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"The Narrow gate" is talking about eternal life, isn't it?

Amethyst

† He hath shed his own blood for my soul
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Luke 13:24
"Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."


From time to time I will come across an article that says these verses are not talking about salvation/eternal life, but only about Christian living, in other words; exhorting Christians to walk the narrow "proverbs path of life".
And that God would NOT create "most of his creation" knowing that most of them would choose hell rather than be with Him.
They will say that "most people will eventually get saved" and so these verses can't be referring to that.

But how does that fit with the context?
🤷‍♀️

To me it has always sounded like the narrow gate is believing on Jesus alone for salvation, and the wide/broad gate is choosing 'Jesus-plus' or any other works based way.
 
I'd say that definitely paints a picture where if you choose the wide path that most will be on it leads to destruction and following the narrow path leads to life. If you're on that narrow path, you're experiencing sanctification with the Holy Spirit indwelling you.
In these perspectives, they would say Jesus was speaking to people who He already knew were going to choose him and so was just speaking to them choosing a proper path to walk in this temporal life.
The "destruction" part is simply speaking of a crummy life full of disobedience and acting worldly rather than choosing to obey God's word in your walk.

I would think destruction means actual "eternal destruction", not temporal.
 
From time to time I will come across an article that says these verses are not talking about salvation/eternal life, but only about Christian living, in other words; exhorting Christians to walk the narrow "proverbs path of life".
And that God would NOT create "most of his creation" knowing that most of them would choose hell rather than be with Him.
They will say that "most people will eventually get saved" and so these verses can't be referring to that.

But how does that fit with the context?
🤷‍♀️

To me it has always sounded like the narrow gate is believing on Jesus alone for salvation, and the wide/broad gate is choosing 'Jesus-plus' or any other works based way.
Here is my two cents... 👍

Yes, I believe that these verses are speaking of Heaven and Hell. 👍
But let me explain what Jesus is saying though.

Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

What is the strait Gate and narrow way?

That is simple as the Bible mentions the only way to get to Heaven is belief in and acceptance of Jesus as per the verses below.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.


Now comes the tricky part that most don't understand. When Jesus says there are few that find it, that would seem that few would go to Heaven, but it that the case? Revelation 7:9 below would seem to say that a lot more than a few will go to Heaven.

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

What does Jesus mean when he says there are few that find it?

The key to understanding how there can be both a great multitude in Heaven but only few that find it is the word find. Jesus did not say few that choose it or few that enter it, he said few that find it.

Here is the thing. There are very, very few that find Jesus on their own. By far most people are told about Jesus by someone which could even be God himself. Paul in the Bible is an example of this. God came directly to him. I myself did not go looking for Jesus, someone shared Jesus with me. As and example of my point. If you were walking down the road and found a watch, you found it correct? However if I gave you a watch, you would not say you found it would you? So Jesus is just saying most do not find him or even look for him. This is why sharing the Gospel is so important. 👍

I hope that makes sense. 😊

While you did not ask me, I will say I believe more people will be saved than won't. Jesus (who is the light) says that only evil people won't be saved in the passages in bold below.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
 
Now comes the tricky part that most don't understand. When Jesus says there are few that find it, that would seem that few would go to Heaven, but it that the case? Revelation 7:9 below would seem to say that a lot more than a few will go to Heaven.
I read it as, He was contrasting the "few" with the "many."
No, I don't read it as Him saying "only a small number" will go to heaven, but rather small compared to "the many in all existence."
In other words, if there's 200 people invited to your party and 80 show up, that's not a small amount of people at your party by any means. But it is small compared to the "many" who refused the invitation.
I don't know if I made sense to anyone but myself there. :LOL:
 
I read it as, He was contrasting the "few" with the "many."
No, I don't read it as Him saying "only a small number" will go to heaven, but rather small compared to "the many in all existence."
In other words, if there's 200 people invited to your party and 80 show up, that's not a small amount of people at your party by any means. But it is small compared to the "many" who refused the invitation.
I don't know if I made sense to anyone but myself there.
:LOL:
You made perfect sense, however may main point is what is Jesus saying when he says "find him".

I know, you have mentioned that in your next post which I will respond to. 😀
 
He gives everyone a direct command though. "Enter through." "Strive to."
How would He give direct action command if "some" could not do it?



Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter through the narrow gate.

Luke 13:24
"Strive to enter through the narrow door.
I never said that some could not do it, I just said that most do not do it. Just using myself as an example, I did not find or even look for Jesus. Jesus was presented to me by a coworker at lunch. That is how I got saved and I think it is how most get saved. Again I say, this is why evangelism is so important. Without evangelism people would have to find Jesus on their own. You don't need to agree but I hope you at least understand what I am saying.

In any case, that is what I believe.
👍
 
I read it as, He was contrasting the "few" with the "many."
No, I don't read it as Him saying "only a small number" will go to heaven, but rather small compared to "the many in all existence."
In other words, if there's 200 people invited to your party and 80 show up, that's not a small amount of people at your party by any means. But it is small compared to the "many" who refused the invitation.
I don't know if I made sense to anyone but myself there.
:LOL:
Please don't respond right away and just ponder what I am going to say for a while. 🤔

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.


Most Pastors and Christians think most people will go to Hell based on the verses above and the key word Jesus uses which is few. Why, because they believe few is the amount of people that go to Heaven. I submit that few is just the number of people that find Jesus on their own.

So let's go with the view that Jesus means that few go to Heaven and like you say compared to those who are going to Hell. What would that result in?

So we know that God wants ALL men to be saved correct? We can assume that God also wanted all Angles to stay in Heaven with him correct? Well a third of the Angles went with Satan, which I assume displeased God but at least God retained two thirds meaning the majority correct?

Ok so again God wants all men to be saved but what does Satan want? Satan wants all men to be damned to Hell correct? So we could say that God and Satan are competing for man's souls correct? So with the understanding that Jesus is saying few go to Haeven, it would work out that an all powerful God will lose most of mankind to Satan correct? I am not saying that is not possible, but to me it does not make sense and it would be very sad to me for God to want all men to be saved and only be able to save a few.

1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.


Just think about that... 🤔
 
I read it as, He was contrasting the "few" with the "many."
No, I don't read it as Him saying "only a small number" will go to heaven, but rather small compared to "the many in all existence."
In other words, if there's 200 people invited to your party and 80 show up, that's not a small amount of people at your party by any means. But it is small compared to the "many" who refused the invitation.
I don't know if I made sense to anyone but myself there.
:LOL:

If you look at society let's say in America, it would seem that most are not saved. Why? Because of either their actions or they have not stated it. Please read my thread below which correctly states who is saved in "The Parable of the Sower"


If you look at the world you may say what about all the other religions. Ahh, this is a mistake that most Pastors and Christians make and I use to make myself. It is not religion that saves you but belief in and acceptance of Jesus. You see God had to show that to me as there was a Jewish guy who use to work for me at my job. I mean his whole family was Jewish and he celebrated all the Jewish holidays. So he was not just Jewish by race.

Back when the Left Behind book came out I mentioned it to him. As a avid book reader he wanted to borrow the book from me and read it. After reading the book he asked me how to get saved. I told him and he prayed with me and accepted Jesus as his Savior. So now this Jew is saved, however I am the only one who knows it. Why? Because it would cause a problem with his family and friends if they knew he was now a Christian. How many other secret Christians are there? 🤔

You see the Bible tells us this but most fail to put it all together. Salvation is easy as saying a one time 30 second prayer some time in your life between let's just say 12 and before you die. Add to it that you cannot lose your salvation and your works don't matter. So what do we Christian incorrectly use to see if someone is saved? How they act, what they confess, what religion they claim, how much they sin and more things which are all about works. I would summit that there are far, far more people that are saved than are not.

Jesus says only evil people will go to Hell by their own choice as per my thread below.


God Bless! 😍
 
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