Two Cars Driving to Heaven

I heard an analogy the other day which essentially posed a question, why should I join your church? It went something like this, If I'm in a corvette and you are in a lamborghini and we are both on the same road to heaven why does it matter that I get in a lambourghini to drive the same road and get to the same destination? The point was, it doesn't matter what church you join to get to heaven.

There are several weaknesses to this analogy and I will present some of them here and what could make it stronger.

The first weakness is that a car with a single driver or single family of passengers is not a good representation of a church. A car must represent a single person or possibly a single family. The analogy could be modified to be an airplane, ship, train or bus. Also, types of cars cannot be well used in an analogy such as this because there is no example of a perfect car.

The main weakness is that it does not take into account what happens when we drive up to our final destination. It assumes that there is only one road or that all roads lead to the same destination, that we are all on the road in the right direction, and that heaven has an open gate and that anyone who arrives may enter. But we know from the scriptures that there is a gate and that not everyone will get in. "Enter ye in at the strait gate ... Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life." (Matt 7:13-14) "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13:24)

The last weakness I will show here is, besides entering once we get there, we must present at the gate in a certain condition. Any car taking a long drive gets bugs on the windshield and dirt that even rain can't remove. Some cars drive through dirt and get mud splashed on them. Paul said, "no ... unclean person, ... hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." (Eph 5:5) The only way to become clean is through the atoning blood of the Lamb of God. Once we apply the atoning blood of Christ we become "fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; ... built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;" (Eph 2:19)

In my post on the Biblical Take on Remission, I demonstrate how the bible testifies of how we must apply the cleansing blood of Christ: "Believing in Christ is not complete without repentance. Repentance is not complete without baptism. Baptism brings the Atonement of Christ into our lives, providing a remission of our sins, cleansing us through His blood, allowing us to enter the presence of God and dwell with Him. Dwelling with God [in His kingdom] is salvation."

When our car arrives at the gate of the kingdom of God it will need to be clean and we must present our proof of citizenship with the saints in order to be admitted. One of the benefits of citizenship in the household of God is the cleansing power of the blood of Christ. In this improvement to the analogy, citizens have constant access to a car wash with clean water and cleaning supplies anywhere along the road to heaven. We have constant access to a car repair shop which repairs broken parts as well as makes needed upgrades to help us travel the road to heaven with all of its dirt and obstacles.

Those who do not have this citizenship do not have access to a car wash or car repair shop. They must stop every time the car breaks down and find ways to repair the car on their own to the best of their ability to get back on the road. They must scrounge for any water they can find to clean their car but do not have access to cleaning supplies or tools to make the car shine. At the end of the road those who do not become citizens of the household of God through His agents will arrive or be brought to the gate of heaven and found dirty with their cars in ill repair. They will be lacking the proof of citizenship and be cast out of the presence of God and not allowed to enter His kingdom.