How narrow is the narrow gate?

[TheSeabass]

…. because Jesus is the only way to salvation.....

It may be along these lines that the gate is narrow for God's word is also very narrow. God's engrafted word is what saves (James 1:21) and God's word is also truth (John 17:17). Truth by its very nature is narrow and does not allow for all the theological contradictions man has created. There is only enough room in the narrow door to allow truth in. The idea some men have that "Christians" are all going to heaven but are just taking different routes does not fit the narrow door. Only one way to heaven and that is through the Door, Christ, (John 10:9) and Christ does not have many contradictions within Him just Truth.

 

[EmethAlethia]

.05% of them are following Grace. (Loving God, loving others and yourself).

Narrow would be difficult to find...

There's probably only a handful of people who are walking in grace which is what the verse is referencing.

ps totally made that stat up but it would be a small number of people who truly understand and accept God's love for them through Christ.

Question: I am looking for references to grace in this passage, and I don't see it anywhere. Jesus says that it is only those "doing" the will of the Father that will get in. Jesus also says that it is only those that "hear Him" and "DO" as He says that are on solid ground and won't see destruction.

The next question is, since when is grace something we must "do", and if we "don't" we never were Christians in the first place. "Depart from Me ye who ... for I NEVER knew you.".

Saving faith ALWAYS results in figuring out and doing as God commands, as a habit and way of life. Yes, according to other passages, without God's grace, none of us would ever have had a chance for salvation.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Question: I am looking for references to grace in this passage, and I don't see it anywhere. Jesus says that it is only those "doing" the will of the Father that will get in. Jesus also says that it is only those that "hear Him" and "DO" as He says that are on solid ground and won't see destruction.

The next question is, since when is grace something we must "do", and if we "don't" we never were Christians in the first place. "Depart from Me ye who ... for I NEVER knew you.".

Saving faith ALWAYS results in figuring out and doing as God commands, as a habit and way of life. Yes, according to other passages, without God's grace, none of us would ever have had a chance for salvation.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

"Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” (John 6:28-19).

This shows that saving faith comes from believing the Gospel and trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross. There is nothing else we can do.

We need to remember that Paul gave his teaching from the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who is God, and therefore does not contradict the teaching of Jesus, but rather extends it. Jesus taught folks still under the Old Covenant Law to show the standards of righteousness, and even if they followed everything He taught them, it would not be enough, because their righteousness had to exceed that of the Pharisees, who kept the Law better than anyone, including ourselves.

Paul, teaching under the same inspiration of God shows us how our righteousness can exceed that of the Pharisees - believe the gospel, receive Christ as Saviour and Lord, receive His righteousness, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and allow Christ to work in us through the agency of the Holy Spirit to be conformed to His image.

 

[EmethAlethia]

The gate is narrow because there is only one way to be saved and that is by faith in Christ alone. There are many professing Christians who are mixing faith with works in order to be saved, but they will be lost.

Maybe you can help me out here. I see that only those that "Do the will of My Father who is in heaven", is in the passage as well as "Those that hear My words and Do them." being in the passage. How do you "DO" faith?

Saving faith results in a habit and way of life seeking to get to the truth of all that GOd says and means so that we can alter our beliefs, and then our lives (Submission) to be in complete alignment with it. So I guess, if you are saying that Jesus is just cutting through the layers and telling people where the rubber meats the road, i.e. you will "DO" My word and My Father's will or you won't be saved no matter what else you believe or do, then yes ... maybe I agree.

"Faith without works is "stillborn"": A birth that produces no life.

 

[watchman 2]

Maybe you can help me out here. I see that only those that "Do the will of My Father who is in heaven", is in the passage as well as "Those that hear My words and Do them." being in the passage. How do you "DO" faith?

Saving faith results in a habit and way of life seeking to get to the truth of all that GOd says and means so that we can alter our beliefs, and then our lives (Submission) to be in complete alignment with it. So I guess, if you are saying that Jesus is just cutting through the layers and telling people where the rubber meats the road, i.e. you will "DO" My word and My Father's will or you won't be saved no matter what else you believe or do, then yes ... maybe I agree.

"Faith without works is "stillborn"": A birth that produces no life.

The word in the Greek is pisteuo!
Used 248 times in the NT
Pisteuo the Greek word that is used to communicate how NT Faith ( pistis) is applied, Vines : " A personal surrender to Him, and a life inspired by such surrender. Producing a full acknowledgement of God's revelation of truth."

This understanding was lost when the English language couldn't give the translators a corresponding verb to the noun Faith, like the Greek does for the noun Pistis.

