Slamming The Door…
The story is told about Johnny, a little boy who was testing his parent’s nerves. His mother asked, “How are you ever going to get into Heaven acting the way you do???”
He replied quickly, “I’ll slam the door!”
“Slam the door???” she asked caught by surprise.
He nodded.
“I’ll go running in. Then I’ll run out. Then I’ll run in. Then I’ll run out. Then I’ll run in. Then I’ll run out. And when St. Peter asks me, ‘Are you coming in or going out??’ I’ll run in and stay!”
The vast majority of folks think an occasional slamming of the door will gain Heaven’s access.
The Bible says St. Peter won’t be at the gate, Jesus will.
“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. (Matthew 7:13)
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! (Matthew 7:21-23)’
We want to choose how we go through the narrow gate.
We want to have our ears scratched the way we want them scratched.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (2nd Timothy 4:3-4)
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17)
Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. (2nd John 9)
I watch numerous recorded worship services and often listen to the sermons. I see a lot of door slamming, there are few actual words of God, mostly words of man.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2nd Timothy 2:15)