“In the wake of Hurricane Michael, one home survived in Mexico Beach, Florida. … It took reinforced concrete walls, 40-foot pilings driven deep into the ground and other factors to keep the house safe in the storm.” – "https://weather.com/news/news/2018-10-16-mexico-beach-home-survives-hurricane-michael" (accessed 1/10/2021)
Jesus described a similar situation in Matthew 7:24-27. What spiritual lessons can we learn?
Spiritually there are only two kinds of houses: those that stand and those that fall. This illustrates that there only two eternal destinies: eternal life and eternal punishment.
Most people would like some middle ground: they may not fully obey Jesus, but they still hope to avoid eternal punishment.
Verses 13,14 – The broad way leads to destruction but the narrow way leads to life.
Matthew 25:46 – The disobedient will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
There are only two possible eternal destinies: heaven and hell, eternal life or eternal punishment. Either your house stands in the judgment or else it is completely destroyed.
Verse 22,23 – At the judgment some will expect their house to stand but will be surprised when Jesus finds them unacceptable.
Verse 21 – Not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven.
Some people think that everyone will be saved. Others think that all religious people will be accepted. Still others think that all who profess faith in Jesus will be acceptable. But they will be surprised at the judgment to find that none of this is true.
1 Corinthians 10:12 – Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
Common denominational doctrine says a person is saved by faith alone: all you must do is sincerely believe that Jesus is your Savior. Yet Jesus Himself says we must obey to be saved.
Verses 21 – Those who enter the kingdom of heaven will be those who do the Father’s will.
Verses 24-27 – Even those who hear the words of Jesus will be rejected unless they do what Jesus says. The only house that stands in the judgment represents those who hear the words of Jesus and do them.
Hebrews 5:9 – Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.
Mark 16:16 – He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
If you know the will of Jesus, that is good, but it is not enough. If you believe in Jesus as the Son of God who died to save you from your sins, that is good, but it is not enough. Your house will stand in the judgment only if you hear, believe, and obey. What kind of spiritual house are you building?
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2020; gospelway.com
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Scripture quotations are generally from the New King James Version (NKJV), copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.