They then were forced to choose other words to try and translate pisteuo. They chose the words believe, believer, and believing. Pisteuo is an act, based upon a belief, sustained by confidence. When they translated pisteuo as believe, believer, and believing, they inadvertently changed the true object of Faith or Faithing ( Jesus a real living person) to His word and His promises.

This is a very big problem!

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

"Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” (John 6:28-19).

This shows that saving faith comes from believing the Gospel and trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross. There is nothing else we can do.

We need to remember that Paul gave his teaching from the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who is God, and therefore does not contradict the teaching of Jesus, but rather extends it. Jesus taught folks still under the Old Covenant Law to show the standards of righteousness, and even if they followed everything He taught them, it would not be enough, because their righteousness had to exceed that of the Pharisees, who kept the Law better than anyone, including ourselves.

Paul, teaching under the same inspiration of God shows us how our righteousness can exceed that of the Pharisees - believe the gospel, receive Christ as Saviour and Lord, receive His righteousness, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and allow Christ to work in us through the agency of the Holy Spirit to be conformed to His image.

I should have quoted more of the Ephesians reference, which gives a clearer picture of where good works fit into the picture:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

So, the narrow gate is God's grace through faith and not of any works of righteousness that we can hold up to Him, because all our righteousness is as used sanitary pads to God (Isaiah 64:6). But once we have been through the narrow gate, then the good works we do that demonstrates our faith are those whom the Holy Spirit, who is God, leads us to walk in them. These are not the good works we do in the flesh, but those which the Holy Spirit inspires us to do, and so in being obedient to the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit, we are being obedient to Jesus also, because both the Holy Spirit and Jesus are God.

Jesus carries His work of enlightening and teaching us the ways of God through the agency of the Holy Spirit. We see this extension through the teaching of Paul, Peter, John, and Jude. Their teaching is not inferior to the teaching that Jesus gave in His earthly ministry, because the inspiration of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles, is Jesus continuing to give His teaching to the church.

During the ministry of Jesus on earth, He gave His part 1 of His teaching to His disciples. When He was ascended, He sent the Holy Spirit to represent Him, and gave part 2 of His teaching through the Apostles. Part 2 gives the practical application of what He taught in part 1. Both part 1 and 2 are the teaching of Jesus to the church, because He and the Holy Spirit are God, so the teaching in both parts is from God, and originally comes from the Father, because Jesus said that He did only what the Father told him, and the Holy Spirit does only what Jesus tells Him to do. Therefore the teaching in the gospels and the Apostles come from the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

So, when Jesus says that we are His friends if we do what He tells us, then the teaching of the Apostles is as much a part of that, and this is why we must study carefully what Paul, Peter, John, the Apostle to the Hebrews, and Jude teach, because they are the same words of Jesus, that He spoke in person to His disciples.

 

[watchman 2]

I should have quoted more of the Ephesians reference, which gives a clearer picture of where good works fit into the picture:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

So, the narrow gate is God's grace through faith and not of any works of righteousness that we can hold up to Him, because all our righteousness is as used sanitary pads to God (Isaiah 64:6). But once we have been through the narrow gate, then the good works we do that demonstrates our faith are those whom the Holy Spirit, who is God, leads us to walk in them. These are not the good works we do in the flesh, but those which the Holy Spirit inspires us to do, and so in being obedient to the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit, we are being obedient to Jesus also, because both the Holy Spirit and Jesus are God.

Jesus carries His work of enlightening and teaching us the ways of God through the agency of the Holy Spirit. We see this extension through the teaching of Paul, Peter, John, and Jude. Their teaching is not inferior to the teaching that Jesus gave in His earthly ministry, because the inspiration of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles, is Jesus continuing to give His teaching to the church.

During the ministry of Jesus on earth, He gave His part 1 of His teaching to His disciples. When He was ascended, He sent the Holy Spirit to represent Him, and gave part 2 of His teaching through the Apostles. Part 2 gives the practical application of what He taught in part 1. Both part 1 and 2 are the teaching of Jesus to the church, because He and the Holy Spirit are God, so the teaching in both parts is from God, and originally comes from the Father, because Jesus said that He did only what the Father told him, and the Holy Spirit does only what Jesus tells Him to do. Therefore the teaching in the gospels and the Apostles come from the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

So, when Jesus says that we are His friends if we do what He tells us, then the teaching of the Apostles is as much a part of that, and this is why we must study carefully what Paul, Peter, John, the Apostle to the Hebrews, and Jude teach, because they are the same words of Jesus, that He spoke in person to His disciples.

By Grace is the finished product, the work only Christ could fulfill. It's completed, finished, nobody with any sense would try to add to or try and do a better job.

