How narrow is the "narrow way"?

FredVB

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Bible Highlighter said:
Paul says before the parable, "you are God's building." So we are the materials that make up the building.

Paul's labor for the gospel (concerning the Corinthians) was now possibly in vain for them, too.

The chief cornerstone foundation = Jesus Christ.
Built as a part of the foundation on top of Christ = The apostles (including Paul) (Ephesians 2:20).
The actual building materials of the tower or building = God's people (In this instance it would be the Corinthians).
The Corinthians would be like: Wood, hay, and stubble in this particular point in time within their life while they abided in their sins of strife, and envying (Which are sins that will cause a person to not inherit the Kingdom of God).
Wood, hay, and stubble are not materials that could survive a fire.
Paul (the soul winner, and builder of the gospel and builder upon the foundation of Jesus Christ) would be saved through the fire (despite his work - i.e. the Corinthians being his work) would be burned up because of their sins. For Paul then says that if any man defiles the temple, God will destroy them. We are the temple of God. Our bodies are the temples of God. If we as believers defile our temples by sin, God will destroy us.

So I don't believe it is in reference to the Eternal Security Proponent's belief that says that they will just loose rewards because of their sinning. That makes absolutely no sense in light of the entire context.

Conclusion:

In Corinthians 3: Try reading the parable as if you were Paul being the builder. Try re-reading the parable as if it was Paul referring to himself as the builder and the works are the Corinthian believers who are now wood, hay, and stubble (i.e. Paul's work in the gospel is now in vain concerning them) because they are now justifying the sins of strife and envy (See: 1 Corinthians 3:3 and compare with Galatians 5:19-21). Paul concludes in his parable that if any man defiles the temple of God, they will be destroyed.

How does it apply to our life?
Well, if you teach men the gospel and they later decide to justify certain sins, your work in the gospel involving them would be at a loss of their own souls later on the account of their justifying certain sins. The believers you taught the gospel to in this particular instance would be like wood, hay, stubble that would be burned up, but you yourself would be saved if you remain faithful to the Lord until death. They would not be saved, but you would be.

What is in vain is the new believers one thinks were made with them coming to Christ actually trusting in other things instead of Christ. If they trust in living according to the Law, for their salvation, that like trusting in any other thing is in vain, and those ones were never actually saved. Their is essential faith with repentance trusting in Christ and through him trusting in restoration to God. With this, God preserves the believers to persist and show growth as believers in how they live. They can be obedient, according to Law, without trusting in that for their salvation, they would not choose to go on sinning or return to their ways with sinning.
 
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FredVB

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LightLoveHope said:
How do we know we are 100% trusting Jesus?
And you are either lost or saved which only God knows who is written in the Lambs book of life.
What if we have an assurance problem, and need to find security in our lives, does that mean we are lost until we have this assurance?
Paul says the Holy Spirit is our seal, and provides us with the reassurance we have put our trust in Jesus and He has saved us. The fruit of this salvation is our desire to walk His way and His path.
If our hearts told us being of the world is perfectly ok with God, then though we have assurance of salvation we are enemies of God and still lost.

It is not about how perfectly we are trusting, or how assured we are. But real believers are assured, whether they feel it or not, that they will go to Heaven and be with God with eternal life in Christ. It is about coming to the real faith with repentance, and life changes with that. Those that do not change with spiritual virtues growing are ones who do not have evidence showing that they are real believers, and likely they are not.
 
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FredVB

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We are not perfect on our part, but it is God's work, not ours. Emotional experience is not a needed part in coming to God, though it is common among real believers, it is essential to have real faith through Jesus Christ with repentance from life with sin separating us from God. This is essential though it is not with a measure of how much of possible perfection there is of it. Either it is there or as it as it is for others it is not, even if it is claimed. So many others do not really come to this needed change in life. And this world is quickly worsening, while that is with denial of so many that this is from spreading curse from ongoing sin from each. Real repentance called for is for our turning from sins, they should not continue and be ongoing. Wickedness, and all destructiveness, is contrary to God, who hates that, and we should turn, even when we are believers, from any harm we have any contribution to, when we find that is the case. We won't have the world not worsen further from us without that.
 
