. JESUS SAID "I AM THE WAY" IN JOHN 14:6.
IT IS SO SAD THAT MEN HAVE TURNED "THE WAY"INTO A SYSTEM OF PHILOSOPHY, A SUCCESSION OF CREEDS AND A CHAOS OF DOGMAS. WE NEED TO PLEAD TO PEOPLE TO RETURN TO "THE WAY" OF THE NEW TESTAMENT!
1) DESCRIPTION
A. A PLAIN WAY - ISA 35:8 AND SIMPLE TO FOLLOW. THERE IS NO CONTROVERSY IN THE "CHRISTIAN" WORLD ABOUT CHRIST BEING THE WAY. THE CONTROVERSY HAS ARISEN CONCERNING THINGS ABOUT THE WAY.
AN OLD PILOT WAS ASKED IF HE KNEW ALL THE ROCKS AND REEFS ALONG THE RIVER. "NO", HE REPLIED, "BUT I KNOW WHERE THEY ARE NOT." ANY EARNEST MAN CAN FIND THE WAY AND TRAVEL IT BY TAKING THE BIBLE AS HIS ONLY GUIDE.
B. SECONDLY, IT IS THE WAY OF HOLINESS. - ISA 35: 8-10. NO UNCLEAN PERSON WHO HAS NOT BEEN CLEANSED BY THE BLOOD SHALL WALK THEREIN. THE REDEEMED WILL-NOT THE PERFECT, FOR THAT WOULD EXCLUDE ALL MANKIND AND LEAVE JESUS ALONE IN THE WAY. ROM 3:23, 1 JOHN 1:8; HEB 4:15. ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST SHALL WALK IN THE WAY. EPH 1:7; HEB 9:12.
C. THIRDLY, IT IS THE WAY THAT LEADS UPWARD. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A LIFE OF GROWTH PHIL 3: 12-14. WE ENTER THE WAY AS BABES IN CHRIST AS BABES IN CHRIST WHO MUST BE MATURED BY THE "SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD." WE GROW THEREBY INTO MEAT, SOUND DOCTRINE. 1 COR 3: 1-2
D. THERE IS ALSO A DOWNWARD WAY - GAL 5:19-21 AND 2 PET 1:5-11.
E. IT IS A WAY WHERE THE GATE IS NARROW AND THE WAY STRAIGHTENED - MK 7:13-14. ANY WAY THAT LEADS UPWARD MUST BE NARROW AND STRAIGHT. ANYTHING THAT COST NOTHING IS WORTH NOTHING. A RELIGION THAT COST NOTHING IS WORTH NOTHING. BUT, IT IS ALSO THE WAY OF JOY- ISA 35:10.
2) HOW TO GET IN "THE WAY"
A. CHRIST IS THE WAY, HENCE TO BE IN CHRIST IS TO BE IN THE WAY.
B. HOW DOES ONE GET INTO CHRIST?
1. HEAR THE GOSPEL - 1 COR 15: 1-4; ROM10:17;1 COR 1:21
2. BELIEVING IN CHRIST - MK16:16; ACTS 16:31; ACTS 8:37
3. REPENTING - ACTS 2:38
4. CONFESSING HIS NAME
5. BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST - MK16:16; ACTS 2:38; GAL 3:27
C. WHAT DID THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF ROME OBEY? ROM 6:17-18
1. WHAT WAS THAT DOCTRINE? 1 COR 15:1-4 - THE ABOVE COMMANDS TO BE OBEYED THUS BECOMING A CHILD OF GOD THROUGH BAPTISM. THEREFORE THE FORM OF DOCTRINE HAD TO BE AN ACTION WHICH SYMBOLIZED THAT THE DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. BAPTISM IS THAT ACTION - ROM 6: 3-6.
AS JESUS WAS LAID AWAY IN THE TOMB AND RESURRECTED ON THE THIRD DAY BY THE POWER OF GOD, SO THE SINNER IS LAID AWAY IN THE WATERY GRAVE AND RESURRECTED TO WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE. THIS IS THE ACTION BY WHICH THE SINNER IS MADE FREE FROM SIN TO BE A SERVANT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. ROM 6:18
3) HOW TO STAY IN "THE WAY"
A. A WAY LEADS FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER.
B. THE WAY OF SALVATION LEADS FROM THE WORLD TO THE FATHER, AND THE WAY IS CHRIST.
C. A WAY OF RECONCILIATION - ROM 5:10
D. IT'S A NEW AND LIVING WAY - BY FAITHFUL CONTINUANCE IN WELL DOING
HOW? BY STUDY - ACTS 2:42, BY PRAYER - ACTS 2:42, IN COMMUNION - ACTS 2:42; ACTS 20:7, BY SERVICE - YOU TRAVEL OVER A WAY, NOT SLEEP ON IT. WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE ON THE MOVE-1 COR16:12
E. PAUL HAS SWEET WORDS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TRAVELED THE WAY - 2 TIM 4: 6-8
F.HAVE YOU ENTERED THE WAY?