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Narrow is the gate... actual understanding???


L10

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Briefly to touch a subject that I have noted emergent Churches, as well as several Bible translations drifting towards. Matthew 7:13.. shares how the gate is narrow for entering life, and yet this is after it shares that the path is wide that leads to hell (destruction~ in most new translations). Seeing some Evangelists, such as Joseph Prince recently calling out the people that ever said this was meaning anything about few people being in Heaven was very interesting. He also went on to say that whenever you have a good feeling in you.. "that is God". Well, we know that God shares good, but so does the imposter, right? We know that God also shares some things that are not good.

To the point... ! Does anyone know the greek translation of this passage, and does it imply to heaven and hell, or as Prince and many others are now saying; to life today?

I have spent my whole life with the understanding that even the explanation of the parable of the sower shows why so many will simply not make it to Heaven, so many distractions, as Jesus shares very capably.

What to you all think??

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Matthew 7:13

New King James Version (NKJV)

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.

Your original understanding of this verse is correct. It's speaking of Heaven and Hell. I'm not familiar with the teacher you mentioned, or his teachings, but I do know the Narrow Gate is Jesus, leading to Heaven, and the Broad Way leads to destruction, or Hell.

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Matthew 7:13,14 "Go ye in through the strait gate, because wide the gate, and broad the way that is leading to the destruction, and many are those going in through it;

how strait the gate, and compressed the way that is leading to the life, and few are those finding it!" This is as close as I can get to a literal translation into English from the Greek. My understanding of these two passages is the same as yours and Chloe's. The Gate is Jesus Christ and the path through Him leads to salvation and the other to Hell. And yes Scripture teaches that all are given the chance of Salvation but that few will choose it over the world. :mgbowtie:

Edited by Lutheran man
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I do appreciate the help, and now that I am home I can get to my Greek interlinear study as well. It is just amazing that many Evangelists take that very verse and tell their flock that it pertains to life on this very earth,,, today.

It is basically a new Gospel of sorts being taught, and I get a sick feeling in my gut when I hear it. Not that I trust my gut, but I do trust scripture.

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It's not the scripture really, it is the Old traditional understanding of the Word, in mostly non Holy Spirit filled churches V.S the Tongues talking Holy Spirit filled groups.

It would be good to show the scripture to back up this statement or one might assume it to be heresy. Statement like this are the real reason that error is spread, people hear things without scriptural proof and before long they are the only Holy Spirit group. The only part of the body of Christ that had to be instructed in the proper use of tongues in service was the one that said they had it and were abusing the use of it. I guess all the other churches that had letters written to them were not of the Spirit filled group because tongues is not mentioned in any other letter to a church body. Like the OP verse, let the scripture speak in context for itself and it must walk hand in hand with the whole of scripture.

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There are two congregations. One of the living. One of the dead. Both are physically alive. One does dead works. The other serves the living God. One is usually very liturgical in practice while the other is dynamically Spirit led. One has the fruits of righteousness and peace, trusting in God for all things. The other reads the words without comprehending the meaning but clings to legalistic structure they believe is the narrow path unto the straight gate.

The walking dead, zombies all around us, promote the bible, preach and teach a Jesus, do all kinds of 'good works', but they do not know God neither are they known of him. There is only one breath of life which is the Spirit of Christ and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. One who is quickened by the Spirit of God and experiencing life more abundantly will be led of Him unto all truth. No lie is of the truth.

Your either alive or dead. I was once dead but am now alive.

Food for thought:

ἀπόλλυμι - AV — perish 33, destroy 26, lose 22, be lost 5, lost 4, misc 2

When Jesus speaks of the lost sheep of Israel he speaks of the walking dead.

The narrow gate leads unto life.

We must be born again since we are dead. Born of the Spirit. The concept is as old as life itself. God established a testimony in Jacob. God is doing something here upon the earth that is entirely separate from eternal judgment though it be intrinsically linked. The blood of Jesus Christ has paid the price for all sin. God has purchased the right through that blood to be the one who ultimately decides the fate of all men, whether it be heaven or hell. God has the right to reveal knowledge and understanding unto whom he wills, when he wills or to hold back whatever he wills, whenever he wills for his personal purpose. He is God.

The question one must answer to know the truth of the matter is, does one have to enter into the congregation of the living to ultimately be saved from eternal death in the lake of fire? This question is not an easy one to answer though it may appear straight forward and simple. Can one be dead unto God their whole life and go to the grave but yet be granted eternal life by God at the judgment seat? A great meditation for those who seek to understand truth. Consider the sheep at the judgment of the nations who had no idea that they were doing unto Christ those things that they did unto those who were the least of his. Were these quick or dead while they lived?

When the bible speaks about salvation or being saved, it can be talking about ultimate salvation that ends in resurrection of the just unto eternal life or it can simply be talking about the physical life. We must study to show ourselves approved unto God as workman who need not be ashamed and rightly divide the Word of truth. We must be able to discern good from evil by having our senses exercised. After giving the 'manner to pray' unto the disciples, Jesus quantified his statement by saying that if we forgive me their trespasses then our heavenly father will forgive ours also. Some believe this to have eternal consequences while others state that it speaks of the physical life and blessing of God upon a man in this life. But what does the scripture say?