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corinth77777

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There is simple blindness to personal sin, rebellion, impurity in one phrase.
"I am a sinner who believes in Jesus but refuse to listen or obey Him."

A fool says in his heart, God does not mind my behaviour, because He just sees
Christ not me. When it is truth and Jesus looking at the husk of hypocracy, lostness
and sin, there will be no arguments.

Jesus came so that we can righteous walk, like He did.
He came to bring us victory, through discipline, faithfulness, discipleship, sacrifice,
faith, hope and love. What drives us forward, in repentance, humbleness and grace
is the cross, the suffering and pain, which opens the door to heaven, because through
our failures we gain insight as to the whys and causes, and change, grow and become
the children of God we are called to be.

The narrow way is believing Jesus, that the road to life is through applying the very
words and principles He commanded us to follow.

Some say they are saved, though they do not live a saved life. The conviction of sin
and failure they feel is not the reproving work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, rather
the enemy lying about God does not care, and has rejected them. But in truth
the enemy is lying to them about their sin, it does matter, and if they do not deal
with who they are and learn to let God change them in obedience, they are doomed
to destruction, because they have not passed from death to life.

A rescuer offers hope on first meeting, but rescue is only made true when the
rescued follows the rescuer. To refuse to follow is to reject the rescue.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Cor 11:1
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy
1 Cor 14:1
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Gal 6:14
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10
he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

To listen to Jesus is a hard, sacrificial, painful road that leads to life, but the other is to be lost in bitterness, hatred and sin, and finally to be destroyed. Which is wiser to follow?
Hi, cor here and you said some truthful things!
For conversation sake only, about the narrow gate....It seems to me it's Jesus the Risen. ....reminds me of a scripture about the sheepfold and Shepherd .

So Jesus again said to them ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroys. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly’ ” ( 7–10).

JOHN 10

But if we agree that Jesus is the gate...
The entrance....then there is no other gate...Not anyone else's gate to their/our path.

The question is what is in it for those who enter? One answer is protection from the world.

How do we enter His gates with thanks giving.



But what does it mean to enter Through Him?....to be led by His life?

There is another passage that entered my mind.....Labor not for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

How is one to do this? And what does it have to do with the gate?
 
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5thKingdom

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Regardless of my own testimony, how many Christians are actually going to find the narrow way? I wonder myself, "Am I walking along the path that Jesus himself calls the 'narrow way that leads into eternal life'?"


Without having to read through 18 pages of comments...
has anyone even bothered to DEFINE what the "Broad Way"
that leads (Christians) into destruction is... and what the
"narrow way" that leads Christians into eternal life is...
and WHY only FEW Christians find the "narrow way"?

And HOW does this relate to:
MANY are called ["called" by the Gospel]
bur FEW are chosen ["chosen" or "elected" to salvation]

Jim
 
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Tone

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Without having to read through 18 pages of comments...
has anyone even bothered to DEFINE what the "Broad Way"
that leads (Christians) into destruction is... and what the
"narrow way" that leads Christians into eternal life is...
and WHY only FEW Christians find the "narrow way"?

And HOW does this relate to:
MANY are called ["called" by the Gospel]
bur FEW are chosen ["chosen" or "elected" to salvation]

Jim


I would say that the broad way is everything we see with our eyes...including ourselves.

And the narrow way is so small that nothing we see may squeeze through it.
 
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Dave L

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Without having to read through 18 pages of comments...
has anyone even bothered to DEFINE what the "Broad Way"
that leads (Christians) into destruction is... and what the
"narrow way" that leads Christians into eternal life is...
and WHY only FEW Christians find the "narrow way"?

And HOW does this relate to:
MANY are called ["called" by the Gospel]
bur FEW are chosen ["chosen" or "elected" to salvation]

Jim
It's the true Christians and the False Christians. The tares look like Christians but remain unchanged in the heart.
 
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5thKingdom

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It's the true Christians and the False Christians. The tares look like Christians but remain unchanged in the heart.


