Matthew 7: 13-14 (Jesus, gospel, Kingdom, salvation, choice)

[Aqualung]

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

What do you make of that? I make it out to mean that Christ as set up certain rules and regulations and requirements of us, and that we need to follow them. We can't pick and choose whether or not we do this or whether or not we do that. We have to at least strive to do all. Obviously a lot of people don't believe this, though. They believe that it really doesn't matter which religion you are a part of, or which parts of the Bible they pay attention to. I'm particularly interested in hearing those people's interpretations of this verse.

[Bishka]

Originally Posted by Aqualung

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

What do you make of that? I make it out to mean that Christ as set up certain rules and regulations and requirements of us, and that we need to follow them. We can't pick and choose whether or not we do this or whether or not we do that. We have to at least strive to do all. Obviously a lot of people don't believe this, though. They believe that it really doesn't matter which religion you are a part of, or which parts of the Bible they pay attention to. I'm particularly interested in hearing those people's interpretations of this verse.

I'm in agreeance with AL. I believe that we should not follow the path that everyone treads, that we need to follow the guidelines that Christ set up and that we need to follow God's law as well.

Then again, seeing as we are both LDS, it makes sense how we have the same opinion. It does bug me when people pick and choose out of the Bible, and I know from just saying that people will say that the LDS Church does that, but I do not believe that. Anywho. Gotta clean.

[michel]

Originally Posted by Aqualung

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

What do you make of that? I make it out to mean that Christ as set up certain rules and regulations and requirements of us, and that we need to follow them. We can't pick and choose whether or not we do this or whether or not we do that. We have to at least strive to do all. Obviously a lot of people don't believe this, though. They believe that it really doesn't matter which religion you are a part of, or which parts of the Bible they pay attention to. I'm particularly interested in hearing those people's interpretations of this verse.

For some reason, the first time I read the verse (just now), it seemed to make immediate sense; to me it sounded as if :-
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction"

The path of sin is very wide, with a wide 'gate'......to hell
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
This seems to say that the path to heaven is narrow and you need to keep 'on the mark' if you hope to get to heaven.

The defenders' notes seem to agree with my view, which are as follows for verse 14

According to Christ Himself, most people will never be saved, in spite of the fact that He offers salvation as a free gift to all who will receive it in faith (John 3:16,18; Romans 6:23).

[waldo]

Originally Posted by Aqualung

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

I just take it as in---it's often easy to sin and hard to live right, so you have to be careful. Which reminds me of the 4th harry potter movie(i just saw it yesterday) when dumbledore said something like "Eventually, we all have to make the choice between doing what's right and doing what's easy" i like that quote, but anyway, uh, yeah...

[dorcas3000]

You know, the biggest thing Jesus condemns in the gospels is religious corruption. Jesus had compassion on sinners, and called the very religiously devot Pharisees a brood of vipers. Right after the gate passage, Jesus talks about false prophets, and then says "Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven..." I know a lot of people like to intperpret the gate verses to mean that 'sinning' is the wide path, based on the context of the verses and the overall context of the gospels, I think it makes more sense that the wide path is actually religious corruption. It's really easy to look religious. Anyone can do it, and many do. Jesus clearly says that prophesing, driving out demons and performing miracles certainly aren't automatic tickets into heaven. If you look at the Sermon on the Mount as a whole, Jesus is constantly saying "It's not about what you do or don't do, it's about what's on your heart." We are lead astray more often by our own religiousness and false security in ourselves than the pleasures of this world.

Ok, am i making sense??

[Aqualung]

Ok, am i making sense??

Yes, you're making sense. This is what I think, as well.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Aqualung

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

When I just read this verse, it reminded me of the following verses. It is a narrow path to heaven, but with God anything is possible.

Luke 18:25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."


Luke 18: 26 Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" Luke 18:27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

[onmybelief]

To me, as many other posters have stated, it is easier to destroy than to create, so to is it easier to sin and do evil than it is to do good.

[Halcyon]

Seems obvious to me what he means. You could rewrite it as "Don't be a sheep."

We should all follow our own path, where is the effort in following someone elses lead?
To follow the teachings of a person (even Yeshua himself) or especially those of a church without question - that is to walk through the wide gate.

Its wide because so many people are doing exactly what you do, think exactly what you think - because to not do so is heresy.

The small gate has room enough for one person to walk through at a time. Few people walk through this gate though because they are brainwashed into the mindless flock of various organised religions.
Whenever you find something in your scripture or church doctrine that makes no sense to you, and then you accept it is true on faith alone - you take one step through that large gate.
Whenever you try to convert another to your faith through scare tactics (hell), or through any kind of force - that's another step.
Whenever you believe something solely on the testomony of another, without testing its validity yourself - your just marching through that big wide gate.

But of course, none of you do that - its everybody else who's walking through the wide gate, not you. You know the real truth.

[may]

2 roads one leading to life, one leading to death.we make the choice

JESUS CHRIST marked out the way to everlasting life

"I am the way and the truth and the life."—John 14:6.

But has Christendom entered the narrow gate? Have its popular religions carefully followed the way marked out by Jesus Christ? Have its worldly religions really warned men of the broad road and guided them to the narrow gate? Or have the c