Why is His Way narrow and only a few find it? Matthew 7:13-14

cuz · Feb 23, 2020

1 Corinthians 10:21
New International Version
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.

Colossians 3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Galatians 5 :19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

rom8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death.

rom 8: 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

doing any of these ?
are you living live according to the flesh ?

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Colossians 3

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

without a new heart you cant do these
the one with a stony heart were sold to sin rom 7:14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.

but bought with a price

1 Corinthians 6:20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

no longer having a stony heart

having Gods love shine on them
and recieving the new heart

col 3 is talking about walking in that newness as well as gal 5

Deuteronomy · Feb 23, 2020

JohnR7 said:

Hello John, the Bible tells us that, "~all~ have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" .. Romans 3:23, so I believe that there is only One who lived among us who did not need to repent in our long history (and PTL that He did not need to, or all of us would be lost).

~Deut

Romans 3

9 Both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;

10 as it is written,

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;

11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,

THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;

12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;

THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,

THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”

MattforJesus · Feb 23, 2020

MessageOfTheCross said:

The Bible says the Lord knows them that are His having this seal that everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Paul said awake to righteousness, and sin not, but some have not the knowledge of God.

A Spirit led life will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for they have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

So there is no excuse why a person cannot abstain from sin.

But the Bible says some have a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, and are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.

A person led of the Spirit can sin if they want but if they do they will repent of it and get rid of it and move forward, but a person that denies the power thereof will hold unto sin and believe they are in a position of salvation.

Jesus is not saying that their works are iniquity but they are workers of iniquity which they are hypocritical.

They have a form of godliness so they will go to Church, preach the Gospel, and have some form of works, but they will hold unto sin and think they are saved.

Jesus is not going against their works but going against their hypocrisy to hold unto sin and believe they are still saved.

When they found out that they could not be with Jesus they said but we did all these works for the kingdom but Jesus said you did not repent of your sins but held unto them and did them on a daily basis and thought you had salvation.

Many are called but few are chosen, so narrow is the way and few be that find it.

Which means there is a lot of people being hypocritical and many do not make it to the truth when God called them.

mailmandan · Feb 24, 2020

In regards to Matthew 7:21-23, (I will never forget, prior to my conversion several years ago while still attending the Roman Catholic church) I read Matthew 7:22 and thought to myself, oh my goodness! These many people accomplished all of that, "prophesied in His name, cast out demons, and did many wonderful works" but that still was not "good enough?" Then I thought to myself at that time, how am I going to "top that" and be "good enough?" Such is the mindset of someone who believes that obtaining salvation is based on works.

Matthew 7:21 - Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. *John 6:40 - For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

These many people (unbelievers) in Matthew 7:22 had the wrong foundation. They were trusting in their works to save them and NOT IN CHRIST ALONE. Jesus NEVER knew them which means they were NEVER saved. Their hearts were not right with God, so their "attempted external obedience" (apart from the righteousness of God which is by faith and the blood of Christ) was stained with sin. *Seeking salvation by works is not the will of the Father.

John 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. The term "know" implies intimate, experiential knowledge, through a relationship with Him, not merely theoretical knowledge. These many people were not true converts.

*Without faith it's impossible to please God no matter how many alleged wonderful works that these many people set out to conjure up through the flesh in a vain effort to obtain salvation based on works. This is why Jesus referred to these many people as "workers of iniquity." God does not see the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus (Romans 4:5-6; Philippians 3:9) in unbelievers, but He see's all of their sins which remain and have not been washed away by the blood of Christ.

posthuman · Feb 24, 2020

MessageOfTheCross said:

it is not hard for a person to do works that their heart is not in. our society often calls that 'gainful employment' for example
((har-har))

but what is in ones heart can hardly help but overflow and become manifest into their life. any spring keeps bubbling up and will overflow any dam, unless it is allowed to flow or is stopped up. and if it is stopped up, in one place, as it lives, it will flow out some other way.

Pisteuo · Feb 24, 2020

MessageOfTheCross said:

Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Bible study: Question for anyone?

Why did Jesus tell these people who thought they where Christians at the Great White Throne Judgement that their works in His Name is iniquity?

What is the will of the Father?

Finally, why is His Way narrow and only a few find it? Matthew 7:13-14

The will of the Father is for those few who find it to have the ableness to stand alone and lack nothing.

FlyingDove · Feb 24, 2020

JohnR7 said:

It's unfortunate that people invariably tie the word REPENTANCE to everyday sins.

There are many OT verses where a SINLESS God repents. Gen 6:6-7, Deut 32:36, Jud 2:18, 1 Sam 15:11 & 29 to name a few.

Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word.
(NOTE: They Believed (vs43) & as Peter spoke (vs44) The Holy Spirit fell on then. No REPENTANCE of anykind here, No water baptism, No circumcision, they brought no sin sacrifice to the Temple, No law keeping etc)

Thru Faith & faith alone these gentiles were given/received the baptism OF & were eternally sealed BY the indwelling Holy Spirit (vs45)

Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life
(NOTE: God GRANTED the gentiles repentance. Any person that believes they can conquer their sin nature (without Gods help) is mistaken 1 Jn 1:8)

Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches """of his goodness""" and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that """the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance"""?
(NOTE: It's thru the GOODNESS of GOD not thru OUR OWN great work of obedience or self-control, that we REPENT/change our thinking/course. It's the indwelling Holy Spirit that leads us to REPENT/change our thinking outlook/direction).