I agree, and would dare to be a little more specific.
I would say the BROAD WAY is the synergistic "gospel"
that unsaved "tares" follow, while the narrow way is the
monergistic Gospel of the Bible.

In the Broad Way men (supposedly) get to decide and initiate
their own salvation through some "work", like saying a sinner's
prayer or making an alter call or receiving water baptism or
repenting of some sins or "inviting" Jesus into your heart or
DECIDING to believe... all "works gospels"... although the more
sophisticated pretenders will put the word "non-meritorious"
before the work in order to pretend it's not REALLY a "work".
This is the BROAD WAY that leads MANY "Christians" into
destruction (notice the vast majority of the church preaches it)

The narrow way that leads Christians into eternal life, the way
that FEW Christians find, is the monergistic Gospel of the Bible
that teaches God "chooses" or "elects" who He will save before
the foundation of the world based ONLY on His Good Pleasure
and not on any "work" that person would do in their lifetime.

In the Christian churches you basically have TWO (2) gospels.
One is a false synergistic heresy (the Broad Way that MANY find),
the other the True Gospel of monergism (the narrow way FEW find).

Jim
 
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5thKingdom

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I would say that the broad way is everything we see with our eyes...including ourselves.

And the narrow way is so small that nothing we see may squeeze through it.


In the Broad Way men (supposedly) get to decide and initiate
their own salvation through some "work", like saying a sinner's
prayer or making an alter call or receiving water baptism or
repenting of some sins or "inviting" Jesus into your heart or
DECIDING to believe... all "works gospels"... although the more
sophisticated pretenders will put the word "non-meritorious"
before the work in order to pretend it's not REALLY a "work".
This is the BROAD WAY that leads MANY "Christians" into
destruction (notice the vast majority of the church preaches it)

The narrow way that leads Christians into eternal life, the way
that FEW Christians find, is the monergistic Gospel of the Bible
that teaches God "chooses" or "elects" who He will save before
the foundation of the world based ONLY on His Good Pleasure
and not on any "work" that person would do in their lifetime.

In the Christian churches you basically have TWO (2) gospels.
One is a false synergistic heresy (the Broad Way that MANY find),
the other the True Gospel of monergism (the narrow way FEW find).

Jim
 
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hedrick

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Mat 7:13-14 is too brief to get a context. The Lukan version, however, has more. (Luke 13:22 ff)

There are a couple of things to note in Luke. First, cities had a main gate, which was open during the day, and a small one, which could be used by a few latecomers. Hence entering by the narrow gate isn’t so much because it’s hard as because they’re late. The main gate is already closed. They had better get in by the narrow gate while there’s still time. You can see this in the last half of vs 24 and vs 25.

But in 29 it opens again, and the whole world comes in. What do we make of this?

I think this is really about the people around Jesus who hear him and don’t respond. They are about to miss their opportunity. But once the gate is closed for them, the way will open for the whole world.
 
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5thKingdom

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Mat 7:13-14 is too brief to get a context. The Lukan version, however, has more. (Luke 13:22 ff)

There are a couple of things to note in Luke. First, cities had a main gate, which was open during the day, and a small one, which could be used by a few latecomers. Hence entering by the narrow gate isn’t so much because it’s hard as because they’re late. The main gate is already closed. They had better get in by the narrow gate while there’s still time. You can see this in the last half of vs 24 and vs 25.

But in 29 it opens again, and the whole world comes in. What do we make of this?

I think this is really about the people around Jesus who hear him and don’t respond. They are about to miss their opportunity. But once the gate is closed for them, the way will open for the whole world.


I appreciate your comments.
But you are overlooking some context.
Allow my to point out what you are not understanding.


(1) First, in both the Mat 7 account and the Luke 13 account
AND the Matthew 25 account (we must not forget that account)
we are talking about people who call Jesus their "Lord". So, clearly,
the CONTEXT is not those OUTSIDE of the church.... those rejecting
Christ... it is "Christians" (real Christians or nominal "Christians").
If you cannot discern the CONTEXT of a passage then you
cannot hope to ever understand the MEANING.


