meaning of MAKE EVERY EFFORT (or strive) to enter in through the narrow gate.

[Pilgrimshope]

Matthew 5:48
King James Version

8 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
+++
How does a man be perfect the Way GOD In heaven IS perfect?

The subject he’s talking about interprets it if you look at Luke’s account

“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:35-37‬ ‭KJV‬‬

we have to become merciful to others all the way like God was to us

 

[Jackson123]

Most christians who attend church do not rob banks or murder. But few of them seem to be engaged in the work of the Holy Spirit either. I am not criticising them, I BELIEVE in their salvation ... the problem lies in the structure of the church and church leadership. ... poor discipleship.

So you believe people can save without engage the work is the Spirit?

 

[seed_time_harvest]

Must be set apart from the Law, for where there is no law to break, there can be no transgression.

Romans 4:14-15 NLT - "If God's promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)"

Sounds like you are saying that people that have not reached the age of accountability or someone that doesn’t know what they are doing are the only ones that can be perfect the way GOD In heaven Is perfect?

I think that be perfect the way GOD In heaven IS perfect means the GOD has created their Spirits new ,they have been reborn.

 

[seed_time_harvest]

The subject he’s talking about interprets it if you look at Luke’s account

“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:35-37‬ ‭KJV‬‬

we have to become merciful to others all the way like God was to us

Can we love our enemies before GOD makes us perfect?

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

The judge will be Jesus, we know if we save or not by read Matt 25
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Only I found Jesus dwell in us, we able honestly do what Jesus say in 35 and 36.

Salvation by faith, we not earn but Jesus in us will make we do verse 35-36



Matt 7
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and False Prophets

Jesus say only a few at verse 14

Few compare with how many people say they are Christian.

Matt 25 verse 44 indicate a lot of people think they are saved but Jesus says not
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Nice Work, Jackson!

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

Sounds like you are saying that people that have not reached the age of accountability or someone that doesn’t know what they are doing are the only ones that can be perfect the way GOD In heaven Is perfect?

I think that be perfect the way GOD In heaven IS perfect means the GOD has created their Spirits new ,they have been reborn.

What you've said is what all of my Bibles say . . . that God will give His True Chosen Onces new Hearts and Spirits . . . SO THAT we will then obey. This new Heart and Spirit . . . are Effectual. They are empowered and operate by the Laws of the Spirit of Life (Rom 8:2).

Ezekiel 36:25-27 KJV - "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."

Age in Christ means nothing. David was being taught by the Spirit of God from within the womb, from his mother's breast.

Psalm 51:6 NIV - "Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place."

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

Can we love our enemies before GOD makes us perfect?

Impossible, that would be like Satan casting out Satan. Until the Sinful Nature is cut out and removed, it is impossible to obey the Lord.

Romans 8:7 NLT - "For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will."

 

[Jackson123]

Not in the Romans 8:8 sense - no.
To please God in the Romans 8:8 sense, there are two requirements:
1. You have to be in Christ Jesus (be saved & eternally secure)
and
2. You have to walk after the Spirit.

Being saved and walking after the flesh does not please God in Romans 8.

So you believe it is possible being save but walking after flesh?

 

[Evmur]

So you believe people can save without engage the work is the Spirit?

It depends what you call the work of the Spirit doesn't it, how many christians live for decades but never once directly lead a soul to Christ? the number is amazingly high. But still they are witnesses and by sticking in the church and by giving, by prayer they still are engaged in the soul winning work of the Holy Spirit.

And God reigns through His church whether they are actively engaged in ministry or not, God also reigns on behalf of His church ... even when the church is backslidden.

You have to differentiate between salvation which is God's pleasure to save mankind and discipleship. Salvation is free.

 

[Evmur]

The judge will be Jesus, we know if we save or not by read Matt 25
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Only I found Jesus dwell in us, we able honestly do what Jesus say in 35 and 36.

Salvation by faith, we not earn but Jesus in us will make we do verse 35-36



Matt 7
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and False Prophets

Jesus say only few at verse 14

Few compare with how many people say they are Christian.

Matt 25 verse 44 indicate a lot of people think they are save but Jesus say not
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

You are sure that those at His right hand, the sheep, is the church, I am sure that they are not. "these My brethren" as in "inasmuch as ye did it one of these the least of My brethren ye did it to me"

If the sheep were themselves "these My brethren" it would not make sense.

