A Christian Path;A Journey of Faith

By Phillip Hale

In an age of widespread compromise and moral decline, this book issues a clarion call for the Church to rediscover its unwavering allegiance to biblical truth and the genuine gospel of Jesus Christ. Through careful examination of Scripture, the author expounds on foundational doctrines surrounding the divine nature of the Church, its distinct calling, and the necessity of heartfelt transformation.

Central to this work is a robust defense of the expansive, unlimited atonement secured by Christ's death on the cross - a sacrifice that made salvation available to all people without exception. Yet the author deftly balances this truth with the equally paramount doctrine of God's sovereign election, painting a breathtaking portrait of divine mercy and grace.

With convicting clarity, the reader is confronted with the reality that mere intellectual assent is insufficient; genuine salvation demands repentance, submission to Christ's lordship, and a life radiantly conformed to biblical truth. Only through such authenticity can the Church exemplify its divine mandate as the visible manifestation of Christ's redemptive work on earth.

Thoroughly grounded in Scripture and the historic reformed Baptist theological tradition, this book ignites a fervent call for the modern Church to wholly embrace its identity as Christ's beloved Bride - zealously proclaiming the uncompromised gospel to the nations until that glorious day when every tribe and tongue is represented before the throne of the Lamb.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 19, 2024
• ISBN: 9781304431523

Book preview

The Christian Path: A Journey of Faith

© 2024 by Phillip Hale.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

ISBN 978-1-304-43152-3

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The Narrow way

The Modern version of Christianity some have adopted is a very dangerous and destructive path. They have replaced the biblical teaching of the Gospel of Jesus saving unworthy sinners from their sins, with a self-centered wisdom, self-help sermons, and a belief everyone is basically good. That is not what Jesus taught in any way. This path has so many led astray, walking blindly in the darkness of sin thinking they are saved. This dangerous messaged is why I have spent years studying and preparing to write this book to share the effectual message of Jesus. That sinners can only be saved from their sin by wholeheartedly submitting to the call of the Holy Spirit and surrendering themselves to follow the path that Jesus himself laid out for Christians to walk.

What, then, is the gospel? This question resonates with urgency, reverberating through every fiber of my being, for I have witnessed firsthand the distortion of its message. The Bible lays bare the answer: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16 NASB). The gospel is the greatest message we can proclaim to the world. The Greek word for gospel, εὐαγγέλιον, literally means a good message. It is the message that Jesus died upon the cross, paying for our sins and completing a work sufficient to save all who would hear and believe: Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NASB).

Yet, within the halls of our churches, the sacred pulpit, once a platform for the proclamation of divine truth, has been overshadowed by self-aggrandizement. Social media, with its seductive allure, has become a battleground of egos, where the pursuit of fame and fortune eclipses the pursuit of God. In the relentless pursuit of relevance, we have lost sight of reverence. Many buildings erected as houses of worship have strayed from boldly proclaiming the Word of God, replacing it with monuments to personal ambitions – smoke machines, light shows, and performers masquerading as ministers. The gospel, once a beacon of hope in a world shrouded in darkness, has been reduced to a mere sideshow, a spectacle to entertain the masses.

Still amid all the chaos and confusion, a flicker of hope remains – a longing for authenticity, a yearning for truth. It is this longing that fuels my passion, driving me to delve deeper into the sacred pages of Scripture, seeking the timeless truths that have endured the test of time. For in the Word of God, I find solace, I find clarity, I find the answer to the question that has consumed my soul.

The gospel of Jesus is paramount. Jesus never tickles anyone's ears. He addresses a powerful and sobering question: Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?(Luke 13:23 NASB) His response delineates two paths: one broad, leading to destruction, and the other narrow, leading to life. The majority drift along the broad path, unaware of its perilous journey, while only a few walk the difficult yet rewarding narrow way to the gate of life He said to them, Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets'; and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.' (Luke 13:24-28 NASB) He delineates two paths: one broad, leading to destruction, and the other narrow, leading to life. The majority, unaware of their perilous journey, drift along the broad path, while only a few tread the difficult yet rewarding narrow way to the gate of life.

Jesus emphasizes the urgency of choosing the narrow gate, cautioning against the illusion of ease offered by the broad path. Despite His clear teaching, many persist in their pursuit of worldly pleasures, mistakenly believing they can access life through the wide gate. (Luke 13:24 NASB) The gravity of the situation becomes more pronounced when Jesus describes the scene at the gate. He foretells a moment when the Master shuts the door, leaving those outside to plead in vain for entrance. Despite their protests and appeals, they receive a chilling rejection: 'I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.' (Luke 13:25-27 NASB)

The sobering reality of hell is not merely a theological concept but a grim fate awaiting those who reject the narrow way. Jesus vividly portrays the anguish of those consigned to hell, where there will be 'weeping and gnashing of teeth'—a depiction of both profound sorrow and relentless fury. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Matthew 13:41-43 NASB) The prospect of facing such a fate instills a sense of dread and urgency. Especially because many who stand in the world and believe they are safe from such a fate will wake up in Hell and either cry out to God in tears of agony, or gnash their teeth and scream at God in their unrighteousness and anger Lord, Lord trying to lift up their own works, their own goodness, only to hear And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'(Matthew 7:23 NASB)

Let us heed the solemn call to enter through the narrow gate, striving against the tide of the world's allurements. May we not be deceived by the illusion of the broad path but earnestly seek the way that leads to life. The bible tells us "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB) Look in your mirror honestly, examine what you see, the cost of your eternal salvation is at stake. Do not measure yourself against other men, measure yourself against Jesus, His life, His example, His word. Having a knowledge of Jesus, is not enough, many know of Jesus, and many will wind up at the gates of Hell. You have to accept Jesus, Follow Jesus, heed His word, "For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:23-25 NASB) This is why the correct and effectual teaching of the Gospel is so important and what I am striving for in this book.

The gospel, I have come to realize, is not merely a message of facts; it is a revelation, a divine unveiling of God's redemptive plan for humanity, it is a love letter. The story of God's love, manifested in the person of Jesus Christ, who laid down His life to reconcile us to the Father. It is a message of grace, of unmerited favor, of redemption freely offered to all who would believe. The gospel is so much more than just a proclamation of salvation; it is a call to discipleship, a summons to follow in the footsteps of the One who gave His life for us. It is a message of transformation, of renewal, of the old being made new. It is a declaration of freedom, of liberation from the chains of sin and death. In the gospel, we can see the heartbeat of God, pulsating with love and compassion for His creation. We can see the outstretched arms of the Savior, beckoning us to come and find rest for our weary souls. We can see the promise of a new creation, where tears will be wiped away, and death will be no more.

Yet, for all its simplicity, the gospel remains a mystery, for