Three Destinies of Man
"Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to
life, and few there be that find it." — Matthew 7:14
Tragic events
so prevalent in our day cause many to seek answers about life, death and the
hereafter. Frequently asked questions are: "What is to become of me after
I die? Is death the end?" "Will I go to heaven, or will I go to hell because
I've backslid?" "What happens to the billions who have never heard of Christ?"
In answer to these questions, our response is that God has illustrated in
His Word three different paths which lead to three different destinies.
The Broad
Way
Mankind is
born dying. There is no choice in the matter—we have all been "born in sin
and shapen in iniquity." (Psalm 51:5) Consequently, unless something alters
this path, the only destiny for mankind's billions is to remain dead in their
graves forever. "...wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to
destruction, and many there be which go in thereat..." (Matthew 7:13) Many?
Yes, all start out on this path, and many will never find their way off of
it in this present evil age dominated by sin.
This broad
way began just over 6,000 years ago when father Adam stood at a crossroads
in his life: one path led to continued perfection and happiness—life sustained
by God in the Garden of Eden; while the other path followed this slow downward
course to the grave. Yes, the whole human race, Adam and all of his offspring,
have been born dying because of Adam's original sin—disobedience unto a simple
command given by his Creator in the Garden of Eden. "And the LORD God commanded
the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Genesis 2:16,
17
Adam had
been created perfect, and he was also created with the gift of free-will—the
privilege to choose between right or wrong. The Heavenly Father foresaw that
His perfect son Adam, given a choice, would fall prey to deception, lack of
trust in His commands and eventual disobedience. Before Adam disobeyed, God
declared to him the penalty for sin—that he would "surely die." (Genesis 2:17)
Note that the penalty was death and not eternal torment.
This penalty
of death could not be offset by just making a renewed choice to be good. No,
Adam and his posterity had been corrupted by sin and the penalty must be paid
by all. "...by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men..." (Romans 5:12) And thus, unless someone would
pay the price for Adam's original sin and take his place, all would remain
on the path to destruction—everlasting death.
In His great
wisdom, God not only saw that mankind would start on this long journey toward
destruction, but He also set in motion a plan that would work to man's benefit
by allowing the hard lesson of experience. Living with the consequence of
disobedience has been a harsh, yet everlasting teacher. The offsetting price
for Adam's penalty required what the Scriptures call a ransom for Adam and
his children—Greek: anti-lutron, corresponding price. This ransom provided
an opportunity for Adam and his corrupted seed to be brought back to life
with a fresh opportunity to take a different path that would lead to life.
Jesus Christ exchanged his perfect life for the life of Adam. The path to
life offered by Jesus' death, however, also requires a choice—a choice to
avail oneself of the payment offered for Adam's penalty and then a choice
to live in obedience to the principles of truth and righteousness.
The Path Leading to Life
The theme
text in Matthew 7:14 illustrates a path that is difficult—a narrow way which
is certainly the road less traveled in a world plummeting farther than ever
down the road to destruction. Walking this narrow path is the privilege of
those who accept the sacrifice Jesus Christ made—paying the penalty for Adam's
disobedience and thus providing the hope of a resurrection from the dead.
The age in
which we now live is called the Gospel Age otherwise known as the Good News
Age. Those who choose this path today, contrary to the ways of this present
evil world, are dedicated or consecrated to a "high calling of God in Christ
Jesus." (Philippians 3:14) The Apostle Paul speaks of this as a new and living
way. "...enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living
way, which he hath consecrated for us..." Hebrews 10:19, 20
The destiny
of one who accepts this new way is to travel on a narrow road which leads
to heaven. But keep in mind that what Adam lost was perfect human life, not
life as a spirit being. How, then, did life in heaven become the destiny of
one who accepts Christ? The spirit nature is a reward for accepting the merit
of Christ's shed blood and then laying down one's life in sacrifice with his—sharing
in his death. "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his
death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection..."—a resurrection
on the spirit plane. (Romans 6:5) This reward does not mean that anyone born
in sin has merit of his own to deserve such a prize. No, what this means is
that one who has accepted, by faith, Christ's sacrifice receives the right
to human life and is reckoned perfect. As such, that person is justified or
made right before God. "...faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:5
In giving
one's life to serve God—to be dead to self will and alive to do His will—we
are following in the footsteps of His beloved Son. By so doing, Jesus himself
is "not ashamed to call us brethren." (Hebrews 2:11) If his reward for faithfulness
was to be resurrected to the divine nature, then those who become his brethren
will likewise receive this reward, if faithful. "Be thou faithful unto death
and I will give thee a crown of life." Revelation 2:10
Called According to God's Purpose
The Apostle
Paul calls consecrated Christians children of God: "...and if children, then
heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer
with him, that we may be also glorified together..." Herein is the qualifier
for receiving the heavenly destiny—if we suffer with him. But why should a
Christian suffer? Paul goes on to say, "For I reckon that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall
be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for
the manifestation of the sons of God... For we know that the whole creation
groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but
ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves
groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of
our body." (Romans 8:17-23) Paul is expressing that the whole creation—mankind,
the animals and even the earth—are all imperfect now. They are all described
as groaning in their imperfect condition. Again, this was brought upon us
all because of father Adam's original sin.