I believe MANY will be saved, many more than the evangelical church generally believe.

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

It depends what you call the work of the Spirit doesn't it, how many christians live for decades but never once directly lead a soul to Christ? the number is amazingly high. But still they are witnesses and by sticking in the church and by giving, by prayer they still are engaged in the soul winning work of the Holy Spirit.

And God reigns through His church whether they are actively engaged in ministry or not, God also reigns on behalf of His church ... even when the church is backslidden.

You have to differentiate between salvation which is God's pleasure to save mankind and discipleship. Salvation is free.

Hey friend,

Question for you: If the point of the Bible, which is that God will grant His True Children new Hearts and Spirits so that they will obey, and if spreading the Word of God falls under Works of Obedience, how could it be said that someone is saved if Scripture proves otherwise? If a person is not in the process of change, a total Transformation (Rom 2:2), then doesn't it seem right that that person has not, in fact, received that new heart and spirit?

Ezekiel 36:25-27 NKJV - "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

And because the above passage is at the Core of the entire Bible, my presentation seems almost impossible to escape and deny. What do you think?

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

You are sure that those at His right hand, the sheep, is the church, I am sure that they are not. "these My brethren" as in "inasmuch as ye did it one of these the least of My brethren ye did it to me"

If the sheep were themselves "these My brethren" it would not make sense.

I believe MANY will be saved, many more than the evangelical church generally believe.

Billy? You don't believe in the "Right Hand"? The Right Hand of God is usually related to the saving Power of Him. And if this is True, then those being cared for by the Right Hand of God are the Sheep.

 

[Jackson123]

You have to differentiate between salvation which is God's pleasure to save mankind and discipleship. Salvation is free.

Salvation is free, discipleship is free, but require believe isn't it?
Free but it require to invite Jesus isn't it?

 

[Jackson123]

You are sure that those at His right hand, the sheep, is the church, I am sure that they are not. "these My brethren" as in "inasmuch as ye did it one of these the least of My brethren ye did it to me"

If the sheep were themselves "these My brethren" it would not make sense.

I believe MANY will be saved, many more than the evangelical church generally believe.

You believe the sheep are non Christian that help Christian?
Can Christian help other Christian?

 

[Evmur]

Hey friend,

Question for you: If the point of the Bible, which is that God will grant His True Children new Hearts and Spirits so that they will obey, and if spreading the Word of God falls under Works of Obedience, how could it be said that someone is saved if Scripture proves otherwise? If a person is not in the process of change, a total Transformation (Rom 2:2), then doesn't it seem right that that person has not, in fact, received that new heart and spirit?

Ezekiel 36:25-27 NKJV - "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

And because the above passage is at the Core of the entire Bible, my presentation seems almost impossible to escape and deny. What do you think?

Yes I agree with you ... but people are being changed, the drunkard has become the abstainer, the murderer kills no more, the liar has learned the truth. There is no reason to doubt that the inner work of the Holy Spirit is going on ... all desire to be more like Jesus. It is all done by the inner work of the Spirit.

But these are different to the outer works of ministry, ministering the gospel to others. This comes under discipleship and not all or perhaps not even many are engaged in that. It always has been that way, perhaps God has planned it so.

So much of what passes for ministry in the church today is professional clericalism ... i.e. they learn it at college just as a financier learns economics at college. If I wished to be rude I would call them professional mourners like those who visited Jairus when his little girl died. But Jesus came on kingdom business.

I see much good going on in the church ... I am simply trying to show that often scriptures that apply to discipleship are made to apply to salvation.

 

[Evmur]

You believe the sheep are non Christian that help Christian?
Can Christian help other Christian?

I believe this

Blessed are you that do hunger for righteousness for yours is the kingdom of God
blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

Salvation is free, discipleship is free, but require belief isn't it?
Free but it requires to invite Jesus isn't it?

Exodus 33:19 shows us that it is God who extends His Grace and Mercy to those whom HE selects.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 NKJV - "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

This means that He chooses the ones whom He selects. Therefore, we do not choose Him, rather, He chooses us.

John 15:16 NKJV - "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

This is the kind of Power that the Bible, or God, wants us to realize and focus upon. The ultimate Power of God is the Power to Change the Heart and Spirit of a person. If this does not and cannot happen, that God would change those whom He has chosen, then there is no reason to create the world, all its inhabitants, etc. There is no reason for the Bible to be written. Therefore, to recognize the Power of God should be and will be, first and foremost for every True Believer. The Power to Change . . . this is the Power that we must all seek!

