BUILDING A SAFE, SOUND AND SUBSERVIENT WAY OF LIFE ON A SOLID FOUNDATION
Matthew 7:13-29
By Marlene Barcial
Evey Christian believer ought to keep in mind that we are just pilgrims passing through this barren land. Actually we are travellers moving time to eternity. This old earth is not our home. The million dollar question we need to ask our self is “Am I heading the right direction?” Is this the right way? Pastor Hagee once said there are two ways to live: the right way and the wrong way.How could I know that this path I am heading to be the right way? Let us examine and study what the Lord is teaching us in Matthew 7: 13-29.
- The way to eternal life is narrow and difficult but is safe at the end. We must enter the only gate that leads to eternal life.
13 "Enter by the narrow (channel, canal, sound) gate; for wide is the gate and broad(wide, general, comprehensive, extensive) is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life (ZOE), and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13 (NLT-New Living Translation)
Two gates mentioned here contradict each other
Narrow Gate [constricted]
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Wide gate [roomy or spacious]
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Leads to construction or eternal life [Zoe].
The only gate going to God’s Kingdom
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Leads to destruction or eternal death.
The gate going to Hell
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The way is difficult or hard/tough.
Safe –slow moving (Takes patience)-waiting with the good attitude
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Easy Way and highway/ flat, level or even. Dangerous-so fast ( instant)
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Few will find it
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Many will find it
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Only option or no other way
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Many options, detour or alternative route, self-way, others way
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We must choose or decide which gate must we to enter. One way is easy, the other way is difficult. One gate leads to destruction, the other gate lead to eternal life. To enter the "narrow gate," we must leave our "self" behind; on the other hand, to enter the "roomy way," means there is no limit to the baggage or the work of the flesh—self-righteousness, pride, hatred, envy, selfish ambition, gossip; dissensions, factions, discord, and so on. The "narrow gate" which is only God ‘way is the very opposite of these works of the flesh.
The "narrow road’ and "narrow gate" has to do with one’s everyday living—our relationship to God and to one another. It is the works of the Spirit versus the works of the flesh. Paul, no doubt, resonated the thoughts of our Lord Jesus when he expressed himself to the Galatians: "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature" (Galatians 5:16). These Revealed truths compel obedience to God’s way.(http://www.freedominchrist.net/biblical%20studies/new%20testament/gospel%20of%20matthew/the%20narrow%20gate.htm)
Why the Narrow Gate- Narrow entrance? It is a strait gate, for we must bow [signifies humility], or we cannot go in at it; we must become as little children. We must travel a narrow way; the body must be kept under discipline in the Lord. Changing ourselves and others with our own strength or without the help of God, is like disciplining outward behaviour but still remains the same inside. This means that ourcorruptions [dishonesties, vices] must be mortified; daily temptations must be resisted and our callings must be done that are against our preference but must be the preference of the Lord. We must go through much difficulty if we want to enter the narrow gate.(http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/matthew/7.html?p=7)
- The way to eternal life is established on sound Doctrines [Complete and thorough]. We must be warned about false doctrines
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Fruit is the result or what you produced from the work or effort you’ve done. This is the evidence that people can see or the things what God is looking for.Warning for us: Beware of False Prophets (False Professing Christians). A prophet who led people away from the living God was a false prophet. The way to tell false teachers from teachers of truth is by their fruits. Fruits here refer to more than their deeds [works they do for to be seen of men]; it includes doctrine or teaching. These are teachers who promote erroneous ideas like man made wisdom, rules and regulations. Thus they will lead people astray in their faith in Jesus. By this you know: One test of whether a person is led by the Holy Spirit is whether that person’s beliefs agree with the truth of God’s Word.”It is written.” The same thing as well, you will know if he is a true Christian. Don’t just believe people who they say ‘I pray’ but you cannot hear them praising God!
- The way to eternal life is centred on submission, obedient, compliant,and subservient to Christ. We must submit our will to the will of the Lord
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
LORD; LORD: twice mentioned by Jesus. He is pointed out that those who called Him by this title of respect acknowledged submission to Him through obedience. However, many people ignored His teaching and will not practice them in their lives.Theyare those who are endangering themselves to destruction. We must be careful to do all for the Lord and makes sure that the Lord really tells us to do them. God requires us total submission to HIM…proving that we totally trusting him.
Conclusion:
24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
The way to eternal life is basedon a solid ground or foundation.
The Key Difference in the two houses is not their external appearances. Pharisees and scribes may seem to be as righteous and religious as the inheritors of the kingdom. The key in the story is the foundations. The HOUSE on the rock pictures a life founded on a proper relationship to Christ. It will stand the test of Christ’s judgment, but the house on the sand will fail the test.Pastor Adrian Rogers also said that “Faith that cannot be tested is faith that cannot be trusted.” 1 Peter 2:6 talks about the Chief Corner stone: Jesus is the foundation stone from which the placement of all other living stones in the spiritual house.
All the above that I mentioned are the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ in the sermon of the mount. These teachings are difficult to follow but with the help of the Holy Spirit these are possible. These are the admonitions of our Lord Jesus that if we want to follow Him, we should take up our cross daily…not sometimes but daily. Without taking up our own cross we cannot follow Him.
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