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What Must We Do To Enter Into Everlasting Habitations?

Hi G____,

Thank you for your question.

You ask:

"Is Luke 16:9 speaking about our time, "when it (MAMMON) fails" How shall we act to be received in the everlasting tents?"  

These are Christ's words, and here is what Christ said of His words:
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
So clearly, these are Christ's words, and are "speaking about our time," and "This generation will not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."

Here now is the verse of which you inquire:
Luk 16:8  And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
Luk 16:9  And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
This is the chapter with the parable of the unjust steward. The message of that parable is the fact that the unjust steward used the "mammon of this world" to buy himself friends who would take him into their care when he was cast out of his stewardship.

Christ is not encouraging us to be unjust stewards. What He is encouraging us to do is to love our enemies and do good to all men, so that when we are cast out we, too, will be well received by those who have seen how we live by what we teach, and who have come to see that what we teach are "the words of our Lord Jesus Christ."


"How shall we act to be received into everlasting tents?" The most wonderful thing about being in Christ is that you are finally open and honest with all men and all women in every situation. You finally have peace of mind in every situation. The way you act to be received into everlasting abodes when you are cast out of their synagogues, is you act like you should always be acting.

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

You act like Christ, and you follow His doctrine at all times:

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
The whole Christian world refuses to "do the things that I say." Some even teach that Christ's words were never intended for us, in spite of these words of the apostle Paul:
1Ti 6:3  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Those who see no need for the words of Christ, will not be able to enter into everlasting [Greek, aionian - a period of time] abodes, but then neither will they have to concern themselves with "being cast out." They will fit in very well with those who are of the synagogue of Satan who say they are [spiritual] Jews, but are not."
Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.
The book of Revelation is addressed to the Gentile churches of Asia, and are they told these words:
Rev 2:9  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and [I know] the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
There are several examples of those in scripture who "made friends of the mammon of this world" and were "received into aionian abodes" during their time of "being cast out." Abraham befriended both Pharaoh and Abimelech. Isaac did the same. While they were both cast out, they were still treated well by those who had cast them out. David befriended Jonathan, the son of King Saul, and when God's rejected anointed cast David out by attempting to nail David to the wall with a spear, David's friendship with Jonathan served David well. Christ Himself had befriended several well placed women of substance, and while He was never received by the leaders of the synagogues, these women supported the ministry of Christ and His disciples:
Luk 8:1  And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
Luk 8:2  And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
Luk 8:3  And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
Paul had a nephew who was able to overhear the conspirators who took an oath not to eat or drink until they had taken Paul's life.
Act 23:12  And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Act 23:13  And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
Act 23:14  And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
Act 23:15  Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
Act 23:16  And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

This young man had access to the leaders of this world and was in a position to help to save Paul's life:
Act 23:17  Then Paul called one of the centurions unto [him], and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
Act 23:18  So he took him, and brought [him] to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto [him], and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
Act 23:19  Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went [with him] aside privately, and asked [him], What is that thou hast to tell me?
Act 23:20  And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
Act 23:21  But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
I hope this helps you to see that it is by obeying Christ, loving our enemies and by doing good to all men, that we are "cast out" of Babylon's fellowship, and at the same time we are "making friends of the mammon of this world." It is also by " consenting to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;" that we enter into tents for a 'period of time,' which 'period of time' is really the root meaning of the Greek word 'aion.' 

It is the "doctrine which is according to godliness," which defines the "wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ." Those words are found through out the gospels and through out the New Testament. It is those words which have "made of twain one new man, in Christ."
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off [from Israel] are made nigh [to the spiritual household of Israel] by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
 It is those words of Christ which tell us what we are to do to enter into aionian abodes when we are cast out of the synagogues of Babylon.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike