The Gate Is Not The Door

Matthew 7:13-14

The Narrow Way

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

There are Christians out there who think that not many will go to heaven, probably because they were taught that by some well-meaning preacher who cited the above scripture.  These folks will remind you in serious, pontifical tones that "...wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.....(AND)......narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it," meaning many are going to hell and few are going to heaven.

If you were taught this, I'm here to tell you that what you heard was taken out of context. 

 
(For more on interpreting the Bible in it's proper context, follow this link to part 1 Rightly Dividing The Word Of God:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/11/part-1-of-16-introduction-to-rightly.html)

Sadly, these verses have been misused down through the years.  This has robbed her Church of the full assurance of ETERNAL salvation.  Do these preachers really have that low an opinion of our AWESOME, loving Abba?  Why would He send His Beloved Son to die the most horrific death in history so that only a few could make it to heaven?  I don't think they know our Daddy very well.      

Even worse, more than a few preachers use this passage to make you think you can lose your salvation.  They use this fear in order to try and make their people live holy lives.  However, it only serves to cause sincere Christians to wonder if they are saved or, maybe, did they commit the unpardonable sin?
(For more on the "Unpardonble Sin" which is impossible for a Christian to commit by the way, please follow this link:
http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-un-pardonable-sin.html)

AS IF!   Again...OUT OF CONTEXT.

Think about it:  How is it even be possible to lose your salvation when John 3:16 so plainly says that "God SO LOVED the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him SHALL NOT PERISH but have EVERLASTING LIFE?"  Correct me if I'm wrong but if you can lose it than it isn't EVERLASTING and they're saying that God lied.   

Well, of course He didn't lie.  But, if you say you believe what the Bible says AND you still think there is something you can do to lose your salvation, which is pretty much an oxymoron, you are, in effect, calling God a liar. 

News flash:  GOD CANNOT LIE!

Listen Church; God is willing that "NONE SHOULD PERISH" but that all should come to repentance.  Look at what John wrote in Revelation 7:
"After these things I looked, and behold, a GREAT MULTITUDE WHICH NO ONE COULD NUMBER, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes......"
Does that sound like only a few will find the narrow way to heaven?  Uh, NO!  So the question is, what does it mean that "narrow is the way and few there be that find it?"  Find what? 
Let's look at the Greek.  That always clears things up!

The word for destruction here is "apóleian," from the root word "apṓleia ("perdition").  This word does NOT imply "annihilation," meaning going to hell, (see the meaning of the root-verb, 622 /apóllymi, "cut off") but instead "loss of well-being" rather than "being." (Vine's Expository Dictionary).

It is talking about being on the road to physical/emotional/relational destruction not spiritual.  It means you're NOT going to hell. This passage is talking about your life here and now on earth.

This may come as a shock to you but there are actually many Christians on this broad way to destruction.  Their marriages, finances, emotional and physical conditions are not healthy. Unfortunately, more find the broad way than the narrow way of God's rest that leads to the blessings and long life He has promised.  These hapless folks are also dying before their time.

There are only 2 places documented in scripture where Jesus says the words, "STRIVE to enter by the narrow 'GATE.' "  One is in Luke, one in Matthew.

Jesus is the only way into heaven, as you know.  If this "gate" is Jesus, then "few there be that find it;" because "broad is the way.....and many there be that find it."

Let's check out the verses below. 

 Luke 13:22-27:

"22 And He {Jesus} went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem...."

Jesus is about to die for us but has not yet paid the ultimate price.  No one in their wildest imagination would ever suspect what was about to happen to Him either.

...23 "Then one {unidentified person} said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?"

The Holy Spirit does not tell us specifically who this person was; probably some spy of the pharisees sent to try and trap Jesus......again.  The word, "saved" in this verse cannot mean saved as in washed by the blood of Jesus or saved the way we understand it because He has not yet shed His blood.  At this point in time, their idea of "saved" could only be saved from pharisaism, saved from a sinful life, from destruction or refer to someone who has become a disciple of Jesus.  

This speaker is pointing out in a condescending way that there are only a few who follow Jesus, only a few who are "saved."  The word, "saved" is also in the present passive participle in Greek because it is not referring to a future event but a current one.  The man was challenging Jesus in a mocking way. 

Uh oh.  Whenever Jesus sensed this legalistic kind of attitude He always threw the law right back at them.  That's why He said in verse 24, "STRIVE (work) to enter through the narrow gate, for many I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

Law is works-based.  The word "strive" comes from the Greek word from which we get the word agonize:  "agónizomai."  So many will "strive" to enter here and "few".....actually NONE.....will be able."       

.......25 "When once the master of the house has risen up and shut THE DOOR, and YOU begin to stand OUTSIDE and knock at THE DOOR, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open up for us.'"

So we see there is "the GATE" and then there is "the DOOR."  Gates and doors, obviously, are two different things.  Even in Greek, they are two different words.  You come through the "gate" to meet "THE DOOR."

One day, THE DOOR, which is Christ Himself, will be shut.  At present, it is still wide open; but there will come a time when the "day of salvation" will be over.  Whoever is left standing outside THE DOOR will say to Jesus "Lord, Lord."  Clearly, the Lord is behind THE DOOR...

.....26 "then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and you taught in our streets.' {obviously Jewish people} 27 But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.  Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.' "

In Matthew 7 in the sermon on the mount is the scripture we opened with which says,

13"Enter by the NARROW GATE; for wide is THE GATE and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is THE GATE and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

So what is this "GATE" is all about?  The Bible is it's own best commentary so let's allow it to interpret itself.   

In Deuteronomy 16:18 we read, "You shall appoint judges and officers in all your GATES, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment."

The "GATE" is the place of judgment.  Judges and officers sat there to execute judicial decisions so it's a place of the LAW.  People are punished at "the gate."   For more on "gates," please follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/12/samson-and-gates-of-hebron.html

And what is THE DOOR?  John 10:1-2 says, "Most assuredly (amen, amen) I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold BY THE DOOR, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters BY THE DOOR is the shepherd of the sheep."

You see?  THE GATE IS NOT THE DOOR.

Further on in John 10:7-10 we read:  7 “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  8 All who ever came before me {the pharisees} are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I AM THE DOOR,  if anyone enters {not agonize to enter} by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. {Provision, supply} 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly."

Steal, kill and destroy.  Who does that sound like?  Not Jesus!  Clearly He is not the gate; HE IS THE DOOR.  So why did He say, '"Agonize to go through the gate?"  

As I said, when He is confronted by prideful people full of self-righteousness, He tells them to "Go; sweat, strain and agonize to go through the narrow gate of the law if you think you can.   You'll find out soon enough that it isn't possible to obey the perfectly."  Jesus knew that, of course, but the hard-headed, religious set, who seem to need to find that out the hard way, did not.

He said "few there be that find it " He said so facetiously, knowing full well that no flesh can be justified by the law.  NONE.  We need a Savior.  We need Jesus!

HE IS THE DOOR.  There is no "striving to enter" here.  Come just as you are.  "I will cleanse you of all your sin and guilt just for the asking and you can go in and out and find safe pasture," He says.

Every time something has been stolen from you, like health, or when something is killed, like relationships in your life, it is the work of the devil, NOT GOD.  He works through Pharisees, yes, even modern day ones.

Jesus came against them then and He comes against them now.  If He had to do so the so will we.  The legalistic are still among us, Church.  They are the ones who believe you must perform to be pleasing and be acceptable to God.  Unfortunately for those who buy into that flawed system, they most assuredly will be robbed of their health and things killed in their lives as a result of wrong beliefs which allow the devil to come in and destroy.

Jesus came to bring us LIFE, AND LIFE MORE ABUNDANT.  So, what do you want?  Life?  Or destruction?  

Just remember:  The GATE is not THE DOOR.