Through Faith is how that free gift is received. The word the Greek uses is "pisteuo". Pisteuo is the corresponding verb to the Greek word pistis, where we get our English word Faith.
Pisteuo is verb, an action word, it is used 248 times in the NT. Pisteuo is an act, based upon a belief, sustained by confidence.
NT saving pisteuo is a specific act, based upon a specific belief, sustained by a specific kind of confidence.

It's perfectly defined in the Vines Greek dictionary, and as follows. Pisteuo is, " A personal surrender to Him, and a life inspired by such surrender. Producing a full acknowledgement of God's revelation of truth".

According to you post , that definition would be attempting to add to Grace , it's not! That is what saving Faith or Faithing is. The Greek language never allows work, effort, courage to be separated from pisteuo. It's takes alot of work, alot of effort, alot of courage. Without fulfilling pisteuo correctly, the Spirit of Christ, Christ, His word, and the promises are not ours yet. The Father has drawn us waiting for the first offering of a surrendered life.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

By Grace is the finished product, the work only Christ could fulfill. It's completed, finished, nobody with any sense would try to add to or try and do a better job.

Through Faith is how that free gift is received. The word the Greek uses is "pisteuo". Pisteuo is the corresponding verb to the Greek word pistis, where we get our English word Faith.
Pisteuo is verb, an action word, it is used 248 times in the NT. Pisteuo is an act, based upon a belief, sustained by confidence.
NT saving pisteuo is a specific act, based upon a specific belief, sustained by a specific kind of confidence.

It's perfectly defined in the Vines Greek dictionary, and as follows. Pisteuo is, " A personal surrender to Him, and a life inspired by such surrender. Producing a full acknowledgement of God's revelation of truth".

According to you post , that definition would be attempting to add to Grace , it's not! That is what saving Faith or Faithing is. The Greek language never allows work, effort, courage to be separated from pisteuo. It's takes alot of work, alot of effort, alot of courage. Without fulfilling pisteuo correctly, the Spirit of Christ, Christ, His word, and the promises are not ours yet. The Father has drawn us waiting for the first offering of a surrendered life.

I think it needs to made clear that because Christ through the Holy Spirit is now doing the works in us, that people don't misunderstand and just sit on the couch and do nothing, or just carry on doing as they please with no regard to God's standards of holiness and righteous living. If a person has that attitude and says, "Jesus is now doing everything, so I can do just as I please as before", one has to question the genuineness of their conversion.

 

[Mel333]

Question: I am looking for references to grace in this passage, and I don't see it anywhere. Jesus says that it is only those "doing" the will of the Father that will get in. Jesus also says that it is only those that "hear Him" and "DO" as He says that are on solid ground and won't see destruction.

The next question is, since when is grace something we must "do", and if we "don't" we never were Christians in the first place. "Depart from Me ye who ... for I NEVER knew you.".

Saving faith ALWAYS results in figuring out and doing as God commands, as a habit and way of life. Yes, according to other passages, without God's grace, none of us would ever have had a chance for salvation.

The narrow gate is Christ himself and God's Grace through his son can only be received. The narrow gate also requires baptism, revelation and understanding what the blood of Christ is and what faith means.

The one who is in Grace is the one who is walking the narrow path. This does not mean our works are means of entry into the kingdom of heaven.

Love and walking around in Grace is the result of being free and complete in Christ.

I think a few on here have misinterpreted what I meant by walking in Grace. It is a walk the narrow path. But by no means is entry based on our works. The walk is founded on resting in the finished works of our Lord Jesus.

 

[watchman 2]

I think it needs to made clear that because Christ through the Holy Spirit is now doing the works in us, that people don't misunderstand and just sit on the couch and do nothing, or just carry on doing as they please with no regard to God's standards of holiness and righteous living. If a person has that attitude and says, "Jesus is now doing everything, so I can do just as I please as before", one has to question the genuineness of their conversion.

That's the real issue at hand, when does the Spirit of Christ come to make His abode in a faither? Until then, Christ, His word, and the promises in His word are not ours to claim yet.

This is why I focus on pisteuo. Pisteuo is the word used to communicate how Faith is applied or fulfilled. And a correct application of pisteuo only starts the process. Believing, then receiving the Spirit of Christ is " not" true pisteuo in any way shape or form.

 

[RDKirk]

The gate is narrow because there is only one way to be saved and that is by faith in Christ alone. There are many professing Christians who are mixing faith with works in order to be saved, but they will be lost.

And there are many for whom Jesus is nothing but a cultural gang sign.

 

[sdowney717]

The narrow gate to heaven is described by the Son of God as Himself, as HE says,
I am the door of the sheep. Anyone trying to enter the 'sheepfold' meaning the church of the saved, by another way is a thief and a robber, so then a fraud, a liar and an antichrist.

John 10 New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus the True Shepherd
10 “Most assuredly, 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. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came [a]before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 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.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.