The Narrow Gate

[Bookends]

It seems to me that many Christians want to use Matthew 7:13-14 as their proof text to show unless you do this or that, a prescribed set of rules/laws/conduct for living a Christian life, to demonstrate one position in Christ as save or unsaved. I think this is misinterpretation and gross misuse of this passage. Christ isn't saying that unless you follow a certain set of rules or ways (the narrow door) as opposed to the world (the wide door) that you'll find salvation. Christ isn't looking for little technicalities to keep people out of the Kingdom.

Jesus is simply saying that HE is the doorway, the narrow gate, in which one can enter and be saved. And if you are honestly seeking Him, all we had to do is ask: Matthew 7 ,[SUP]7 [/SUP]“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock [knock on the narrow door], and it will be opened to you. [SUP]8 [/SUP]For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." This is the Narrow gate, the door, in which one enters the kingdom of God, not by what we do or don't do. What we think and do is only the bi-product of a changed and crucified life in Christ in which, doesn't happen over night. A true believer in Christ WILL have growth, will be transformed, and all go through this process but at different paces. All other doors lead away from Christ.

Jesus says he is the door! the narrow gate, in John 10: "
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. [SUP]2 [/SUP]But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. [SUP]3 [/SUP]To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [SUP]4 [/SUP]And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. [SUP]5 [/SUP]Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” [SUP]6 [/SUP]Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

[h=3]Jesus the Good Shepherd[/h][SUP]7 [/SUP]Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. [SUP]8 [/SUP]All who ever came before Me[SUP][/SUP] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. [SUP]9 [/SUP]I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. [SUP]10 [/SUP]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."

In John letter to the Laodicean Church, Christ says through him, Rev. 3, " [SUP]20 [/SUP]Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. [SUP]21 [/SUP]To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." There are many doors in which we can open and walk through, but Christ stands at the one door, which is Christ Himself, and is knocking on it, Everyone has this door available to him, all we must do is open it and let Christ come in, then Christ is eat with us, and us with Him, and this is the process of growth, transformation, conformity that naturally comes from a relationship with Jesus.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

The narrow doorway is faith, and only faith. The first generation of Israelites under Moses were not able to enter into the promised land due to unbelief. Many Judeans were not able to enter into the kingdom of GOD because of unbelief. And so today many are not able to enter into GOD's rest through their unbelief. They say 'yes we are saved by faith, but...' and try to climb into the sheepfold some other way.

​“Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter through the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up at some other place—that one is a thief and a robber. John 10:1​

 

[Bookends]

The narrow doorway is faith, and only faith. The first generation of Israelites under Moses were not able to enter into the promised land due to unbelief. Many Judeans were not able to enter into the kingdom of GOD because of unbelief. And so today many are not able to enter into GOD's rest through their unbelief. They say 'yes we are saved by faith, but...' and try to climb into the sheepfold some other way.

​“Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter through the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up at some other place—that one is a thief and a robber. John 10:1​

Faith in what?

 

[Cobus]

Bookends there is a PORTER at the door.... And he has to open the gate.... WHAT or WHO do you think is the PORTER?

If HE (THE PORTER) does not open the door for me, I CANNOT enter.... Share with me WHAT OR WHO you believe the PORTER is. Please let us see what others also believe the PORTER is.

Let me gaurentee you NO-ONE will enter if the PORTER does not let them in....

 

[Bookends]

Bookends there is a PORTER at the door.... And he has to open the gate.... WHAT or WHO do you think is the PORTER?

If HE (THE PORTER) does not open the door for me, I CANNOT enter.... Share with me WHAT OR WHO you believe the PORTER is. Please let us see what others also believe the PORTER is.

Let me gaurentee you NO-ONE will enter if the PORTER does not let them in....

A porter huh, first show me scripture of a porter?

Revelation 3
[SUP]20 [/SUP]Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. [SUP]21 [/SUP]To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Who is Opening the Door here Cobus?

Why am I responding to you?

 

[zone]

Bookends there is a PORTER at the door.... And he has to open the gate.... WHAT or WHO do you think is the PORTER?

If HE (THE PORTER) does not open the door for me, I CANNOT enter.... Share with me WHAT OR WHO you believe the PORTER is. Please let us see what others also believe the PORTER is.

Let me gaurentee you NO-ONE will enter if the PORTER does not let them in....

cobus...Jesus is the Porter, also.

the porter slept at the door of the pen overnight (to guard the pen), and when the shepherds came in the morning he opened the door and the shepherd called out his own sheep. sometimes the shepherd would go inside to get his own.

all the shepherds put their sheep into a single pen together for the night. the Porter guarded them.

