“Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” (Rev. 3:8) The Gospel of Jesus Christ is like an open door, waiting for whosoever to walk through. The way a person walks through that door is through repentance and faith. Without repentance, faith is not a biblical faith. The Lord saves us ‘as we are,’ but He never leaves us that way. Through the new birth in Christ, our desires, priorities, and life will change from the carnal and temporary to the spiritual and eternal.
No one can keep a person from coming to Christ. Each of us must bear the responsibility of our choices, and we will face the consequences of those choices. If we choose unforgiveness toward others, we choose to go to hell. If we choose to reject the gospel, we choose hell. Every man is “without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
We may feel that heaven is a locked door, but Jesus is the doorkeeper, and he has opened it for all. Here is a story to illustrate:
When my boys were young, Mom would cook them a big meal to fill their little stomachs. Feeding others has always been one of Mom's greatest delights. To her, food is the cure for all things! Whenever the boys would arrive and go to the door, Dad would jump up and lock the door. The boys could not get in and would bang on the door. Then Dad would holler, “Nobody is home. Go away! We have no food.” Dad would joke that he did not want a ‘bunch of little Ivy’s’ eating him out of house and home.
This standoff would continue until Mom stepped in. She would say, “James, open the door and let them in. They are hungry!” Of course, Dad would eventually give in to Mom’s command and open the door. The boys would come home and relay the experience to me.
At times, we may feel that heaven’s nourishment is hidden from us or that we are locked out of entering the banquet of God's provisions. However, God has promised us ‘an open door.’ Neither Satan, circumstances, or fear can keep us from fellowship with God.
On January 13th, my Dad entered the presence of God. The angels ushered him across the gulf of time and brought him into heaven’s glory. The beauty of what he is experiencing is beyond anything we could possibly imagine. The glory that he now sees and lives in makes all the pain, sorrow, heartache, and trials worth it. Jesus has wiped away all the tears from his eyes and given him the eternal rest his soul longed for.
Unlike the trick he played on his grandsons, when Dad walked through heaven’s door, he is not desiring to lock it or keep others out. Instead, along with the Lord, the angels, and all those who have gone to heaven before us, Dad now stands inside the door. I can hear his baritone voice as he joins them and shouts, “Come on in. There is… An Open Door!”
