What about the Narrow Gate or Door? We are told about something called the narrow gate or door, and it is referred to by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 7:13-14 and Luke 13:23-24. He compares the narrow gate to the “broad road” which leads to destruction (hell) and says that “many” will be on that road. By contrast, Jesus says that “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” What exactly is meant by this? Just how many are the many and how few are the few? What does the Bible say? First of all, we need to understand that Jesus is the ONLY Gate or Door through which all must enter for eternal life. There is no other way because He alone is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). The way to eternal life is restricted to just one Way, Jesus the Christ. In this sense, the way is narrow because it is the only way, and relatively few people will go through the narrow gate. Many more will attempt to find an alternative route to God, Heaven and Eternal Life. They will try to get there through manmade rules and regulations, through false religions, or through self-effort. These who are “many” will follow the broad road that leads to eternal destruction, while the sheep hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow ONLY Him along the narrow way to eternal life (John 10:7-11). While there will be relatively few who go through the narrow gate, compared to the many on the broad road, there will still be multitudes who do follow the Good Shepherd. The apostle John saw this multitude in his vision in the book of Revelation: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! Revelation 7:9-10. Entering the narrow gate is not Easy. Jesus made this clear when He instructed His followers to strive to do so. The Greek word translated “strive” is agonizomai, from which we get the English word agonize. The implication here is that those who seek to enter the narrow gate must do so by struggle and strain, like a running athlete straining toward the finish line, all muscles taut and giving his all in the effort. But we must be clear here. No amount of effort saves us; salvation is by the grace of God through the gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). No one will ever earn heaven by striving for it. But entering the narrow gate is still difficult because of the opposition of human pride, our natural love of sin, and the opposition of Satan and the world in his control, all of which battle against us in the pursuit of God, Heaven and Eternity. The exhortation to Strive to enter, is a command to enter the gate Today, not to put it off, not to just stand and look at it, or think about it, complain or argue that it’s too small or too difficult or unjustly narrow. We are not to ask why others are not entering; we are not to make excuses or delay. We are not to be concerned with the number who will or will not enter. Instead, we are to plow ahead and enter! Then we are to witness to others, so they too will strive to enter before it’s too late. **** 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, tells you the Pure Gospel about Gods Grace for Your Salvation by Faith in what Jesus has done on the Cross and in the Resurrection**** https://youtube/watch?v=neyuI3MKUlQ
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 09:30:56 +0000
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