There’s No Curve
There’s No Curve
By Dennis Huebshman
All through my school years, I had teachers that would grade on a “curve”. After the first couple of tests, they would develop a grading curve to determine a pass/fail scale, so they could see where each student placed in their class If one got into a class with exceptionally smart people, the students at the bottom of the curve were really challenged. Usually, the teacher would get the lower-curve people aside and give them an opportunity to do projects for “extra-credit”, so they could at least pass the class. I usually fell about mid-range on the curves.
Our Heavenly Father has given us all the materials we need in His love Letter to us (Bible), and Jesus told us we need to accept the Father’s entire message as is. He said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. If the Son therefore sets you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:32 & 36) (All emphasis is mine.) God has made it very plain in numerous passages that there is no grading on the curve with Him.
Jesus emphasized this when He talked about the Straight and Narrow. Matthew 7: 13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide, and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. (14) But the gate is narrow, and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few that find it.” (ESV)
Just a note, the “difficulty” is not in what we must do to have eternal life, but what the attitude of people about this world offers vs taking care of our eternal soul. There are many who are putting everything they can do in getting ahead on this earth. They are not looking to the future where their eternity is, but are giving their ALL to being secure here. Satan loves this attitude, and will nurture it in any way he can. Accepting Jesus is to know our time here is only a fleeting moment, and we need to be building our treasures in Heaven. Matthew 6:20, “But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.” Just before this passage, Jesus warns against building our treasures on earth. That is not an eternal preparation.
More and more evangelical churches, and actually a portion of all organized religions, are preaching “on a curve” system. If they go back to giving the true word straight from the Bible, they know their membership will fall, and so will their monetary gain. Therefore, they are giving pleasing “ear-tickling” messages with stirring music and videos and many are teaching all around Jesus, but not about Him. Statements like, “We all worship the same god; therefore, all religions are the same.”; “There’s many ways to heaven.”; and “God doesn’t really view alternative lifestyles as an abomination as long as love is there.” This is along the same lines of satan saying, “Did God really say…?” This started in Genesis 3:1 and is continuing today. It still works for him; however, this is totally anti-god, and YES, God really did say!
There is no curve in John 14:6, “Jesus said I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Acts 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.” John 10:30, “The Father and I are One.” Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by GRACE you are saved through FAITH, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; (9) it is not from works, so that no one can boast.” Finally, 1 John 5:12, “The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have eternal life.”
Looking at just these verses, and there are many others saying the same thing, how can anyone say there’s many ways to Heaven and keep a straight face?
As I said, the difficulty is for people to “BELIEVE” and to “ACCEPT” what is the Truth. Romans 10:9, “…because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Going to verse 11, “For the scripture says everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.”
Jesus knew it would be difficult for people to believe in something they cannot see or touch. In John 20:29, after Thomas had given his famous “doubt” speech, Jesus appeared and, “Jesus said to him, have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are the people who have not seen yet believed.”
One of the biggest problems humans have had from the very beginning is to worship God and Jesus in true faith and belief, and taking the Father at His word. It seemed easier to worship an object of some form, rather than the Creator of this world, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The ones that can worship in Word and Truth are the minority that will be saved on that narrow path. Idol worship has not gone away, and is still present today. Anything that is worshiped more than Jesus is an idol.
Just think of what it will be like to hear, “Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the Joy of your Master.” That’s Matthew 25:21-23. This does not mean we will live a sinless life as only Jesus was able to do that. ALL, EVERYONE has sinned and fallen short, and will continue to do so until they leave this earth. (Romans 3:23) However, once we call out to Jesus and confess that we know we are a sinner; then ask Him to forgive us and be our Savior; we will have established a Home with Him that He will prepare for us. (John 14:2-3); Further, His blood sacrifice at Calvary will take away ALL of our sins. Only Jesus can do this as His blood sacrifice is the only one the Father would accept.
From the time of Moses, God required blood sacrifices because of sin. Hebrews 9:22, “Indeed, according to the law, almost everything was purified with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Hebrews 9:27-28, “And just as people are appointed to die once and then face judgment, (28) so also after Christ was “offered Once” to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await Him, He will appear a second time, not to bear sin (which He already accomplished), but to bring salvation.” Finally, Hebrews 10:12, “But when the Priest (Jesus) had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time (Himself), He sat down at the right hand of God.”
There is no “Curve”, no exceptions, there is only one way. The God of our Creation provided our only relief from sin, and to say we can do it another way is to say Jesus’ sacrifice was inadequate, and God needs to do something else. That is not going to happen! In fact, that is a direct commitment to join satan and his demons in the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20)
Don’t make it more complicated by adding things that aren’t required. To Summarize; We are required to believe Jesus came to this earth as fully man and fully God; He died on the cross at Calvary and His blood was shed for ALL who will believe in Him and accept the sacrifice; He Was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven and will come back again to claim His Church (Rapture); and then at the end of the Tribulation will physically come to earth to reign from His throne in Jerusalem for 1000 years. After that, eternal life will be in effect. By calling on Him to forgive us, He will do so as He already paid the price and He will turn no one down. The only sin that His sacrifice will not cover is to reject Jesus as Savior. This is blaspheming the Holy Spirit by refusing to accept His testimony.
Don’t look for a curve or another way. Take the straight and narrow way and be ready when He calls. It could be any minute, any hour, any day. He is coming back whether you are ready or not. Heaven and eternal life, or Hell and eternal punishment – these are the only two options.
Shalom!