In the 14th chapter of John’s Gospel we find a passage of Scripture in which Jesus makes several statements that are earth-shaking for the one (“he”) who believes in Jesus. One will notice that Jesus uses the singular (“he”–not they) form in this and most of His other references when speaking about people who would believe His Words and obey them. In Mattew 7:13,14 He warns that the vast majority of those who have access to His message would refuse to learn it, believe it and obey it. In that reference He noted that “few” would (search for and) “find it” (singular), meaning His “strait” (difficult) “gate” leading to His sheepfold (singular church). Notice that His (one and only) “way” (path) is “narrow” (strict–according to His Law) and leads to eternal life.

Conversely, the “gate” leading into Satan’s false church is “wide” (come as you are) and his “way” is “broad” (stay as you are) and leads to eternal death. “Many” salvation seekers choose to enter Satan’s gate and walk his way. Jesus declared that there are only two ways–one is right and any other way is wrong. One is either with God or with Satan. One is spiritually either light or darkness, up or down, in or out, etc. As Jesus said, the salvation seeker is either with Him or against Him; he either gathers to Him or scatters from Him (Lk. 11:23). ONE IS EITHER RIGHTEOUS OR UNRIGHTEOUS, for “THERE IS NO DARKNESS IN HIM AT ALL” (1 Jn. 1:5).

Though many are called to enter Christ’s strait gate and walk His narrow way, few answer His call, choosing rather to enter and walk the way of “the church” where there are hundreds of options from which to choose (Mat. 22:14), each of which offers its unique gate and way supposedly to heaven. One preacher found over 800 different denominations (churches, faiths, etc.), each proclaiming to have its own “right gate” and “right way.” Only one gate and one way is right; all others are Satan’s counterfeit religious organizations. Each organization (denomination, church, faith, etc.) has a cadre of ministers who lead their respective congregations through a counterfeit gate and along a counterfeit way which lead to a true hell. God lumps all such organizations together, along with His true church, and calls them “My people called by My name.” To understand how all denominations, etc. can be in the same religious system, read Who Are God’s People? and “My People Called By My name,” key words–People and Called respectively. For a handy reference, read about the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25. Note that all are called “virgins”–church members. Note that only five of the “virgins” were accepted. Also carefully read Matthew 7:21-23 to see what Jesus will say to those in the church who were Christians in name only (foolish virgins0.

In John 14:4 through 24 we will study some of the most powerful statements ever spoken by Jesus Christ. What He said in that short discourse must be embraced and obeyed in order to join Him in the clouds during the first resurrection, then descend with Him to Jerusalem where He and His obedient saints will create the Kingdom of God. Read The Three Resurrections, key word–Three.

As I have conducted this ministry to the church over the years I have found that only a minutely few church people are open to the Word of God, and even fewer believe it, and even fewer obey it. Unfortunately, the other 99.9% of professing Christendom totally reject the very Words of the Lord Jesus Himself which we will begin to examine in the following segment.

Knowing that His Words (message) would be rejected by the masses, the Lord said through the Prophet Jeremiah that only “one of a city and two of a family” would He call to Zion (the Promised Land) following His return to earth (3:14). He will bring only His Very Elect saints to the land He promised the spiritual children of Abraham, “the father of the faithful” (Gal. 3:9).–His true Church. These Law-keeping few will rule, first the earth for 1000 years, then the universe forever (Rev. 20:6; 22:5). Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe, key word–Caretakers. Turn now with me to John 14:4 to begin this very important passage.

In the first three verses of chapter 14 Jesus is telling His disciples that He is going to die, then return to heaven where He will receive His inheritance–the universe– which will be headquartered in the land He had promised Abraham–the Promised Land known as Zion. Read The Kingdom of God, key word–Kingdom. In Luke 19:12 Jesus had used a parable (picture story) about a Nobleman (Jesus Himself) who went into a far country (heaven) to receive his inheritance (the universe). Having received it, he returned to his former location (the earth) to officially take of that which he had been overseer while waiting to receive it as his inheritance.

Jesus was explaining to His disciples (and all future saints) that He and they would take control of the earth upon his return. HE AND THEY WOULD OWN IT FOR IT WAS HIS AND THEIR INHERITANCE BECAUSE HE AND THEY HAD OBEYED THE OWNER OF THE LAND (GOD) WHO HAD WILLED IT TO THEM. Jesus lived as a man on that land and had earned future rulership of it, thereby showing His true servants how to be JOINT HEIRS WITH HIM OF, FIRST THE EARTH, THEN THE UNIVERSE. The Caretakers. series explains this in detail. It is necessary to understand the heir-inheritor relationship: one is an HEIR until he officially receives the promised inheritance, at which point he becomes the official/legal INHERITOR. Christ’s true saints are now heirs. Upon Christ’s return they will be inheritors, IF THEY RETAIN THEIR STATUS BY OBEDIENCE TO HIS LAW UNTIL THE END (Mat. 10:22/ Heb, 10:26). As I have explained before, the word IF is the most powerful Word in the entire Bible. It determines whether or not the believer receives the promises of God in this and in the next life.

Christ’s disciples told him that they did not know where His inheritance would be or how to join Him there (vs 5). He replied that HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE THAT MUST BE LIVED IN ORDER TO LIVE WITH HIM FOREVER IN HIS INHERITANCE. HE WAS TEACHING THEM HOW TO LIVE SO THAT THEY THEMSELVES WOULD BECOME THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE FOR TRUTH SEEKERS TO EMULATE. UPON HIS DEPARTURE THEY WOULD BE THE FATHER’S LIGHT TO THE WORLD JUST AS HE HAD BEEN THAT LIGHT WHILE ON EARTH (Jn. 9:5/ Mat, 5:14)–SAME LIGHT=SAME INHERITANCE. NOT THAT SAME LIGHT=NO INHERITANCE. MAN’S CHOICE.

Throughout the remainder of the series you will notice that there can be no difference between Jesus Himself as a minister of God and those whom God would commission to follow in His footsteps. God is “no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34), meaning that, with the exception of dying for the sins of mankind, THERE IS ONLY ONE SAVIOR. God commands that we “walk” (live) the same way that Jesus of Nazareth walked. Those who “walk even as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6) and “overcome as He overcame” (Rev. 3:15) “… until the end” will be saved upon Christ’s return (Mat. 10:22). This should come as no surprise in that those who do so will be JOINT-HEIRS WITH HIM IN THE HEREAFTER. He and His Very Elect saints will receive the entire universe (Rom. 8:17) as their inheritance. When you factor in the price He paid for our sin forgiveness, He has every right to demand our total sanctification unto him during this life.

Throughout the remainder of this series Jesus will be instructing true believers in the finer points of obedience to the Father’s instructions that will make them joint-heirs with Him. Their inheritance will be the entire universe. True discipleship is not for everyone who wants to be saved. As Jesus said time and again, true Christianity is only for those who will “count the cost” of true discipleship and willingly pay that cost. As I have said before, oneness with Christ and the Father can mean being alone spiritually. As the Almighty said, “… one of a city and two of a family” will qualify to return with Him to Zion. L.J.