Rom 2:1 ¶ Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

This chapter of Romans clearly explains what Jesus is saying. There is truth. There is error. One leads to righteous works and deeds while the other leads to unrighteousness.

Every man and woman who has ever lived has been exposed to truth and error through their hearts have chosen which to embrace and follow. God has put before each of us life and death, and has said unto us choose life. I seek to eat from the tree of life that is beyond the flaming sword and the cherubim. I seek to have an ever increasing faith that the righteousness of God is revealed in. I once heard of the God of the bible and had to make a decision. If it seemed evil to serve him, I had to choose that day whom I would serve. It did not seem evil to serve the God of the Bible. I chose the straight gate. The east gate in my heart where Jesus stood knocking until I opened the door and he came in to sup with me and me with him. Oh what a glorious day that was.

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Briefly to touch a subject that I have noted emergent Churches, as well as several Bible translations drifting towards. Matthew 7:13.. shares how the gate is narrow for entering life, and yet this is after it shares that the path is wide that leads to hell (destruction~ in most new translations). Seeing some Evangelists, such as Joseph Prince recently calling out the people that ever said this was meaning anything about few people being in Heaven was very interesting. He also went on to say that whenever you have a good feeling in you.. "that is God". Well, we know that God shares good, but so does the imposter, right? We know that God also shares some things that are not good.

To the point... ! Does anyone know the greek translation of this passage, and does it imply to heaven and hell, or as Prince and many others are now saying; to life today?

I have spent my whole life with the understanding that even the explanation of the parable of the sower shows why so many will simply not make it to Heaven, so many distractions, as Jesus shares very capably.

What to you all think??

Hi L10

Don't get me started on Joseph Prince, but apart from that, you seem to have better discernment than he does.

As the Bible explicitly tells us to test the spirits, that would actually knock Mr Princes assertion that good feelings are an indication

of the presence of God right out of the water

Mr. Prince needs to test that spirit from which he got that idea. It is NOT scriptural and yes, the devil can certainly 'give' one good feelings

in order to lead them astray.

Good feelings do not go along with good judgement. We may sometimes have to make a decision based on the Bible alone (well preferably

all of the time) but that does not always make us feel good. Sometimes, we may actually feel pretty bad.

Someone once explained it like this,

The promise of God's Word, the Bible - not our feelings - is our authority. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word. This train diagram illustrates the relationship among fact (God and His Word), faith (our trust in God and His Word), and feeling (the result of our faith and obedience) (John 14:21)

trainclear_zps0ed1870f.gif

The train will run with or without a caboose. However, it would be useless to attempt to pull the train by the caboose. In the same way, as Christians, we do not depend on feelings or emotions, but we place our faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God and the promises of His Word.

Feelings are not bad in and of themselves. They were given to us by God. They just don't get to run the show...or the train ;)

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Briefly to touch a subject that I have noted emergent Churches, as well as several Bible translations drifting towards. Matthew 7:13.. shares how the gate is narrow for entering life, and yet this is after it shares that the path is wide that leads to hell (destruction~ in most new translations). Seeing some Evangelists, such as Joseph Prince recently calling out the people that ever said this was meaning anything about few people being in Heaven was very interesting. He also went on to say that whenever you have a good feeling in you.. "that is God". Well, we know that God shares good, but so does the imposter, right? We know that God also shares some things that are not good.

To the point... ! Does anyone know the greek translation of this passage, and does it imply to heaven and hell, or as Prince and many others are now saying; to life today?

Here is the translation, word for word:

BE-YE-INTO-COMING THRU THE CRAMPED GATE that BROAD THE GATE AND WELL-GUSH-SPACE THE WAY THE one-FROM-LEADING INTO THE destruction AND MANY ARE THE ones-INTO COMING THRU her

I have spent my whole life with the understanding that even the explanation of the parable of the sower shows why so many will simply not make it to Heaven, so many distractions, as Jesus shares very capably.

What to you all think??

2 Timothy 4:1-5

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Beware of teachers who claim there is another way that sounds good but have no foundation in the truth. Feelings are fickle, and can come from the pleasure of the flesh. Not all "good" feelings come from God. There is pleasure in some sin for a short period of time, but the result leads to death.

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i have a picture on my hall wall of the ...Broad and Narrow way....the broad way leads to death and the narrow way leads to life eternal

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Sevenseas:

Don't get me started on Joseph Prince, but apart from that, you seem to have better discernment than he does.

from the few sermons I have heard, he seems to be a great teacher. I could not find anything wrong. Then again, I was not looking for wrong.

His views on grace might be a little to liberal for me, you do reap what you sow. Jesus will help you in the times of trouble though sets right with me. I don't find fault. He is preaching to a people that need the love of God. These are not the potato chip fed, TV watching, good neighborhood living Americans He is teaching. Faith in God, Trust God is a good message.

Jesus Is Lord.

Well Mike, we do not have the same experience and although we certainly do agree on some very important issues, we are also quite disparate

on some very main issues.

So...what can I say....7_zpscd784247.gif I was honestly not looking for wrong either. It is what it is, eh? Trust God is always a good message,,,but

make sure you are actually trusting what God said about Himself and not some off base sounds good scratch scratch doctrine

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