The Keys to Heaven

by Bill Walker

Who has the Keys to Heaven? What is the way to Heaven? How does one get through the gate of Heaven? Who is the gatekeeper of Heaven? Who started this stuff about St. Peter?

Now get your Bible out and read, and above all, think as you read. Take it slow and easy on the reading, and thinking of what it says. Also, think of what has been poured into your head by some great minds of some church leaders over many years. This is called control of the mass of people, by keeping them not thinking what the Bible really says.

Who started this crap about Peter having the Keys to the gate? Read your Bible. Matthew 16;19. Jesus is talking here. He is saying, “I will give Peter the KEYS.” Was Jesus talking about a key and a locked gate? Does that mean Peter sits at the gate and lets in whom he likes, and keeps out ones he doesn't care for.  Is that his job? Read that slow and easy, and think what it says in another place.

The Key to Heaven is not a locked gate, with a person like Peter guarding the gate. The Keys to Heaven is only one; the Son of God, Jesus. Jesus was speaking of himself as the way, the Key to Heaven. He is at this point in time telling Peter that the Key to Heaven is Jesus. He is giving him the way, the one and only way to Heaven. Jesus is the KEY.

If you go back one step, you will find the words about "upon this Rock." Again a point some church people grab onto, saying Peter was/is the power of whom gets into Heaven and who doesn't. I don't think Jesus meant Peter is the rock. Rock is this earth, the church is built on. He wasn't talking about building a church on the moon was he? The earth is where we live. If you will read and think some, Peter weakened a few times. He was flesh and blood just like any of the rest of us. Spirit is real strong at times, flesh is weak a lot of times. And I am told he guards the gate?

Peter and Company are being told to go out and preach, and teach the way to Heaven. They have been given the keys of how to do so. Jesus himself is the way, and only way to Heaven.

John 14;6. Read that slow and easy - where is Peter spoken of there? Jesus says very plain, He, Jesus, is the one and only way to Heaven, there is no other way, nor a person such as Peter.

Peter, Mark, Paul, Luke, John, Mary and anyone else, and all together, cannot push, or pull you or me through the gates of Heaven. It is the blood of the pure Lamb of God, Jesus that will bring you and I through the gates of Heaven. There is nothing else but the BLOOD. Peter and Company, and any from that time on, are the teachers/preachers of the way, not the gatekeepers. Remember one thing Jesus said, and he said it very clear. "I am the WAY, and only WAY." None of the others then, or anyone who lives now, is or was one hundred percent pure. No one is saved but by the Grace of God, and the Blood of his only begotten Son, Jesus. Remember, we all have sinned, sometime, somewhere, someplace. It is written, fracture one of God's laws, and brother, sister, we fractured every last one of them.

© 2005 Bill Walker
wildbill6807 @ yahoo.com

Submitted by your friend and mine, Madeleine

Comments

[Rowena D'souza]

If Peter isn't given the keys to heaven then why did JESUS say to Peter "Whatever you shall permit on Earth shall be Permitted in heaven,and whatever you shall restrict on Earth shall be restricted in heaven

[Jim Smith]

Jesus was talking about forgiveness in general. If we do not for a person of a wrong it stays bound here on earth and frankly eveyrthing gets all bound up. That is where hate and all kinds of mental deseases come from.

[Colin Kasay]

I didn't understand Jim Smith's explanation of Rowena D'souza's question about what Yehoshua said to Peter about "Whatever you shall permit on Earth shall be Permitted in heaven,and whatever you shall restrict on Earth shall be restricted in heaven."

[tek]

Does Jesus say that with the key you will have the power to change the gospel? commit sexual abuse etc..?

[JJ]

Just a little point i wanted to share. When reading the bible we have to be consistent with the meanings of the symbolic terms. After reading the following texts you will discover the 'rock' is Jesus, not the earth. 1 Cor 10:4, 3:10-14, Gen 49:24, Deut 32:4, 2 Sam 22:47, Is 28:16, 26:4. Reading Matt 16 using the orginal texts, is basicaly Jesus telling peter he is a pebble (or stone), part of the rock, just as every christian is a part of God. The 'church' translates to God's people (all the stones). Being a part of God's Church, or a stone, christians have the duty to spread the word of God.

[Mike Moore]

The scripture says whatever you restrict on earth, the actual term here is whatever you bind on earth shall also be bound in Heaven. What Jesus was refering to here is the power of prayer and that if we have hate in our hearts toward someone here on earth, then our prayers are not effective in the heavenly places as we are "binding" the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
Also, when Jesus mentioned the "keys" to Peter, He was refering to Biblical Principals, not actual keys.

[Chestertonrules]

Clearly, Jesus gave Peter the keys.

This is a reference to Isaiah 22.

Peter is the representative of the Church on earth. The keys given to Peter also signify succession, as they did in Isaiah 22.

Jesus wants us to be one as he and the father are one.

This is only possible if we are united in truth with regard to faith and morals.

Unity is only possible in the Church Jesus founded.