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  THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS HEAVEN
  by Thomas Brooks
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Summary: To be truly godly, we must see our sinful nature and our need
for God's mercy and salvation, which is the first step towards heaven.

Topics: "Sin and Redemption", "Acknowledging Our Need for God"
Scripture References: Isaiah 53:6, Matthew 9:12, Luke 5:31, Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:3

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DESCRIPTION
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Thomas Brooks emphasizes that recognizing one's own sinfulness and
wretchedness is essential for true godliness. He asserts that before one
can seek the mercy of God, they must first acknowledge their dire state
as children of wrath and enemies of God. The realization of being near
to hell is the first step towards heaven, as it compels individuals to
seek the physician of souls, Jesus Christ. Without this awareness of
their spiritual wounds and diseases, people will not value or desire the
healing that Christ offers. Brooks calls for a deep self-examination to
understand one's need for divine mercy.

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CONTENT
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"It is not the healthy who need a physician,

but the sick." Matthew 9:12

If you would be truly godly, then you must see how

bad you are, how vile, how sinful, how wretched

you are. No man begins to be good until he sees

himself to be bad. Ah! You must see yourselves . . .

to be children of wrath,

to be enemies of God,

to be strangers from God,

to be afar off from God,

to be afar from heaven,

to be sin's servants,

to be Satan's bond-slaves.

The first step to mercy,

is to see your misery.

The first step towards heaven,

is to see yourselves near to hell.

You won't look after the physician of souls,

you won't prize the physician of souls,

you won't desire the physician of souls,

you won't fall in love with the physician of souls,

you won't resign yourselves to the physician of souls

--until you come to see your wounds, until you come

to feel your diseases, until you see the symptoms,

the plague-sores of divine wrath and displeasure

upon you. As the whole do not need the physician,

so they do not desire, they do not care for the

physician. Acquaint yourselves with your natural

and undone condition.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/thomas-brooks/the-first-step-towards-heaven/
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