Jesus is the porter.

 

[crossnote]

A porter huh, first show me scripture of a porter?

Revelation 3
[SUP]20 [/SUP]Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. [SUP]21 [/SUP]To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Who is Opening the Door here Cobus?

Why am I responding to you?

It's in the older KJVersions..chapter 10 of John. Porter being Jesus as well as the Door.

 

[WeStand]

The narrow doorway is faith, and only faith. The first generation of Israelites under Moses were not able to enter into the promised land due to unbelief. Many Judeans were not able to enter into the kingdom of GOD because of unbelief. And so today many are not able to enter into GOD's rest through their unbelief. They say 'yes we are saved by faith, but...' and try to climb into the sheepfold some other way.

​“Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter through the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up at some other place—that one is a thief and a robber. John 10:1​

One should have their historical facts in correct order, before explaining to others.

The first generation of Israelites in which the House of Judah is only a part of; is NOT the first generation of Israelites. What ever happened to Noah? Shem, Ham and Japeth? Abraham, Lot, Isaac and Jacob? the 12 Paitriarchal fathers? born in the land of Judeah.

Let alone before that; Adam & Eve, Able, Seth, By the time of Moses, and the people at the time your reffering to, they had passed over during the 40 years in the wilderness; except, save Caleb and his family and Joshua and of course Moses still leading them.

After, these people passed over, there were still 2.4 million Israelites left at the time of Mt. Sinai; Because! it was ONLY the men of war, that dis-obeyed and doubted God, that were not allowed to pass on, Joshua then took over; and gee whiz, guess what? more war and more dis-obedience, surprise! surprise! Really?

Christ and what he TAUGHT! IS the straight and narrow gate.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

One should have their historical facts in correct order, before explaining to others.

The first generation of Israelites in which the House of Judah is only a part of; is NOT the first generation of Israelites. What ever happened to Noah? Shem, Ham and Japeth? Abraham, Lot, Isaac and Jacob? the 12 Paitriarchal fathers? born in the land of Judeah.

Let alone before that; Adam & Eve, Able, Seth, By the time of Moses, and the people at the time your reffering to, they had passed over during the 40 years in the wilderness; except, save Caleb and his family and Joshua and of course Moses still leading them.

After, these people passed over, there were still 2.4 million Israelites left at the time of Mt. Sinai; Because! it was ONLY the men of war, that dis-obeyed and doubted God, that were not allowed to pass on, Joshua then took over; and gee whiz, guess what? more war and more dis-obedience, surprise! surprise! Really?

Christ and what he TAUGHT! IS the straight and narrow gate.

I assumed that a knowledgable and reasonable person would understand by the context that I was referring to the first generation of Israelites that departed Egypt, who were not able to enter into the promised land because of their unbelief.

I won't get into the other points you got wrong, because I just really don't care what you believe or think.

 

[RedTent]

Bookends: Christ isn't saying that unless you follow a certain set of rules or ways (the narrow door) as opposed to the world (the wide door) that you'll find salvation. Christ isn't looking for little technicalities to keep people out of the Kingdom.

What clever ways you have of saying that obedience to God is not necessary.

You would have to read your bible with a huge black pen to mark out passages, and you will need to rip out most of the second chapter of James.

 

[WeStand]

I assumed that a knowledgable and reasonable person would understand by the context that I was referring to the first generation of Israelites that departed Egypt, who were not able to enter into the promised land because of their unbelief.

I won't get into the other points you got wrong, because I just really don't care what you believe or think.

Same one's i'm talking about. Doesn't matter what anyone thinks or believes, Only matters what The Word states.

 

[psychomom]

What clever ways you have of saying that obedience to God is not necessary.

You would have to read your bible with a huge black pen to mark out passages, and you will need to rip out most of the second chapter of James.

(pardon me, Bookends, for intruding here...)

How in the world did you get there from what the man wrote??
Once we are in Christ we have the power to obey God.
Only then.

However, receiving salvation is NOT about OUR obedience to God's Law.
It was Jesus' obedience to The Father that makes salvation possible.
That is why as believers we magnify The Lord Jesus, not the Law.
We do not discount obedience, we give praise to The One Who makes it possible.

