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Coming and Going
Are the prayers of those who mean well but may or may
not know Yahshua (Jesus) heard by the Father? What does Yahshua mean when
he says, “No one comes unto the Father but by me?”
Is he prohibiting or blocking the prayer of Jews and Mormons? Is he
closing the doors of Heaven to those who do not know him by this passage?
Let’s find out.
First, would you agree that no scripture verse may
stand alone without
- the context of the passage in
which it stands, and
- the context of all received
scripture?
You agree? Good!
Here’s the immediate context of the “But By Me” text
(note italics):
John
13: 37. Peter said to him, “Master, why cannot I follow you now? I will
lay down my life for you.” 38. Yahshua answered, “Will you lay down
your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow,
till you have denied me three times.
14:1.
“Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in Eloha, believe also in me.
2. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have
told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3. And when I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself,
that where I am you may be also. 4. And you know the way where I am
going.”
(Yahshua is speaking of laying down his
life; i.e. DYING, in order to construct a highway to the
Father’s house.)
5. Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know
the way?” 6. Yahshua said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the
life; no one comes (goes) to the Father, but by me. ...
(“Way” in the original language to a
“roadway.” “Comes” in the original language also means “goes.” Going to
the Father means “getting to life after death,” and the (narrow) roadway
by which one gets to life.)
12. “Truly, truly, I say
to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and
greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.”
(Obviously, it is extremely important to
accomplish great works to continue on the roadway to eternal life.)
What approach to the Father is Yahshua talking
about when he says, “No one goes to the Father but by me”? His approach
is in regards to the time of personal judgment at the resurrection
of the dead during the Millennium or “Day of Judgment” (take your
pick). There may be other passages in which effective prayer is
addressed, but this passage is not about prayer, it’s about
the judgment.
How are the dead (non believers) to be judged?
Rev
20:4. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom
judgment was committed.
(Yahshua (Yahshua) says elsewhere that among the judges will be the twelve
apostles, the Queen of Sheba, the Ninevites and the Son of Man – all these
were people.)
Also I
saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to
Yahshua and for the word of Yahweh, and who had not worshiped the
beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or
their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Messiah a thousand
years.
(Here
are more judges who rule during the “Day of Judgment.” They were men and
women on earth. And we believe not just those who were beheaded.
That’s just a symbol for all those who died “in the line of duty on the
road to the Father’s kingdom.”)
11.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence
earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12. And I saw
the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books
were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And
the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had
done.
(Here
all the dead come to life and are judged by those mentioned in verse 4.
All the dead who didn’t die in Yahshua (Yahshua) are judged by what they
are done.)
Does “But By Me” mean that only the prayers of a
Christian are heard? No. It has nothing to do with
people praying to Yahweh. “No one goes to the Father but by me,” has only
to do with where Yahshua goes after his death and where others
also go. They go to the Father “but by him” because he is the
district attorney of their life’s work and will determine if their
works merit life or not in that great thousand-year day.
How are we to judge another in regards to prayer or deeds of this
life?
Well look.
Matthew 7:1. “JUDGE NOT, that you be not judged. 2. For with the
judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will
be the measure you get.”
If we are not to judge temporal outcomes, how
may we judge the outcomes of Yahshua’s equitable justice in regards to the
afterlife? “Judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24).
What is judgment?
Dictionary: “An opinion or estimate formed after consideration or
deliberation, especially a formal or authoritative decision.” We often
confuse judgment with condemnation, a guilty verdict or “damnation” (as in
Matthew 23:14 KJV). The original Bible word for judgment is krima:
“the decision (whether severe or mild) which one passes on the faults of
others.” The Bible is also very specific by which criteria the person is
to be judged: “And the dead were judged by what was written in the
books, by what they had done.” This is consistent
with both the definition of “judgment” and of krima.
The following passages are DEFINITIVE in regards to
those “coming to the Father but by Yahshua”
Class One
John 7:24. Truly, truly, I
say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has
eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from
death to life. (This is the first class of judgment – they are judged
while yet alive and their punishment was assumed by Yahshua (Yahshua).)
Class Two
28,
29. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all
who are in the tombs (graves) will hear his voice and come forth,
those who have done good, to the resurrection of life.
(This
is the second class of judgment. Remember, John said in Revelation
20:12. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne,
and books were opened. These people are not among the saints of
Yahshua, yet if they have done good in accordance with the books,
though they were dead in their graves, they will rise to life.)
Class Three
29b.
and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. (This is
the third class, who will face judgment. Yet even these will be judged
with some degree of mercy. After all who did we learn does the judging?
Maybe you!)
Summary – there are three “But By Me” classes
among the people born on earth: (1) believers already
judged and alive in Yahshua forever; (2) the dead, now resurrected, who
have done good during their life in accordance with the books, and (3) the
dead, now resurrected, who have done evil. Consider the importance of
these passages for those who have never heard the good news preached nor
had a first opportunity to accept Yahshua’s propitiation!
Do Jews (say) who haven’t known or accepted Yahshua
have an opportunity to live eternally (or Muslims or Buddhists)? Consider
the second class, even from the terse language of the King James
version.
KJV:
all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth;
they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life.
These can’t be Yahshua’s believers
because believers have already been judged and they will not be
dead at this time, neither will they be in tombs so as to rise
out of them. Believers never die because they are spiritually alive, like
angels! Though the nature of humankind is evil, Yahweh has instilled
in all sentient people the propensity and ability to do good, even
against their nature. One must go against nature to obtain
resurrection life, which may or may not be eternal life.
The third class, be they “Christians” or anything
else, will be condemned in one fashion or another. Yahshua tells us they
may end up on the burning trash heap (Gehenna, translated “hell,”
Matthew 23:33).
More to consider for “But By Me” in regard to the Jews:
Matthew 19:28 Who is to judge and be judged?
Revelation 7:4 Who is sealed?
Revelation 2:8 Those in the Smyrna assembly
considered themselves true Jews and were Jews.
Hebrews 3:1 Who was this book addressed to? Who are
those with the heavenly calling? What is the writer asking them to do?
Does the tone of the book seem as though they had already done it?
Romans 11:25,26 What does it here say in regards to
the salvation of Israel (including Jews)?
Ps 122:6 Why do we do this today? Who lives in
this place? Doesn’t it make sense that, if we are to pray for these
people to have peace, Yahweh cares for them? And if he cares, doesn’t it
make sense that it’s because the people are his? And hears their prayers? |