Ezekiel 11:19-20 NKJV - "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 "that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God."

When we look deeply into the Word of God . . . what I have presented to you above will shine through like the Sun under a microscope.

 

[Hungry]

In Luke 13:24 Jesus said to MAKE EVERY EFFORT (or strive) to enter in through the narrow gate. The Greek verb for "strive" means to agonize. So I'm wondering what "MAKE EVERY EFFORT" (or agonize) means to y'all. This has been on my mind for weeks. I'd love your input.

I think we need new metaphors. In order to understand the lessons Christ taught we need to understand the people Christ was teaching. The greatest hurdle seekers of Truth face is the overwhelming amount of opinions of those who think they understand Scripture. You asked a simple question and no two responders answered the same. All believe they are equally correct, and divinely taught. Since most of us aren’t farmers or even remotely attuned to nature many lessons Christ taught are forced into our interpretations, rather than extracting the usable portion of the lesson. Christ taught visual learners. Picture what He’s saying.

There is a great number of people all walking towards a fence. Since most people are like sheep, they just follow the person in front of them, never questioning. We are pack animals and just go along with the group. While blindly following nobody cared where they were actually going. They didn’t care to notice the other smaller gate off to the side. The gate that led to freedom.

The Jews had Moses. They believed they were God’s elect. They thought they had the Law and the Law would save them. This is the big gate. Christ is the “Way”. It’s not what you believe that saves you. It’s what you become, because of your belief that saves you. Scripture is the map, not the treasure. Being reborn isn’t a belief, it’s an awakening.

Here is a new metaphor. I’m sure you have a cell phone or at least know what one is. A cell phone has internal capability like calculators and apps you can download. The whole purpose of having the device isn’t just to use the calculator. It has the ability to connect to a cell tower, connecting you all over the world. It has Wi-Fi capability to access the internet, presenting the opportunity of endless information. Humans are similar. We have factory programming along with cellular and wifi. Being spiritually reborn is like turning ourselves off airplane mode. Then we can “connect” to the Almighty Creator. This is the grafting. We download new programming. This is the renewing of the mind, and how God writes the Law upon our hearts. Those who have never experienced spiritual birth just go along with the crowd, playing at religion. We are saved because we become Him (grafted). We are His Body. We live as part of Him. He is the way.

 

[Jackson123]

Exodus 33:19 shows us that it is God who extends His Grace and Mercy to those whom HE selects.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 NKJV - "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

This means that He chooses the ones whom He selects. Therefore, we do not choose Him, rather, He chooses us.

John 15:16 NKJV - "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

This is the kind of Power that the Bible, or God, wants us to realize and focus upon. The ultimate Power of God is the Power to Change the Heart and Spirit of a person. If this does not and cannot happen, that God would change those whom He has chosen, then there is no reason to create the world, all its inhabitants, etc. There is no reason for the Bible to be written. Therefore, to recognize the Power of God should be and will be, first and foremost for every True Believer. The Power to Change . . . this is the Power that we must all seek!

Ezekiel 11:19-20 NKJV - "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 "that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God."

When we look deeply into the Word of God . . . what I have presented to you above will shine through like the Sun under a microscope.

Yep, God save us from bad habit when Ha save us.

Few month ago a young man come to me, he ask me if God will help him to find a job, he want to be millionair.
I ask him if he believe in Jesus, he say yes. He is my neighbor, and every body in town know he is a drug addict.
He steal tools sale for drug. I may wrong, but I don't believe he have in god.
He may believe Jesus is God, so the devil, but I don't think he have faith to the point invite Jesus into his heart, nothing I can do. He is nice but as far as salvation, we need to pray for it.

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

Yep, God save us from bad habit when Ha save us.

Few month ago a young man come to me, he ask me if God will help him to find a job, he want to be millionair.
I ask him if he believe in Jesus, he say yes. He is my neighbor, and every body in town know he is a drug addict.
He steal tools sale for drug. I may wrong, but I don't believe he have in god.
He may believe Jesus is God, so the devil, but I don't think he have faith to the point invite Jesus into his heart, nothing I can do. He is nice but as far as salvation, we need to pray for it.

Amen, Jackson. Everything you say seems True to the Bible and what you and I clearly see and read. We are to "test the Spirits" in others, and you are showing us how this is done. Thank you.