 

[marrion]

The baptism of the holy spirit enables us to walk the narrow way.The Holy Spirit is our power over the world (worldliness), the flesh (self) and the Devil. He enables us to live daily for God - making the Word flesh in us. It is the “law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which hath made me free from the law of sin and death”. (Romans 8:2). The Baptism of the Holy Ghost continues the work of Sanctification, separating us daily, from the world and the things of the world. The Holy Spirit (in us) creates in us a “hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God”.it will help us grow into the stature of Christ and will never lead us into sin or disobedience to ANY part of Gods word no matter what anybody tells us.we cannot make the narrow road into what we want it to be, instead we must rely on the spirit to empower us to walk the narrow way knowing that Jesus said only few would find it.
Also if any christian claims to have been born again and filled with Gods spirit(which is the same spirit that inspired the writing of the Bible)and finds themselves disagreeing,rejecting or picking and choosing which new testament scriptures to obey they should question what kind of spirit they have inside of them.
We cannot have Jesus without his word because they are one and the same.

 

[Cobus]

My prayer on this post…. Lord please let this Scripture fall on deep good soil. Amen!

John 10:1 to 5. 1. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.


Let us get to the PORTER first. The PORTER is your CONSCIENCE! Your conscience will determine if you ENTER by the DOOR (Jesus) or not! Not a SINGLE person will enter by the door with a guilty conscience! It is only the people with a PURE CONSCIENCE, that will have the BOLDNESS to ENTER BY THE DOOR! Some others will enter like thief and robber, but they will NOT stay with Him.
It is only the PURE HEARTS, that does God’s laws, that will enter in the DOOR! Hebrews 10 says… HE HAS PUT HIS LAWS ON THEIR HEARTS, AND WROTE IT ON THEIR MINDS. And they will enter into the HOLIEST with BOLDENSS and LIBERTY….. Also God says they will have BOLDNESS on judgment day for AS HE IS SO ARE THEY IN THIS WORLD… HIS LOVE IN THEM WAS MADE PERFECT! (That is how they are like HIM)

The SHEEP knows His voice, because HE KEPT THEM ON THE NARROW WAY…. Like this HE DID IT…Is 30:21… And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
So God will keep them on HIS WAY. The ones that knows not His voice WILL NOT FOLLOW HIM.

Not only does the sheep know Him, HE KNOWS THEM, for they SIN NOT (work not iniquity) He CALLS them by their NAME! The thief and robber, he would say… Go away from me I have NEVER known you, you that work the iniquity (SIN). Despite then saying… but Jesus you died for my sin… Nothing they say will make them sheep. They are STRANGERS! Jesus is as much a stranger to them, as they are for HIM!
Here is the thing about God and our conscience…. God says… If our heart condemn us, He is greater than our heart. And because it is the JOB of the Holy Spirit to LEAD and convince all God’s people of the sin, HE WILL CLEANSE FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS! There will remain NO SIN untouched, the heart will be PURE even BEFORE GOD! The CONSCIENCE of the sheep is AS PURE AS HE IS… Every one that has this HOPE in him PURIFIETH HIMSELF even as HE IS PURE… 1 John 3:3.

Look how well the SHEEP knoweth HIM…. And how the others DO NOT KNOW HIM… Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

Note the SHEEP ABIDE WITH HIM, but NOT THE ROBBER AND THE THIEF, THE STRANGERS DO NOT ABIDE IN HIM…

Amen!

 

[konroh]

In the context of Matt. 7 the narrow gate is to enter life by listening to Jesus' teachings as given in His sermon from chs. 5-7 and to apply them. If you don't you are going to destruction, not applying Jesus' teachings, like a foolish man building a house on the sand. Any one of us can be destructive in our lives and worry and lust and be angry. This doesn't mean we aren't saved (justified before God), just that we aren't living according to the pattern of kingdom living that Jesus offers.

 

[Bookends]

What clever ways you have of saying that obedience to God is not necessary.

You would have to read your bible with a huge black pen to mark out passages, and you will need to rip out most of the second chapter of James.

It's not the obedience part that saves us. Apparently you didn't read the whole OP, I said we obey out of gratitude and love (for what Christ has done) not out of an obligation to obey (if we obey then we are saved).

BTW, we have been going through James in our bible study at church, what a book it is to humble the soul. I also said obedience is a bi-product of true saving faith in Christ alone.

I really don't appreciate being accused of slander, perhaps you should pay heed to your own advice. You may want to start with James 3 --->4.

 

[Bookends]

My prayer on this post…. Lord please let this Scripture fall on deep good soil. Amen!

John 10:1 to 5. 1. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.


