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Jesus John

12th December 2008, 01:15 PM

Jesus (Pbuh) said;

"Go ye in through the strait gate, because wide [is] the gate, and broad the way that is leading to the destruction, and many are those going in through it; how strait [is] the gate, and compressed the way that is leading to the life, and few are those finding it!" (Matthew 7:13-14) (Young's Literal Translation)

Dear friends,

Please can anyone explain what the strait (narrow) gate is? How should we interpret it today? What must we have to do to enter the strait gate? Can anybody feel that he is passing the strait gate in his life? Does this pass continue till death? Are you feeling that you have entered this gate?

Thank you very much for your answers and help.

Have a nice weekend.

Greetings from Turkey,

Love,

Oguzhan

Archbishop Michael-John

16th December 2008, 02:12 AM

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easyd (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=3723#_ftn1) that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

d (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=3723#_ftnref1)Other ancient authorities read for the road is wide and easy
and
22 Jesusb (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=3723#_ftn1) went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. 29 Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

b (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=3723#_ftnref1)Gk He
also

17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ ” 20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the moneyc (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/#_ftn1) to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it isd (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/#_ftn2) to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another,e (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/#_ftn3) “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

28 Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news,f (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/#_ftn4) 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

c (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/#_ftnref1)Gk lacks the money
d (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/#_ftnref2)Other ancient authorities add for those who trust in riches

e (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/#_ftnref3)Other ancient authorities read to him

f (http://forum.arian-catholic.org/#_ftnref4)Or gospel

See also Matthew 19:16-30 and Luke 18:18-30

There are many roads to the kingdom of God, whether they be through ministry, religious separation to God, or by personal faith and a lifetime's dedication to helping others; but at judgement day there is only one type of road and one gate that leads into the Kingdom (and thus eternal spiritual life), that road is hard and narrow and requires hard work, dedication and steadfast faith in God; and the gate is also narrow, few will find it, and it cannot be passed through unless those who try, first unload their burdens of wealth and of course sin. In contrast the road to Hell (and thus spiritual destruction) is broad and easy to follow and the gate is wide and easy to pass through, many will take it.

The analogy here is simple, the main entrance to a city like Jerusalem was always closed after dark for security reasons, at which time people had to use the side entrance to the city, which was deliberately narrow to allow only people or a camel unladen and kneeling (see Genesis 24:11) through one at a time and was traditionally called the needle's eye (although the term "eye of a needle" only occurs in Mark 10:25, Matthew 19:24 and Luke 18:25 in canonical scripture) and Jeshua was explaining that for a rich person, who trusts in riches, or inclines to do so, cannot get to heaven unless they are willing to part with the burden of their worldly wealth, and stoop to the duties of a humble religion, and so enter at the narrow gate.

We must make religion our business, and be intent upon it; we must be strict in our regard for the law and circumspect of different doctrines, as entering in at a narrow gate, and walking along a narrow path, for there is no middle road! The account that is given is of the bad way of sin, and the good way of holiness. There are but two ways, right and wrong, good and evil; the way to heaven, and the way to hell.

In Luke 13:28 Jeshua says: “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth [an expression in Hebrew culture of the utmost degree of grief and indignation] when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out.”Notice how Jeshua confirms that the saints of the Hebrew Testament are present in the Kingdom of Heaven! Considering how bad humans are it is a wonder that anyone is saved, as the disciples expressed in astonishment: “Then who can be saved?” (Mark 10:26). There will be people from all over the world who will join in Jeshua's communion, some from the most unexpected of backgrounds, our mediator Jeshua teaches us: it is not impossible if we strive (Luke 13:24 (NRSV) “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”).

Jesus John

16th December 2008, 12:03 PM

Dear Archbishop, dear companion,

Thank you very much for your interest and help. Jesus's (Pbuh) words and your explanations harmed my heart. I again reload my love and faith on Jesus.

I am not unaware of what Jesus say, I praise our heavenly Lord that He made me seeing, hearing and understanding after 32 years.

Because;

"Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear." (Matthew 13:13-16)

"He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." (John 8:47)

"Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also." (John 8:19)

"When they hear what was revealed to the messenger, you see their eyes flooding with tears as they recognize the truth therein" (5:83)

"Those who are blessed with knowledge will recognize the truth from your Lord, then believe in it, and their hearts will readily accept it. Most assuredly, God guides the believers in the right path." (22:54)

"Yet none could knowingly reject Our messages unless he be utterly perfidious, ingrate." (31:32)

"We have committed to Gehenna multitudes of seen and unseen created beings. They have minds with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. They are like animals; no, they are far worse - they are totally unaware." (7:179)

"But he would not try to ascend the steep uphill road...And what could make thee conceive what it is, that steep uphill road? [It is] the freeing of one's neck [from the burden of sin], or the feeding, upon a day of [one's own] hunger, of an orphan near of kin, or of a needy [stranger] lying in the dust, and being, withal, of those who have attained to faith, and who enjoin upon one another patience in adversity, and enjoin upon one another compassion. Such are they that have attained to righteousness" (90:11-18)

“The human being is utterly lost. Except those who believe and lead a righteous life, and exhort one another to uphold the truth, and exhort one another to be steadfast.” (103:2-3)

Do you see any difference?

Finally;

"O you who have attained to faith! Be conscious of God with all the consciousness that is due to Him, and do not allow death to overtake you ere you have surrendered yourselves unto Him. And hold fast, all together, unto the bond with God, and do not draw apart from one another. And remember the blessings which God has bestowed upon you: how, when you were enemies, He brought your hearts together, so that through His blessing you became brethren; and [how, when] you were on the brink of a fiery abyss. He saved you from it. In this way God makes clear His messages unto you, so that you might find guidance, and that there might grow out of you a community [of people] who invite unto all that is good, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong: and it is they, they who shall attain to a happy state!" (3:102-104)

All Praise (in this life and next) belong to God alone, our Heavenly Lord, Our Sustainer,

Peace to Jesus and all beloved apostles who lay down their lifes for us,

Love,

Oguzhan