Broad Path, Narrow Path

certainly not the law properly understood & used lawfully. but the law, properly understood, is spiritual and testifies of Christ.

there is a great mystery here; for some reason circumcision is part of the law, but Paul is able to charge by the Spirit that accepting it physically is falling from grace. this is really astonishing! at least it should be! so we have to properly understand how that can be so in order to understand how the law & its relation to us as having been immersed into Christ is properly understood. this is only one example of many, but it's indispensable, and useful as a test because scripture is so clear about it: if some understanding of the law and its application to believers can't explain circumcision, then it can't be right; it is evident immediately that it must lack something.

Matt. 7:
13 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:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits.

Here is a warning from the mouth of the very Word's of my Savior, the Christ Jesus.

It is written:

John 3:
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

So according to this Jesus, if we want to enter this Heaven that He Came down from, we must believe in Him. This is the central tenant, the very foundation of the Gospel of Christ. I think few would argue that point.

So this would also include "believing" what HE says. YES?

John 6:
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

So I believe I have established a Biblical fact, that according to Jesus, we are "believe" His Word's if we want to enter His Kingdom.

So this brings us back to the warning He gave about the existence or 2 Paths. One which is wide ( spread out, "flat" also to mold, fabricate, form, see GK) and broad (wide, spacious ( see the GK) and the other "strait" (narrow from obstacles standing about) and narrow ( to crowd, afflict, throng, suffer tribulation, trouble. see GK)

Jesus said to "Strive to Enter" the narrow Path that FEW follow, as opposed to the wide Path that "MANY follow.

I hope to begin a conversation about this warning as it comes from the Very Christ which holds our salvation in His Hands.

To begin, I ask myself. Why would "Many" who are interested in entering the Christ's Heaven, follow a Path that leads to destruction? But I think Jesus answers my question in the next verse. "False Prophets".

So I can presume those religious leaders of the "broad" Path are not declaring "Come follow us on the "Path" to destruction", I bet the are telling falsehoods and declaring "Come follow us on the Path to eternity".

This would certainly explain the urgent warning.

So when Jesus began to further His Fathers Gospel, was there a religion present that "Many" followed which was to lead to this same great Heaven that Jesus came down from? And if so who were they, and what did Jesus say about them?

I'm interested in hearing any input from members here as to their understanding of this urgent warning from our Savior that we are tasked to "believe in.

I look forward to your participation.

surely this also is a great mystery ♥


who understands it?

I believe that the people referred to as going into both gates are all of God's elect people. Those entering the Wide gate are God's elect people who are believing and preaching a false doctrine contrary to the doctrine that Jesus taught. Those of God's elect people who find and enter the straight gate are those who have been revealed, by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, the mysteries of the doctrine that Jesus taught. In Ezekiel 1 it speaks of a wheel in the middle of a wheel. I believe the outer and bigger wheel to represent "the invisible church of God's elect people" (The wide gate). The smaller wheel in the middle being to represent the visible church of God's elect people who have been revealed the truth of the doctrine that Jesus taught. (The straight gate).

this sure raises a lot of questions


why are there four of them, beside the four living creatures?
why each the same, why appearing like beryl, or topaz?
why don't they themselves turn whichever way they go?
why are they full of eyes?


if those preaching a false gospel and teaching false doctrine are an invisible church of God's elect people, why does the scripture say let them be anathema? is God's chariot rolling around on curses leading to destruction?

Anathema, according to Strong's. means excommunicate. The visible church is instructed to excommunicate those who preach a false doctrine.

Strong's isn't a dictionary.

regardless -- given your understanding, what does it mean that the 'invisible church' should be cut off, separated and shut out from the 'visible church' as though under a curse?

if Ezekiel 1 is meant as a picture of this, does it give any insight to such a question?

Some thoughts about broad way vs narrow way...

Jesus saw sheep without a shepherd, they had been scattered...they are going a broad way. A shepherd will herd sheep and get them inside a gate to safety.

The devil is shown as a lion roaring about like a lion seeking those whom he might devour. If one isnt inside the gate, the sheep are fair game or prey to the lions.

In book of Job, God asked what satan was coming from and he replied he was going to and fro in earth, and walking up and down it. In other words, aimless wandering!

In Amos 8:12 there is a famine of the word in the land. People stagger to and fro from sea to sea and from north to east seeking the word of the Lord, but they cannot find it.

Because they are preaching another doctrine other than the doctrine that Jesus taught.

Those entering the Wide gate are God's elect people who are believing and preaching a false doctrine contrary to the doctrine that Jesus taught.

"the invisible church of God's elect people" (The wide gate).

why do you call them God's elect church then?
if they're preaching a false gospel and are cut off from God's people?

Not to save them eternally, but to instruct them as to how God wants them to live their lives here on earth. This, to the rest of God's elect seems to be a strange and hard doctrine, but such was it thought of about the early church.

FGC,

You are one SERIOUSLY CONFUSED INDIVIDUAL. The false doctrine of unconditional election was not believed by the early Church for about 400 years, and it was only Augustine who created this doctrine, which was then adopted by the Reformers. Which is rather strange, since Augustine is a Roman Catholic *saint*.

To suggest that God wants to save some but not others, and then to suggest that the ones who will not be saved will receive instructions as to how to live on earth is about as ABSURD as you can get.

Why don't you simply believe the Bible rather than any man-made doctrine? But perhaps it is already too late for you to repent and abandon all false teachings.

why do you call them God's elect church then?
if they're preaching a false gospel and are cut off from God's people?

God had a protective hedge about Job, and he has a protective hedge about all of his elect. Satan is going about seeking those of God's elect who have stepped outside of that hedge because of the temptations of this world. Satan can try to keep God's elect from having a relationship with God, but he can not take away his eternal inheritance. When a child of God is convicted of his error of being tempted and repents, God delivers (saves) him from the grasp of Satan.

Well to keep sheep in its good to grow a hedge. Nowadays people are lazy and use electric fences, but when the electrricty fails they are a bit useless. And things like fences can crumble and fall down in a storm. Some farmers use barbed wire. But they dont protect from the wind like hedges do. Hedges are also good shelter and cover for wildlife and pollinating bees.

A good Shepherd tends his hedges too.

And your comments have reference to what?

The protective hedge God placed around Job.

If you know anything about sheep and shepherds you will know what hedges or hedgerows are for.