Doors are everywhere in the modern-day civilized world.  Some are pushed, some pulled, some lifted or lowered, and some are self-operating.  Doors may open (or close) right-to-left, left-to right, upward, downward, inward, outward—they may even revolve.  Some doors open but partway at a time.  Still others slide or pivot and fold.  Some, spring-loaded, pop out of hiding in a wall, with a touch.  Some are equipped with automatic closers.

Doors are often fashioned with ‘peepholes,’ in case of a need to know who is on the other side, before unfastening the locks and catches.  Some doors, especially those that swing both ways, contain a small window useful for avoiding collisions.  Other doors are partially or fully transparent for decorative purposes, while some are designed to be completely opaque, for privacy or security reasons. 

Doors facilitate or inhibit ingress, egress, and access, depending on the circumstances and or the needs of particular situations.  Some doors are meant to be used by people, and some by pets or other animals.  Signs are posted on, above, beside, in front of or in the general direction of doors.  These signs convey a wide variety of messages intended to give literate human beings an idea of what to expect beyond the portals in their paths as they navigate through the day.  For those who cannot read labels, illustrations frequently accompany the words.

Whatever their functions and features, it is usually helpful and frequently essential that the user understands the potential benefits or consequences of opening and shutting the door at hand.  Is the door entrance or exit only?  Is admittance permitted or restricted?  If the latter, who is (or isn’t) authorized to venture inside?  Will an alarm be triggered (silent or otherwise) if the door is opened?   Will the door lock behind you?  Does it offer an escape route to the rooftop, a stairwell or other way out?  Does the door lead to a public restroom?  What kind?  Is it occupied or vacant?

Selecting the right door depends on where you want to go.  Opening the wrong door can be frustrating, awkward, or even embarrassing.  Happily, mistakes and mischances are usually of little consequence and are easily and quickly corrected.  But sometimes, the stakes are of the highest order and the repercussions both grievous and permanent.

“DANGER – KEEP OUT” is an entirely sensible and appropriate warning when applied to the door of a high-voltage panel, a shed storing hazardous chemicals, or the employee entrance to the lion habitat at the zoo.  Timing can also be a factor.  Opening the emergency exit door of an aircraft parked on the tarmac might be perfectly safe.  Opening the same door at 40,000 feet would be disastrous.  Precautions are fully justified.  

Sometimes, doors conceal good surprises to those intrepid enough to pass through them—opportunities or rewards made available only to the adventurous, the self-confident or the desperate.  A once popular game show famously offered contestants a choice between a prize already awarded to them and what was behind one of three closed doors.  One of these doors hid a clearly superior prize—better by far than that which the player had earlier won.  

After teasing the players with the possible wonders that awaited, the host would ask the contestants in turn, whether they were content to pocket their winnings or trade them for whatever lay behind their choice of door #1, door #2 or door #3.  

Some declined to gamble their modest winnings, despite the raucous urging of an audience whose members had no personal stake in the game.  More than a few took the risk and were thrilled with the trade they made.  Many others who tempted fate and forfeited their winnings went home with only a small consolation prize for their foolhardiness (or greed).

And so it is in life.  We are raised to believe that certain things, like higher education, carefully cultivated business, social or political contacts, the right financial investments or work experience will “open doors” for us.  The reality is often somewhat different.  Increasingly, couples hesitate before the doors marked, “Marriage” and “Career,” loathe to make any decisions that may be irrevocable.  They rightly see such doors as gateways to larger commitments, like all-consuming jobs or children and family.

Death itself is often referred to as a door.  This is no mere metaphor.  The stark reality is, that we were not consulted about being housed in these mortal bodies, and we will not be consulted about being evicted from them.  We were not offered an opportunity to choose their powers or limitations, their origins or histories, their appearance or features, not even the duration of our “lease.”  We are only tenants who cannot opt to stay when the building is condemned.  Demolition will force our evacuation.  We are clearly not owners.  Someone else is in control.

So, if we’re not the landlord, who is?  And if we’re not in control, who is?  Not to put too fine a point on it, but you may well ask while you’re at it, what arrangements have been made for new occupancy?  Where will I be moving and will the accommodations be better or worse?  Will I have a say this time?

Would it surprise you to learn that Jesus of Nazareth anticipated these questions and has directly addressed them?  If you answer ‘yes,’ great.  God put those answers in the Bible and preserved Jesus’ words, so that all people might know His plans.  If you answer ‘no, I didn’t know that,’ it’s critical that you become fully informed.  Jesus had this to say about the future home of His followers:

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”  (John 14:1-3) 

So, believers can look forward to a permanent home in heaven, in the presence of God.  Jesus is preparing a place for each of them, and will come back for them and personally receive them.  When He does, Christians receive new, indestructible bodies, suitable for everlasting life.  The Apostle Paul explains:

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle [our perishable mortal bodies] were dissolved, we have a building of God [new imperishable, immortal bodies] an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this [earthly body] we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven [our heavenly body]: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked [after our present body dies, we will receive a new body fit for heaven (we won’t be ghosts)].

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit [God has given believers His Holy Spirit, like earnest money—a downpayment guaranteeing our resurrection].

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord [Believers would rather be with Jesus, awaiting our new bodies, than here on earth in our corruptible, dying bodies].”  (II Corinthians 5:1-8)

This is the door marked, “Christ.”  It is for the exclusive use of those who come to God His way, on His terms, through repentance and faith in Jesus, His only begotten Son, who was sacrificed for the sin of the world, suffered, died, was buried, and raised again on the third day, just as the Scriptures foretold.  You want this door, if it is God’s forgiveness and the fulfillment of His wonderful promises that you seek.  Knock here if you yearn for a second chance, a fresh start, and a life of meaning and purpose: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  (II Corinthians 5:17)  “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” (II Corinthians 5:15)

If you have never humbled yourself, confessed your sin, and called on the name of the Lord, what are you waiting for?  Honestly, seeing more clearly every day where this world is going, what more do you need?  Why not ask God to remove any remaining barriers in your heart and mind?  The door is right in front of you.  Grasp the handle, turn it now and enter into God’s grace.

What’s behind door number two?  Not much—just the fierce, never-ending wrath of Almighty God, for rejecting His gift of salvation by refusing the pardon Jesus died to purchase for you with His own blood.  Think of it—God’s judgment instead of His mercy for those who insist upon it—opening the door to conscious eternal torment in the Lake of Fire!

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”  (Hebrews 10:26-31)

Paul was motivated by this fact in making his missionary journeys: “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…For the love of Christ constraineth [drives] us…Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”  (II Corinthians 5:11a, 14a, 20)  Here’s how:

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words, and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you.  Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams, and character).

SOME KEY TRUTHS:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)
• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)
• “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)
• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  (Romans 10:9)
• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)
• “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31) 
• “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)