(2) Secondly, again some more context.
In the church there are BOTH saved "wheat" sown by God
and unsaved "tares" sown by Satan [Mat 13]. Moreover,
there are essentially TWO (2) "gospels" preached. The
synergistic heresy and the True Gospel of monergism.
The BROAD and narrow ways represent these gospels.
You cannot take a parable to be more than it is... an
earthly story representing a heavenly reality.


(3) Thirdly, again some more context.
Notice the Matthew 25 account and the Luke 13 account
both tell us WHEN this event occurs and WHO is involved.


Matthew 25 tells us the people involved are the LAST of the
"wheat" and "tares" on earth... living in the Great Tribulation
"Kingdom of Heaven" [Mat 25:1] called the "wise virgins"
(saved "wheat") and "foolish virgins" (unsaved "tares").


It also tells us WHEN the event occurs....
after the "Door was Shut" (after the final harvest)


Mat 25:9-13
But the wise [virgins] answered, saying, Not so; lest there
be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that
sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the
bridegroom [Jesus] came; and they that were ready [wise virgins]
went in with him to the marriage: [in the final harvest] and
THE DOOR WAS SHUT. Afterward came also the other virgins,
[foolish virgins] saying, Lord, Lord, [they thought Jesus was
their Lord and Savior]
open to us. But he answered and said,
Verily I say unto you, I know you not. [about the time frame...]
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of man cometh.


Luk 13:25-29
When once the master of the house [Jesus] is risen up,
AND HATH SHUT THE DOOR, [after the final harvest] and
ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying,
Lord, Lord, [they sincerely thought they were saved] open
unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you
not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten
and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
[they LOOKED like real Christians] But he shall say, I tell you,
I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers
of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when
ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets,
in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.


So, we see the BROAD WAY and the narrow way relates to
those who call Jesus their "Lord" and "Savior"... the unsaved
"tares" follow the heresy of a synergistic "gospel" while the
saved "wheat" follow the True Gospel of Sovereign Grace
(monergism).


Now... regarding your comments about "the world"...


Luk 13:29
And they [the saved] shall come from the east, and from
the west, and from the north, and from the south, [the world,
as represented by both Jew and Gentile]
and shall sit down in
The Kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall
be first, and there are first which shall be last.


"The world" does, in fact, come into the "Kingdom of God"...
but we know that does not mean everyone ever born since
(a) hell is heavily populated and (b) the majority of people born
reject Christ and (c) the Bible clearly teaches that some men
were NEVER MEANT to be saved. So the CONTEXT of the term
"the world" often represents BOTH the Jew and the Gentile.


Remember, BEFORE Jesus came God was only saving Jews.
AFTER Christ came God began saving both Jew and Gentile
(Jew + Gentile = "the world")


Besides, those coming from the east and west, north and
south to enter into the "Kingdom of God" could not possibly
be any other than those "indwelt" by the Holy Spirit (saved),
just a little more CONTEXT for perspective.


There can be no mistake that the CONTEXT of Matthew 25 and
Luke 13 is (a) AFTER the DOOR WAS SHUT and (b) involves
those who think Jesus is their "Lord" and Savior... not "unbelievers".
So we see (again) the "church" consists of BOTH saved "wheat"
sown by God - all of which inherit eternal life - and unsaved "tares"
sown by Satan and destined to the SAME FIRE prepared for Satan
and his demons and ALL those in Satan's Kingdom [Mat 25:41]


Now... while many people would LIKE to pretend these parables
represent those in the church and those OUTSIDE the church,
the CONTEXT does not allow such a "private interpretation".
Moreover, the CONTEXT of the BROAD WAY that leads MANY
("Christians") to destruction and the narrow way that leads
FEW saved "wheat" into eternal life relates to the "gospel"
these "wheat and tares" (in the church) are following.


BTW... the vast majority of the "church" follows the synergistic
heresy, which is the BROAD WAY. While a small minority of the
church follow the narrow way of the True Gospel of Sovereign
Grace (monergism). And, so we see, everything is foretold...
for those with "ears to hear".


Jim
 
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5thKingdom

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I think this is really about the people around Jesus who hear him and don’t respond. They are about to miss their opportunity. But once the gate is closed for them, the way will open for the whole world.