Let us get to the PORTER first. The PORTER is your CONSCIENCE! Your conscience will determine if you ENTER by the DOOR (Jesus) or not! Not a SINGLE person will enter by the door with a guilty conscience! It is only the people with a PURE CONSCIENCE, that will have the BOLDNESS to ENTER BY THE DOOR! Some others will enter like thief and robber, but they will NOT stay with Him.
It is only the PURE HEARTS, that does God’s laws, that will enter in the DOOR! Hebrews 10 says… HE HAS PUT HIS LAWS ON THEIR HEARTS, AND WROTE IT ON THEIR MINDS. And they will enter into the HOLIEST with BOLDENSS and LIBERTY….. Also God says they will have BOLDNESS on judgment day for AS HE IS SO ARE THEY IN THIS WORLD… HIS LOVE IN THEM WAS MADE PERFECT! (That is how they are like HIM)

The SHEEP knows His voice, because HE KEPT THEM ON THE NARROW WAY…. Like this HE DID IT…Is 30:21… And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
So God will keep them on HIS WAY. The ones that knows not His voice WILL NOT FOLLOW HIM.

Not only does the sheep know Him, HE KNOWS THEM, for they SIN NOT (work not iniquity) He CALLS them by their NAME! The thief and robber, he would say… Go away from me I have NEVER known you, you that work the iniquity (SIN). Despite then saying… but Jesus you died for my sin… Nothing they say will make them sheep. They are STRANGERS! Jesus is as much a stranger to them, as they are for HIM!
Here is the thing about God and our conscience…. God says… If our heart condemn us, He is greater than our heart. And because it is the JOB of the Holy Spirit to LEAD and convince all God’s people of the sin, HE WILL CLEANSE FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS! There will remain NO SIN untouched, the heart will be PURE even BEFORE GOD! The CONSCIENCE of the sheep is AS PURE AS HE IS… Every one that has this HOPE in him PURIFIETH HIMSELF even as HE IS PURE… 1 John 3:3.

Look how well the SHEEP knoweth HIM…. And how the others DO NOT KNOW HIM… Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

Note the SHEEP ABIDE WITH HIM, but NOT THE ROBBER AND THE THIEF, THE STRANGERS DO NOT ABIDE IN HIM…

Amen!

No, Christ is the door, or porter, The HS convicts our conscience and out of humbleness we ask Christ to open it.

 

[BradC]

What clever ways you have of saying that obedience to God is not necessary.

You would have to read your bible with a huge black pen to mark out passages, and you will need to rip out most of the second chapter of James.

Let's say it this way. To be saved we must follow the rule and the way of the cross (God's narrow gate Jn 14:6) which includes the shed blood of Christ. Our first act of obedience is to that rule whereby we exercise faith in Christ's shed blood. We are most certainly saved by an act of obedience when we believe in the cross of Christ, for it is the basis of the new covenant and unless we eat his flesh and drink his blood we have no life in us. This is done through the obedience of our faith. The new covenant that has been ratified by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ in what we are established in with grace in our hearts. The holy Spirit that has come to dwell within us leads and guides us into the truth of the new covenant, how we are to abide in Christ and to have his words abide in us. We cooperate with the Spirit through faith and we grow in grace and knowledge of Christ. As we mature and grow up into Christ we learn obedience through the plan of God that includes trials, testings, hardships and persecutions.

Gal 6:14-16 14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

There is no salvation apart from obedience. Obedience is keeping GOD's laws. GOD's laws are faith and love. Believe GOD that he will do what he has said he will do, and treat your fellow human being who is made in GOD's image like you would like to be treated (respect and love). Simple.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8​

 

[zone]

John 9
35Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”b 36He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt;c but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

My prayer on this post…. Lord please let this Scripture fall on deep good soil. Amen!

John 10:1 to 5. 1. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

he that enters not through the door, having been recognized by the porter - TO GET AT THE SHEEP (The Pharisees), is a robber and a thief.

2. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

the robbers and thieves are false teachers cobus.

John 9
18The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22(His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesusa to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.

back even further - the same conflict:

John 5
45"Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. 46"For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47"But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

John 9
35Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”b 36He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt;c but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

Let us get to the PORTER first. The PORTER is your CONSCIENCE! Your conscience will determine if you ENTER by the DOOR (Jesus) or not! Not a SINGLE person will enter by the door with a guilty conscience! It is only the people with a PURE CONSCIENCE, that will have the BOLDNESS to ENTER BY THE DOOR! Some others will enter like thief and robber, but they will NOT stay with Him.

the porter is not your conscience. the porter is God.

if you insist on making the porter your conscience....let me ask you this: you are a sheep. somehow you got into the communal sheepfold the night before. HOW DID YOU GET IN THERE THE NIGHT BEFORE WITH A GUILTY CONSCIENCE?

that whole passage is about the "Lost" sheep of Israel - lost due to their "shepherds" (hirelings; teachers) who had COME BEFORE JESUS came....who did not care for the sheep. He mentions bringing the gentiles as well.

John 10
12He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”