Jesus makes only one key available to everyone, and that is the key that unlocks the gate into His Kingdom. But it is THE key to life, the key to all the other keys that strengthen, encourage, and comfort His children for eternity. The Bible contains many verses that clearly describe the key, but the most well known, in fact probably the most well known Bible verse, is John 3:16, For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

It’s a rather simple key. And that’s the way God wants it. He wants nothing more than personal choice to stand between us and His Kingdom. Note the following important points:

1. God loves us so much that He willing gave up His Son for our salvation.

2. Who ever believes that Jesus is the Son of God and trusts Him, will get into the Kingdom.

3. The Kingdom is eternal and all in the Kingdom will live eternally.

These are all easily understood points. The terms are mighty simple. Believe and you get in.

Now, let’s look a bit more into this process. In John 1:12, God tells us, But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name. When we believe in Jesus and welcome Him into our lives, God gives us power and authority to become His children. It’s not just a key that gets us into the gate of the Eternal Kingdom of Love and Light, it’s the key that gets our adoption papers signed. We become God’s very own children. And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory (Rom. 8:17). It only gets better. This key unlocks the gate into the Kingdom, makes us God’s children, and establishes us as heirs of God and coheirs of Jesus Christ. Rather astounding. All for making one decision and acting upon it.

Now, look again. Coheirs of Christ Jesus. Exactly what does that mean? It means exactly what it says. If it’s available to Jesus, then it’s available to us. No we can’t be the Messiah. There was only need for one Messiah, and that was Jesus. But through His sacrifice we get access to all the other blessing of God. In fact, this is part of Jesus’ last will and testament, as it is recorded in John 17. In verse 22, He states very clearly, I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: This is an astounding statement, to be sure. The glory of God is beyond our imagining. Look at the way it is described:

Ex. 24:17 And the glory of the Lord appeared to the Israelites like devouring fire on the top of the mountain.

Ex. 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud remained upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

1Kings 8:11 So the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.

It is God’s glory in us and on us that helps us become all that he wants us to be, for all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit (2Cor. 3:18). It is God working in us through His Word, the Bible, that brings His glory into our lives and transforms us to become all that He intends. Which, of course, means that we have to read, meditate, memorize, and study God’s Word so that our lives can become all that He intends. And in the reading we will encounter the keys that unlock behavior that brings that glory into our lives.

This Key of keys is revealed in any number of other places in God’s Word. One that all of God’s children should know is Romans 10:9-13. It’s not necessary to memorize each verse, rather if we know where to find this passage and the understand its overall intent, then we can use it to help others understand how truly simple this Key is to actually use.

Rom. 10:9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Rom. 10:10 For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.

Rom. 10:11 The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed.

Rom. 10:12 [No one] for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. The same Lord is Lord over all [of us] and He generously bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him [in faith].

Rom. 10:13 For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking Him as Lord] will be saved.

Compressed and paraphrased, this passage says that if we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Who came and became the Messiah, and if we ask to get into the Kingdom through Jesus’ work for us, we get it. No one will ever be denied if they ask with sincerity. That’s very simple. The Bible says it this way, Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you (Luke 11:9 NIV).

And then there’s Acts 4:11-12, which is so clear that it can’t be said any other way to make it clearer: This [Jesus] is the Stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the Head of the corner [the Cornerstone]. And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved. Too, there are the very words of Jesus, Himself, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me (John 14:6). Jesus also told us, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that I Myself am the Door for the sheep (John 10:7). I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture (John 10:9). And how do we unlock the door and enter into the Sheepfold (God’s Kingdom)? Easy, we simply ask. We just tell Jesus that we believe in Him and want to live in the Kingdom of Light, and then we ask Him to make it so (see Rom. 10:13 above).

When we ask to become a child of God and live in the Kingdom of Light, God lives in us so that we can become all He wants us to be. Jesus very pointedly told us, Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me (John 15:4).

So, the Key of keys is actually in all our hands. It’s our right to choose to use it or not to use it. It’s our choice to enter the Kingdom or stay on the outside.

Key Verse: John 3:16

Alternate Verses: John 1:12, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Rom; 10:9-13

Using the Key: “Precious Lord, I want to live with You eternally in the Kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of Your dear Son, Jesus. Please forgive me for not living according to Your desires for me, and please make me Your child. Come and live in me that I may become all You intend me to be. I ask this in the name of Jesus with absolute certainly that You hear me and grant this request. I give You praise and thanks that I am now Your eternal child. According to Your Word, it is so.”