You should make no mistake. When the LAST SAINTS are taken
into the "marriage", during the Final Harvest [Mat 25:10] and the
DOOR WAS SHUT [Mat 25:10 and Luke 13:25] that is the END of
anyone entering the "Kingdom of God". Those who are "without"
are those spending eternity in the same fire as Satan [Mat 25:41]

There is no "secondary" Final Harvest...
there is no "alternative" salvation plan.

You must ensure your "theories" harmonize with ALL RELATED
Scriptures. And there are MANY passages that teach hell will be
heavily populated and some men were NEVER MEANT to be saved
[Mark 4:11-12 and Romans 9:19-24 and many others]... even
MANY of those calling themselves "Christian", who are really just
unsaved "tares" sown by Satan and (as "children of Satan") destined
to the same fate as Satan, his demons and all those OUTSIDE the
church. The Gospel is very clear about these matters for those
with "ears to hear".

Jim
 
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5thKingdom

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I think this is really about the people around Jesus who hear him and don’t respond. They are about to miss their opportunity. But once the gate is closed for them, the way will open for the whole world.


But Jesus PROMISED that ALL MEN the Father gives Him "shall come"
to Him and He would lose NONE of them [John 6]. Several verses
assure us that He will save ALL of "His sheep".

In other words... despite your wishful thinking JESUS PROMISED
that all of "His Sheep" will hear His voice and follow Him. So when
you suggest some "did not respond" and they are "about to miss
their opportunity"... not only are you showing you follow the heresy
of a synergistic "gospel" where salvation depends on the actions of men,
but you are adding an alternative salvation plan not found in Scripture,
all in an attempt to protect your synergistic "gospel" from immediate
and total destruction.

There is NO SCRIPTURE (not a single verse) that hints some men
are "harvested" into the "Kingdom of God" AFTER the Final Harvest
occurs and AFTER THE DOOR WAS SHUT.

You are guilty of "wishful thinking" instead of Biblical doctrine.
It is a common condition... but it cannot change reality.

Jim
 
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FredVB

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hedrick said:
Mat 7:13-14 is too brief to get a context. The Lukan version, however, has more. (Luke 13:22 ff)

There are a couple of things to note in Luke. First, cities had a main gate, which was open during the day, and a small one, which could be used by a few latecomers. Hence entering by the narrow gate isn’t so much because it’s hard as because they’re late. The main gate is already closed. They had better get in by the narrow gate while there’s still time. You can see this in the last half of vs 24 and vs 25.

But in 29 it opens again, and the whole world comes in. What do we make of this?

I think this is really about the people around Jesus who hear him and don’t respond. They are about to miss their opportunity. But once the gate is closed for them, the way will open for the whole world.

The whole world only has the opportunity for any to come to God and have salvation. Texts referring to the whole world can only mean that. They do not all come to God and have salvation, and those many show they do not.

Romans 1:20-26 shows that though God provides for the possibility that any people can know something about God and then respond to God working in some way in their life to come to God, many do not and live in rebellion that God gives them up to.

There are those who do not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

See also Ephesians 5:5 and 1 Corinthians 3:17.
 
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5thKingdom

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What is in vain is the new believers one thinks were made with them coming to Christ actually trusting in other things instead of Christ.


What is vain is belief man can be saved following a synergistic gospel.
Anyone thinking they did something to be saved - are really following
the BROAD WAY that leads Christians into destruction. They are
shown in Matthew 7 and Matthew 25 and Luke 13.


Mat 7:21-23
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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.


But there is more CONTEXT provided in the Matthew 25 account
and the Luke 13 account. It is self delusion to pretend that these
three accounts need not be harmonized in order to understand the
CONTEXT of this event.


Mat 25:8-13
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil [Holy Spirit];
for our lamps [our gospels] are gone out [do not save] But the
wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you:
but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

And while they [the foolish virgins representing the LAST TARES]
went to buy, the bridegroom came; [Christ Returned] and they
that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door
was shut.
Afterward came also the other [foolish] virgins, saying,
Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto
you, I know you not.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the
day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.



