The Two Paths

By Rev. Tim O'Connell

In our journey as believers, there will be times when we will be confronted with life altering decisions. When we stand at that crossroad, what choice will we make? Will it be man’s way or God’s Way? That is the essence of the message of the Two Paths. The Lord is pleading with His church to hear what the Spirit is saying in this hour; are we hearing, are we discerning and are we responding? May the Lord help us to be among those who are not only Called, but also Chosen and found Faithful as we navigate through God’s Pathways of Life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zion Christian Publishers
• Release date: Apr 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781596657410

Book preview

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CHAPTER ONE

WHY THE MESSAGE OF TWO PATHS?

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In short, Two Paths is a message on discernment—warning that all is about to change and helping to clarify which of the two ways we are walking in. Let’s be clear: most Christians seek to have it both ways in the way they lead their lives. Do you have the desire and ability to be intentional in seeking to lead a life separated unto God? Will you recognise the distinct lines of demarcation?

Have you noticed the confusion coming forth from many of today’s pulpits? On the one hand, there is conservative theological thought that can lead to exclusivity and irrelevance if taken to an extreme. On the other hand, there are contentious doctrines and teachings such as Hyper-grace, Word of Faith and Dominion Theology. Which of these theologies are sound? How do we gain clarity? Let’s begin where perhaps most of the Church can find agreement—the Lord’s address to the Church in Laodicea.

‘I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth’ (Revelation 3:15–16).

The Laodicean Church existed in the days when John the Apostle wrote the book of Revelation, but it also serves as a picture of the end time Church. One of the dominant messages coming forth from these scriptural verses is that there will be no middle ground. The days of co-existence are over; the teachings and doctrines that we subscribe to will determine our respective paths going forward. This is an important truth! A teaching may sound right today, and even appear fruitful and relevant, but where does it lead to? This is why it’s so important for us to have a vision. What is our ultimate destination, and how do we plan to get there?

The Bible instructs us to remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32), and we would do well to also remember Lot, the nephew of Abraham. When Lot allowed his vision to dictate his path to Sodom, he had no clue as to what awaited him in that evil city. The same is true of some Christians today—they think that if the here and now looks good, it must be okay to move in that direction. However, even though the two paths both seem easy to navigate in the initial stages, the key question is where each way eventually leads to.

Having a good vision is important because it points us in the direction that we should follow in order to reach our desired goal. A good vision requires planning so that our long-term objective can be achieved. This is true at a personal level as well as a national one.

One of the most effective vision statements that I have ever read was delivered by American President John F Kennedy at Houston’s Rice University on 13 September 1962. What was his vision? It was the declared objective to send a man safely to the moon and back before the end of the decade. This vision was successfully fulfilled on 20 July 1969. It is not hard to paint grandiose visions; the hard part is making them come to pass.

God has set a mark and target for each of our lives. There is a specified goal that He has placed before us, a goal that was pre-determined before the foundations of the world. The Apostle Paul was well aware of this for his own life, and he reached forth to apprehend his mark and prize (Philippians 3:12–14). If God has a pre-determined course for your life, you can be assured that He has made available a personalised vision for you. Do you know what it is?

It is critical for every one of us to have an idea of God’s calling because that will determine what steps we take on our onward journey. We must be aware of the enemy’s intent to lead believers off course. The last thing Satan wants is for God’s children to discover His ordained path for their lives. One thing must be clear: our walk with God must be on His terms and in accordance with His will. The enemy is a master at presenting shortcuts and easier paths that result in a comfortable and compromised mode of Christianity.

Middle ground Christianity can no longer be sustained. We cannot stop at having a good vision; what’s more important is the means that we take to achieve that goal. In penning these thoughts, I recall an event in 1992 that will help to further establish this truth.

A 1992 FLASHBACK

It was a Thursday night in August 1992, and I had settled in to watch a message that inspired many who had the opportunity to view it. Entitled A New Covenant, this televised broadcast countered the disillusionment and struggles facing many of its viewers all across the United States. At three different points of the message, the speaker quoted this familiar Bible verse on vision: ‘Where there is no vision the people perish’ (Proverbs 29:18).

