Saturday, August 4, 2012

Enter through the narrow gate


From a spiritual standpoint, in this world, there are two types of doors and two kinds of ways. A gate is wide and the other is narrow. One way is spacious and the other is narrow. The Lord Jesus said: Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and there are few who find the door (cf. Matthew 7:13-14). So many people come through the door wide to the broad road that leads to eternal damnation, and only a few people find the narrow gate and the narrow road that leads to God.

The strait gate and narrow way symbolize Jesus. Indeed, the Lord Jesus himself said: I am the Door (John 10:9), and I am the Way, and no one comes to the Father but by Me (John 14:6). Given these emphatic declarations of the Lord Jesus we could think saying: If Jesus Christ is immeasurably large, why is presenting itself as a tiny door, narrower than the eye of a needle? (Cf. Matthew 19:25) Why? Because only he, himself stunned, he became an ultra-microscopic DNA molecule, to enter (by us) through the tiny door of redemption (Phil. 2:6-7). The door is narrow, but is generous, because it is open to anyone who believes in him shall not perish and have eternal life (cf. John 3:16). Jesus Christ is the only gateway to eternal life, because there is no other salvation, because no other name (door) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (cf. Acts 4:12). The apostles also were exceedingly amazed to hear these strange teachings of Jesus, thus cried: 'Who then can be saved?

whereupon Jesus answered and said, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Many people sincerely believe that more than one door to access God. For example, believe that the door is the church, or baptism, or the holy commandments, or a holy day of the week, or the holy bible or prayer, or some other theological belief or church doctrine. But God says that the only door that leads to heaven is Jesus Christ. In fact, in the sanctuary built in the desert, and the Temple of Jerusalem, had a single door to the altar of sacrifice. By entering this door sinners seeking forgiveness. The only gateway to forgiveness is Jesus Christ On the cross of Calvary.

On the other hand, it might reflect saying if Jesus Christ is immeasurably large why was representing himself as a road so narrow? Why? Because the path to God can only be traveled by God, namely by Immanuel (which means God with us). Because the road to redemption is impossible to move, Jesus, being in very nature God, had to divest himself and come in the form of man, to walk the narrow way of Bethlehem to Calvary, and Calvary to Sheol ( Hades or hell), and from there to the throne of God. Only Jesus journeyed that way living a holy, pure and perfect. Only Jesus Christ that path, the second death and dying down to Hades. Jesus died our death and redeemed us with His precious blood from the clutches of the enemy. Jesus walked without slipping without falling or slipping. Jesus walked in our place and victory came to the throne of God.

In fact, in the sanctuary built in the desert and in the temple of Jerusalem, the sinner entered into the court and was "still" before the altar. The sinner could not, nor should it, walk anywhere else. I should not walk to the water source, should not walk into the holy place, let alone into the Holy of Holies. Only the blood of the sacrificial lamb was driven by the high priest into the presence of God. So Jesus said, I am the true way of life, nobody comes to the Father but by me. Jesus is the only path to God. In fact, Jesus said: whither I go ye can not come (John 8:21, 13:33).

Moreover, the book of Genesis, told in a prophetic spirit, which Jacob (Jesus) pursued by Esau (Lucifer, who despised his birthright), had a dream that led him to the gateway to God. In the dream, Jacob saw a ladder (the path of redemption) set up on earth and whose top reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. (Note, ascending and descending angels, not humans). And the LORD stood above it, where Jacob told I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the land on which you lie I will give you and your descendants. Shall thy seed as the dust of the earth, and you will spread to the west, east, north and south, and all the families of the earth be blessed through you and your descendants. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and bring you back to the land, that will not leave you until I have done what I said. And Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know.

And he was afraid, and said:! How dreadful is this place! It is nothing but the house of God and gate of heaven. And Jacob rose early, and took the stone he had put for his pillows, and up for a pillar, and poured oil over it. And he called the name of that place Bethel, which means House of God (cf. Genesis 28:10-22). Moreover, the Lord Jesus with a reference to this episode said, Verily, verily I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man (cf. John 1: 51). Jesus is the steep stairway that leads to God. Jesus is the only path to God.

Many sinners come to the threshold of the narrow gate burdened, and burdened by the weight of guilt and sin, to reach not leave office, but instead, try to get loaded through the narrow gate, then pass through the narrow road carrying two very heavy stone tablets (holy law of God ...). But Jesus says: Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28). Moreover, Jesus is coming to our door, knocks, and asks us to let him come to take our burdens, free from blame, and invited to enter (hiding in El) to eternal life (Revelation 3: 20, Colossians 3 : 3).

Jorge R. Talbot

www.biblicalresearchsociety.org

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