BTW... before anyone can pretend to understand the CONTEXT
of these parables/prophecies he must understand they are talking
about the LAST "wheat" and the LAST "tares" who claim to be
Christian. This is clearly demonstrated in (a) the door was shut
and (b) the events occur (the wheat refused to preach to the tares)
and (c) DURING the time when the Lord Returns in Glory. That is
the CONTEXT of these verses.


Read the passage closely... there's no time in church history
when the Saints refuse to preach - and send people off to some
other (unnamed group) to find salvation AND these events occur
during the time when the Lord Returns. These events could not
represent Christians in 100AD or 500AD or 1000AD or 1500AD...
because the Lord did not Return at those times. Such a notion
would contradict the CONTEXT of the passage - making it false.


Luk 13:23
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?
[the CONTEXT is few following Christ not few pagans] And he said
unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto
you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. [the synergists]
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath
shut to the door,
[again the CONTEXT is after salvation is finished...
these EVENTS could not happen until salvation was ENDED]
and ye
begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord,
open unto us [they believed they were saved and Jesus was Lord];
and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence
ye are:
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy
presence, and thou hast taught in our streets [they looked like real
Christians - just like the "tares" in the church LOOK like the "wheat"]
.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart
from me, all ye workers of iniquity.


Harmonizing these three parallel passages teaches several things.
And if we cannot harmonize the TEXT... then we cannot pretend
to have found the Biblical Truth:


(1) First, the CONTEXT is those who claim to be Christian.
They called Jesus their Lord. They preached as Christians and
they ate and drank in HIS presence. This illustrates the "tares"
in the church - but not the "wheat" in the church. Moreover,
it is LIMITED to the LAST "wheat and tares" on earth... those
who are alive when the "door was shut" and when the Lord
actually Returns. The Matthew 25 account identifies these last
"wheat and tares" as being the "wise virgins" and "foolish virgins".


(2) Secondly, the CONTEXT is events AFTER the "door was shut"
and AFTER salvation was no longer possible. Obviously this shows
the context could not possibly be about "wheat and tares" in the
church, living hundreds or even thousands of years BEFORE the
time when salvation was finished and the "door was shut" and
BEFORE the time when the Lord Returns. So it CONTRADICTS
the TEXT to pretend this event should be applied to "Christians"
who lived hundreds or thousands of years BEFORE the salvation
was finished (see Rev 7:1-3) and BEFORE the "door was shut".


Since the CONTEXT of these prophecies is the "wheat and tares"
who call themselves Christian AND it is the LAST "Christians" living
on earth (living after salvation was finished and the "door was shut",
living on earth when the Lord Returns (not hundreds of years before)
we can then address WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE between these
two separate groups (the unsaved "tares" and the saved "wheat")?


The difference is that saved "wheat" do not preach false gospels...
but unsaved "tares" do preach heresy. There is nothing NEW here.
Throughout the entire "church age" (up to the "door is shut") there
are TWO MAJOR "gospels" taught by the "wheat and tares".


The first "gospel" is a synergistic gospel where men contribute to
their regeneration... this is the BROAD WAY that leads Christians
(not pagans) into destruction. The second (true) Gospel is the
monergistic Gospel that teaches God "chooses" or "elects" who
He will have mercy on - before the foundation of he world and it's
based on ONLY His good pleasure and NOT anything that man
would do during his lifetime... this is the narrow way that leads
to eternal life... and FEW "Christians" find it.


THAT is the difference between the BROAD WAY and narrow way
which the "wheat and tares" in the church follow. And it has always
been this way though the almost 2000 years of the Christian church.
Two different gospels are preached (synergism and monergism) and
only ONE of these gospel could be correct - the other is just heresy.


We could harmonize this reality with MANY verses saying some men
were NEVER MEANT to "be converted" or "have their sins forgiven"
... and verses promising unsaved "tares" would leave the church to
demonstrate they were never saved "wheat"... and verses showing
the unsaved "tares" in the church will show the "fruit" of preaching
heresies... but what has already been shown (above) is sufficient
to establish the CONTEXT and MEANING of these parallel passages.