A New Covenant struck a chord with the audience because it signalled a fresh beginning, birthing hope that a new thing was about to take place in every sphere of life. At the same time, the message proposed a discarding of the old, with former things giving way to the dawn of a new day. The vision it contained resonated with countless people—it addressed problems that they were coping with, coupled with a promise that the vision would be turned into reality. The closing reference was yet another Scripture, but it was paraphrased as follows, our eyes have not yet seen, nor our ears heard, nor our minds imagined what we can build.

If you’re thinking that the session concluded with a hymn of praise or a worship song, you would be surprised to learn that it ended with a rowdy chorus of Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow by the rock group Fleetwood Mac. A New Covenant was not delivered by a Christian leader; it was a speech by the Democratic Party’s nominee for the post of US President. As I observed the party atmosphere, I wondered if then governor Bill Clinton would indeed be elected to lead America, and what kind of president he would be if he succeeded.

It is never enough to merely paint great visions of what God will do; more follow-up is required! I have never forgotten that 1992 speech as there are two primary lessons to learn from it. Firstly, the presidential nominee did what many Christian ministers are doing today, which is to conveniently quote one part of a Bible verse while leaving out the rest of it. Here’s the full text of Proverbs 29:18, ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ The second portion of this verse is often left out, even among believers.

With the omission of God’s Law and an alteration of the Truth, what was the fruit of Bill Clinton’s term as America’s leader? Critics have called his administration one of the most corrupt in US history, but this distant damage and destruction was far from the radar screen of those attracted by the allure of his short-term vision.

Now, let’s look at how the presidential nominee paraphrased 1 Corinthians 2:9, and place it alongside the rendering from the King James Version of the Bible.

‘But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.’ (King James Version)

‘…our eyes have not yet seen, nor our ears heard, nor our minds imagined what we can build.’

A NEW COVENANT

‘Nor our minds imagined what we can build’—was Bill Clinton quoting from Nimrod’s Bible? The use of two Bible verses in A New Covenant gave the message a Christian vibe, but they were neither scriptural nor biblically balanced. This is the sobering reason for my including that particular speech in Two Paths. Many of today’s pulpits are characterised by the same tendencies: man playing the role of God through presumption, and putting forth human thoughts when conceptualising and presenting a vision. Visions construed by man can look good and even result in seemingly noteworthy aims and accomplishments, but do short-term achievements validate the path taken? The critical question to ask is where they lead to, and whether the outcomes are in accordance with what God has prescribed.

Here is a key thought to bear in mind as we progress in this study. Oftentimes, it is not so much what people say regarding areas of doctrine that we should be alert to, but what they do not say.

Have you ever sensed that something is not right while listening to a Christian leader or teacher? You find it difficult to pinpoint any fault with their message because some parts of it minister to you, so you begin to wonder if you’re being overly sceptical. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m aware that there are those who are always ready to find fault. This author in no wise subscribes to such an attitude.) Be assured that you can discern questionable doctrines by the things that are not stated.

Remember that the Word of God must be presented comprehensively while maintaining a proper balance.

Proverbs 11:1 states, ‘A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.’

I have coined the term ‘Selective Scriptural Application’ to describe a blatant false balance like the one contained in the then presidential nominee’s speech. This term will be referenced throughout the book as it can be applied to many of today’s Bible teachers, especially when it comes to the topic of God’s Law. Unlike Clinton’s omission of the Law of God on three occasions in A New Covenant, the biblical New Covenant is an intrinsic part of God’s Law.

‘But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people’ (Jeremiah 31:33).

True vision will always encompass the Law of God because that serves as a protective hedge and guide for the sojourner along the pathway to glory. Yet God’s Law is a stumbling block to many in today’s Church, just as it has been from the very beginning.

In the Garden of Eden, one of the temptations placed before Eve was the possibility of becoming like God (Genesis 3:5). To achieve this, she would have to step into a realm of the supernatural that functioned outside the parameters that God had established for her. Similarly, there are New Age ministers and mystics who have built strong platforms in Christendom that extend beyond God-given boundaries. They and their supporters should take a good hard look at what Adam and Eve lost after elevating human vision above God’s perfect vision for them.