Rom 16:26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, ""so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience"" ""that comes from faith""
(NOTE: Gentiles are brought to obedience/repentance/godly living thru Faith)

Deuteronomy · Feb 24, 2020

JohnR7 said:

Hello again John, I know of a couple of OT references to "the Book" in Exodus 32, and a reference to the "book of the living" in the Psalms by King David, but the idea that everyone's name is written in the Book of Life from the beginning seems to be stand in sharp contrast with verse below. Do you have a reference that tells us otherwise

Revelation 17
8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names ~have not~ been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.

Thanks!

~Deut

cuz · Feb 24, 2020

its God that cleans the heart the works are evidence that you have a clean heart

acts 15: 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

you are made for good works not work to be good but works come from the heart change that came from God

you cant meet God and stay the same

that is why paul said check your self

Colossians 3
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

you do this by following christ
if you dont know christ then no new man to put on
no new man no way to stay in works because those in christ are made for good works

col 3 starts with receiving the new man
3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

again if this has not happened no way for a new heart you can try to fake it christ is the way and he said what the way is

john 14:23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

we have water down the way

read in rev 22:14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

cuz · Feb 24, 2020

i said this wrong
again if this has not happened no way for a new heart you can try to fake it christ is the way and he said what the way is
this is what i meant
again if this has not happened
no way for the old man to do these things
you can try to fake it
christ is the way and he said what the way is

oldethennew · Feb 24, 2020

well, it really is quite easy to walk through a 'wide-gate' -
but it can be ever so hard to try and walk through a 'narrow-gate' if one is NOT called' -
we both have tried many times in our past, only to hit walls that never bend...

like it is written:'
MATT. 22:14.
For many are called, but few are chosen.

Deuteronomy · Feb 24, 2020

JohnR7 said:

Hi John, actually, there is one last thing that I'd like to discuss from this short post of yours (see above in bold). Here's the verse in it's entirety.

2 Peter 3

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

2 Peter was written expressly to the saints .. e.g. 2 Peter 1:1-2, as was Chapter 3 .. e.g. 2 Peter 3:1, as was the passage in Chapter 3 that v9 is found in .. e.g. 2 Peter 3:8. Knowing this (along with the fact that God knows who the saints will be from everlasting), who do you believe is included in the "you", the "all", and the "any" group of v9 (IOW, who is God waiting patiently for to come to repentance)

Thanks again

~Deut

CS1 · Feb 24, 2020

MessageOfTheCross said:

Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Bible study: Question for anyone?

Why did Jesus tell these people who thought they where Christians at the Great White Throne Judgement that their works in His Name is iniquity?

What is the will of the Father?

Finally, why is His Way narrow and only a few find it? Matthew 7:13-14

the great white throne Judgement is not for Christians.

cuz · Feb 24, 2020

oldethennew said:

the old man only has the wide gate
the new man has the narrow-gate rev 22:14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

these have the way
they have the heart change in act 15
having the light in them
show they know the way
showing work because they have met God

oldethennew · Feb 24, 2020

cuz · Feb 24, 2020

oldethennew said:

wide is the gate to destruction to those that try to come in another way

you will hear them i was born saved
Jews clam this to
so they are saying God did need to clean the hearts of those
they didnt need to learn of christ
predestined before the world
no heart change no act 15:8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

these are other ways
and all that come in this way is thrown out

john 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

jesus makes this clear
john 14:23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Magenta · Feb 24, 2020

2 Peter 3:9

JohnR7 · Feb 24, 2020

Deuteronomy said:

The Greek simply says their name is NOT written in the Book of life. That means their name has been blotted out.

"May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous." (Psalm 69"28)

"And the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book." (Exodus 32:33)

Like them, the one who is victorious will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels. Revelation 3:5

God's desire is to save everyone: "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev 22:17)

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2Peter 3:9)

JohnR7 · Feb 24, 2020

Deuteronomy said:

Not wanting ANY to perish maybe not be clear but when we are told that God wants all to come to repentance that clearly indicates it is God's desire for everyone - all to be saved. The word ALL in the Bible is a very strong word. Greek is a military language that was used to conquer the world. All means all, it means everyone goes and there are no excuses allowed. We all know how serious it is for a soldier to neglect his duty. The other term used is whosoever: Whosoever is willing, let them come. (Rev 22:7) God has given us all the water of life so we can drink freely.

Deuteronomy · Feb 24, 2020

JohnR7 said:

Hello again John, v8 speaks of those whose names were not written in the Book of Life .. "from the foundation of the world". Therefore, their names could not have been blotted out because they were never written in the Book of Life from the get-go.

~Deut

Revelation 17

8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and ego to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.

Why is His Way narrow and only a few find it? Matthew 7:13-14

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