BOTTOM LINE:
It is not possible to discern the MEANING of these verses unless/until
you first understand their CONTEXT... which is the LAST "wheat and tares"
calling themselves "Christian", when salvation is finished and the Lord Returns.


The TEXT cannot be applied to people who lived and died before salvation
is finished (the "door was shut") and before the Lord Appears in Glory.


Jim
 
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5thKingdom

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It is about coming to the real faith with repentance, and life changes with that. Those that do not change with spiritual virtues growing are ones who do not have evidence showing that they are real believers, and likely they are not.


Which gets back to the TWO QUESTIONS of the Gospel:


(1) Is the "real faith" you speak of described in the Synergistic
"gospel" taught in churches or the Monergistic Gospel of the church?
Both cannot be the True Gospel... or "real faith" as you stated.


(2) Does regeneration precede repentance... or is regeneration
the RESULT of man's actions to repent? One of those is the
Synergistic heresy and the other is the True Monergistic Gospel.


(3) Make no mistake, Matthew 7 and 25 and Luke 13 are talking
about people who sincerely believe they are saved Christians and
represent the "wheat and tares" in the church. And we can know
absolutely (from other verses) that only the "wheat" in the church
are saved... the "tares" in the church were sown by Satan and are
destined to the same fire as Satan [Mat 25:41] regardless of their
"feelings" or their "sincerity".


So, contrary to your post, good works or "feelings" are NOT
the "sign" of salvation. There are many Atheists and Secularists
that do good works - but are not even close to salvation... besides
the unsaved "tares" within the church, as described in Matthew 7
and Matthew 25 and Luke 13.


You should read post #335 again.


Those preaching a synergistic heresy are showing the "fruit"
of being unsaved [Gal 5:20]. I am not saying that EVERYONE
preaching the True monergistic Gospel is saved... but, at least,
they are not preaching the heresy of the BROAD WAY that leads
"Christians" to eternal destruction. At least they are preaching
the narrow way that leads to eternal life.


Jim
 
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5thKingdom

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For conversation sake only, about the narrow gate....It seems to me it's Jesus the Risen. ....reminds me of a scripture about the sheepfold and Shepherd .


There is a exact CONTEXT to the BROAD WAY that leads "Christians"
into eternal torment and narrow way that leads (real) Christians into
eternal life. Moreover these two "gospels" (the synergistic heresy
and the True monergistic Gospel have ALWAYS been preached
within the Christian churches - even while the Apostles lived.


You can read post #335 to see some of this context. Remember,
we cannot hope to find the MEANING of any passage of Scripture
if we cannot discern the CONTEXT of that passage.


Jim
 
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Danthemailman

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Either we are trusting 100% in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation or else we are 100% lost. (John 3:15,16,18; 10:9; 14:6; Acts 10:43; 13:39; 16:31; Romans 1:16; 3:24-28; 4:5-6; 5:1; Ephesians 2:8,9; Philippians 3:9 etc..). Now that's narrow.
 
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5thKingdom

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I would say that the broad way is everything we see with our eyes...including ourselves.
And the narrow way is so small that nothing we see may squeeze through it.


First, the narrow way is defined (by Jesus) as the way real Christians
(saved "wheat") are to ENTER into the "Kingdom of Heaven". Your
"feelings" contradict the TEXT.


Second, the BROAD WAY is defined (by Jesus) as the way false
"Christians" follow into eternal destruction.


In other words, the CONTEXT of both the BROAD WAY leading
to destruction and the narrow way leading to eternal life is the
CONTEXT of those saved "wheat" and unsaved "tares" within
the Christian church.


Churches have been preaching a false synergistic "gospel"
(the BROAD WAY) and the True monergistic Gospel
(the narrow way) for almost two thousand years now.


Jim
 
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5thKingdom

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Either we are trusting 100% in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation or else we are 100% lost.


So, WHERE does that "trust" you speak of originate?
Is it part of the synergistic "gospel" taught in churches
(the BROAD WAY) or is it part of the monergistic Gospel
taught in churches (the narrow way)? it cannot be both
as they are contradictory "gospels".


Jim
 
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