Paul explains
that this poor groaning creation is waiting in its dying condition for the
selection of the church, the sons of God, to be in heaven with Jesus. The
resurrection of the remainder of the human race must wait until Christ's blood
has secured the completion of his body. "Simeon hath declared how God at the
first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name...
as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle
of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof,
and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord..."
It is this residue, the poor groaning creation that is waiting for the completion
of the body of Christ. Acts 15:14-17; 1 Corinthians 12:12
Billions Have No Choice
Even today,
in our so-called age of enlightenment, most people of the world are still
in ignorance of this path to glory. Their destiny is determined by the circumstances
into which they are born—there is no choice but to follow that path. If we
are children of God and brothers of Christ, then we will soon develop in our
hearts compassion for the world still living in ignorance, and we will desire
that they, too, might find a way of escape from the everlasting penalty of
death. We will search the Scriptures to determine through them if there is
a hope for the lost and dying race of mankind. And, praise God, we do find
and delight in the promise that God is the "Savior of all men, specially of
those that believe." (1 Timothy 4:10) This Scripture illustrates a hope for
those who never knew Christ—those who will believe when they come up from
their graves in the general resurrection on the earth. This resurrection was
opened to all as a result of Christ's death upon the cross—offsetting the
penalty of Adamic death. 1 Corinthians 15:19-23
Yes, it is
not Christ-like to selfishly say, "I am saved and it doesn't matter what happens
to the rest of the world sitting in darkness." No, if we are to grow into
the likeness of God's beloved Son, we will grow in love and compassion and
desire what God desires: "all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:4
The Highway of Holiness
The Book
of Isaiah brings to our attention a hope for the billions who have lived in
darkness— those who have never had the opportunity to walk the narrow path
that leads to life in heaven: "And a highway shall be there, and a way. And
it shall be called the way of holiness, the unclean shall not pass over it,
but it shall be for those. The wayfaring men though fools, shall not err therein.
No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon; it shall
not be found there but the redeemed shall walk there. The ransomed of the
Lord shall return and come to
Unlike the
path of the Christian today, this highway is far from narrow or difficult.
It is wide enough and easy enough that even a fool would not stumble there
upon. This highway is for the same ransomed of the Lord spoken of in 1 Timothy
2:3-6: Jesus Christ "gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due
time." Again, there will be a free-will choice to accept this offer of life,
and those who wish to follow the path of righteousness and obedience will
have the opportunity to "learn righteousness." (Isaiah 26:9) All who do not
accept this path will be cut off from life everlastingly in the second death.
(Acts 3:18-23; Revelation 20:14) Whoever chooses the path of righteousness
will be taught how to live lovingly and unselfishly with all of God's creation.
And there will be no lion-like characters there. During this time Satan, the
great adversary of God and man, will be bound for a thousand years. He will
not be allowed to deceive and tempt the world in God's Kingdom for he will
be restricted.
Where will
this highway of holiness be? Will it be in heaven with Christ and his church?
No, remember that heaven is the destiny of those who sacrificed their justified
humanity to become dead with Christ. Recall, too, that Adam did not lose a
spiritual life, but an earthly life. Christ gave his flesh for the life of
the world. Therefore, the life offered to the residue of men is here upon
this earth. Revelation 20:2, 3
Two Paths of Salvation
The Bible
has thus shown us three paths, with three different destinies—two of these
paths provide a hope of salvation. The heavenly hope is reached by walking
that narrow way, following in Christ's footsteps now. After the body of Christ
is complete and these sons of God are revealed, there will be a highway—the
second hope of salvation. God's will shall be done in earth as it is
being done in heaven. Matthew 6:10
This is God's
plan complete and the final solution to the disobedience and fall of man in
the opening chapters of Genesis. The revelation given to the Apostle John
concludes the story of redemption: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth:
for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away... And I John saw
the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared
as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven
saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with
them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and
be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there
shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be
any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:1-4
What is this
new Jerusalem? Christ and his brethren—the glorified church reigning from
the heavens. When the
The promise
of a resurrection and a brighter day for all the world of mankind should thrill
the hearts of those who have received the privilege of enlightenment. It should
give great comfort to know that God's penalty of death is for the purpose
of education and not a vindictive, demonic thirst for revenge. God's gracious
plan complete, when death "is swallowed up in victory" and where the earth
becomes a glorious "footstool" for His feet—is the hope of the church now
and is the future hope of the world in Christ our Savior. 1 Corinthians 15:54;
Isaiah 60:13-14