Each of us must have a clear understanding of God’s Law and its role in our Christian walk. Every believer needs to be guided by the Law of God rather than cleverly designed doctrines which make provision for serving God on one’s own terms. Such deceptive teachings typically start with ‘Selective Scriptural Application’ as their proponents twist biblical selections into self-serving narratives.

Here is one more example of a popular Scripture that is often quoted in part only: ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.’ Now, let us look at the verse in its entirety:

‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children’ (Hosea 4:6).

If the Law of God keeps getting dropped from today’s messages and sermons, what is a possible consequence? Let’s take a look at the example of the children of Ephraim described in Psalm 78. Why did they retreat when they were needed during a time of war?

‘The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law’ (Psalm 78:9–10).

The point is clearly established that the children of Ephraim could not be counted on for warfare because they refused to walk in God’s Law. In the same way, Christians who do not treasure the law of God today will be spiritual warriors who may be armed yet find themselves turning back when challenged. The Law of God has a wealth of meaning and its message is threaded throughout the whole of the Bible, as it is in this book. Search Scripture to test much of what’s passing off as Christian theology today. It is vital to prayerfully ask the question ‘What is the end of the matter?’ Our God is ‘Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end’ and we honour Him and help ourselves when we approach Him in this manner. Such an approach will help ensure that we place our feet firmly on the path that leads unto life.

We must intentionally choose to seek to walk in the path that leads to glory, otherwise we will default to the alternative. Be warned that not making a choice is actually making the wrong choice. We cannot live our Christian existence trying to have it both ways by straddling two paths. The middle ground is eroding, and that is one of my primary burdens in writing this book.

BUS 47 OR BUS 48?

Here is a practical illustration of Two Paths based on public transportation in Singapore. Just outside the residence where my wife and I live, there’s a bus stop where we can take a large number of buses heading in varied directions. If we wish to go to the nearby Parkway Parade Shopping Centre, we can catch either Service 47 or Service 48. Both of those buses will also take us beyond the shopping mall to Amber Road, so if that road is our destination, it wouldn’t matter which of the two buses we boarded. But once past Amber Road, Service 47 and Service 48 travel in two completely different directions, and we’d have to ensure that we caught the correct bus from home to avoid ending up far from our intended destination.

It is so important to be on the right bus at the point of demarcation if we want to travel in the correct direction. Similarly, the Church in the last days is dividing and the point of separation is approaching. Two crucial questions are how the demarcation will come about and when it will occur. We can glean the answers from the patterns and types found in the Tabernacle of Moses.

The Tabernacle had three divisions:

Outer Court, Holy Place and Holy of Holies. The main congregation had access to the Outer Court where ceremonial functions were performed and celebrated. The Holy Place was reserved for the Aaronic priesthood of Levites and a different set of functions were performed there. While the priests ministered to the people In the Outer Court, when they were in the Holy Place, they ministered to God.

We read in Exodus 32:27 that the Levitical priesthood was separated from the general assembly of Israelites when they responded to the call, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side?’ That clarion call is sounding forth once again! Can you hear it? What is your response?

For those who may be puzzled or offended by the use of Old Testament typology, consider that the Apostle Paul relied on them to amplify his New Testament teachings.

CLEAR LINE OF DEMARCATION ESTABLISHED BY JESUS

Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction’

‘Strait is the gate, narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it’

Have you ever meditated on these two options that Jesus told His disciples about in Matthew chapter 7? He emphasised the distinction in His Sermon on the Mount when addressing issues of the heart. What distinguishes the narrow way from the broad path? Is it true that only a small percentage of people will enter the strait gate and find the narrow road which leads to life? These two verses represent the crux of the message of Two Paths and the dividing Church. The objective of this study is to locate and isolate these lines of demarcation in the Bible and take readers to identifiable junctions where choices were made. By placing yourself into the narrative, you’ll be able to determine the choices that you should make in a modern-day