The Burning Building
There were two men who were working late in their office building and as they were working; one of them notice smoke coming from out under the door. So he tells the other man that was with him in the office, that he believes that there may be a fire outside of the door. But the other man said if there was a fire the alarms would be going off.
But they both decided to go and open the door to see what was going on. As one of the men opened the door, they was then able to see that there were smoke all over the place and they could see fire in every direction they looked. So they went back in the office and closed the door and called 911 to get some help.
So as they waited they went to the window to see if there was any way they could get out from there, but they were to high up in the building to jump, and there was no fire escape outside of the window. But they did start hearing sirens from a fire truck. So as they was waiting to get rescued, they went ahead and went to the door and opened it, hoping to see someone coming up there to rescue them.
So as they did their best to look through the smoke to see if they could see someone coming for them. Then all of the sudden there appeared a firefighter out of the smoke. The firefighter came to the two men and said to them: am going to have to make my way on up to the other floors of this building to make sure there is no more people that are trapped by this fire.
But before the firefighter left them he told them to listen to him, that he would tell them how to get out of that burning building alive. So he told them to go over to the back stairs and make their way down to the 6th floor, and once they got there, they would have to cross over the hall way to the front stairs, then make their way all the way to the 1st floor, and then there will be a straight shot to the door that leads outdoors.
So after the firefighter had got finish speaking with them, he left them and headed up to the other floors in the building, and the two men went to the back stairs as the firefighter had told them, and they started down the stairs and had gotten to the 6th floor where the fireman had told them to go. And one of the men told the other, now we have to cross the hall way to the front stairs, that will take us to the 1st floor, but he said am not going to listen to what that firefighter told me, am going my way, and get out of this burning building. But the other man told him that he should do as the fireman had told them to do, because he knew the way, because he came up that same way, so he knows the way for us to get out of this building alive.
But the man would not hear it, so he just kept going down the back stairs instead of going across the hall and going down the front stairs to the 1st floor. So as he had gotten down to the 4th floor level; he notice smoke coming from under the stairs, but he just kept going, and all of sudden the stairs gave way and he fell to his death. But the other man made it out of the burning building safely.
So who should be blamed for this man's death? Should it be the fireman who told him the way to get out of the building alive, or the other man who tried to tell him to go the way that the fireman told them to go? "Neither one" is to be blamed for that man's death, because it was his own fault for not listening to the firefighter; who knew the way out of that burning building.
The reason I wanted to tell this story is to show just as with the foolish man dying, because he wouldn't believe the truth, but had to do it his way, by going the wrong way, instead of the only way that would've saved his life, just as it did with the other man who listen and believed what the fire fighter told them.
So just as it was with that foolish man who wouldn't believe, and had to do it his way, so it is with many people about God's word. Many people will not believe the truth from God's word, because they had rather do it their way, and hoping all will be good. But as so many who have already died doing it their way, and not God's way are now in a place that is much worse then one being burned alive in a building, because they are now in a place called hell.
Now for the ones who has already gone to hell or for the ones that may go there; who is to be blamed for those who are there and the ones who may end up there? Is it God's fault or a pastor's fault, or others who may had shared with them the truth from God's word? "No", it's that person's fault for not believing the truth from God's word, that says the only way that could've and can save a person is only through His (God's) only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other (Jesus Christ): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Romans 10:9-11 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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.