Matthew 7:14
Because strait is The Gate, and narrow is The Way
that leads to Life, and few there be who find it.
that leads to Life, and few there be who find it.
Luke 13:24
Strive to enter in at The Strait Gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Why won't people be able to enter The Strait Gate and The Narrow Way? Because that Gate and that Way is through Jesus Christ.
John 10:9
I Am The Door (The Gate). If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
Just like in a garden fence there is a gate to open and go in, go through, there is also One Gate, One Door, to go through to get into Eternal Life Through Jesus Christ. Right now this Gate is open, but the day is near and close at hand, when this Door will be closed. And many who will be left out will not be able to get The Door open on their own.
Just as the ark's ramp/entryway/door was closed by God, so, this entrance into the spiritual ark will be closed by God. God ordains events to happen at certain times of His calendar. Just as Noah could not open the door to let people in when the earth flooded, so, too will God's Door not be able to be opened to let 'just one more' in.
STRAIT IS THE GATE
A fine line to walk on and live in according to the plan of Salvation and Sanctification which God has laid out for us. Luke writes that we are to strive to enter in at The Strait Gate. A few translations say, "Make every effort".
Strive: Earnestly pursue, endeavor to accomplish, labor intensively
But do so now, while we still have our faculties. While our minds can still comprehend and understand the need to enter in. While our eyes can still read The Word. While our ears can still hear The Word. While our hearts can still pursue The Word.
While we have preachers who are not afraid to preach The Whole Word of God according to The Word of God. While we, as yet, have teachers and expositors, who break down The Word, sometimes one word at a time, just to know that we know what we know.
Let us seek The Lord "while He may be found". [Isaiah 55:6]. Once The Gate closes, The Lord will not be found anywhere on this earth. Nor will The Holy Spirit of God be here. For when The Bridegroom comes to get His bride, His Best Friend will go back home with Him. [Matthew 25:1-13; John 3:29].
NARROW IS THE WAY
Narrow does not mean what you may think it means.
Narrow: suffer tribulation, suffer affliction, distress, trouble
Luke 9:23, 24
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whosoever loses his life for My sake will save it."
Carrying a cross requires an inordinate amount of strength and self-discipline. While we will carry whatever our cross may be for the most part, there will be times when we need someone to help us carry it. Regardless, the cross we carry will be heavy and we may want to lay it down and just stop. Don't. The destination is worth the journey.
The cross we carry is designed by God. We may not always recognize it as such, but the burden of carrying such a load surely weighs on us just the same. Taking up the cross daily means we have set aside worldly desires and goals, so that we can accomplish godly goals.
I've Got My Mind Made Up my heart is fixed, I'm going with Jesus all the way!
FEW THERE BE
Why will only a few find The Gate and The Narrow Way? The Way of Holiness means anything unholy cannot be found in it. No sin of any kind can touch it. No unrighteousness may enter The Narrow Way, for The Way is holy and pure. The one who believes he or she is not a sinner is lying to themselves.
Who cannot enter in at The Strait Gate:
John 8:19; 14:7; 1 John - Those who do not know Jesus cannot know God
John 3:5; Titus 3:5 - Those not born of water and of blood
Revelation 20:15 - Those whose names are not written in The Book of Life
Revelation 21:8 - The fear-driven [lacking fortitude {determination and dedication in following Christ}, they who give into persecution and deny Christ], and unbelieving [faithless, the unpersuaded soul], the sexually immoral, the unrepentant, the murderers [those who willingly shed innocent blood], sorcerers [incantationers, those who practice witchcraft & make magic potions, illusionists who deceive by twisting Scripture], idolaters [both those who make idols, those who sell and buy idols, those who worship idols], liars [deceivers, opposers to divine Truth]
Everything Jesus is, The Narrow Way and The Strait Gate are. Because JESUS CHRIST IS THE STRAIT GATE. JESUS CHRIST IS THE NARROW WAY.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I Am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to The Father except through Me."
