Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction. Because narrow (strait) is the gate and difficult (narrow) is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:13-14). He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it (Matthew 10:37). Jesus is saying he who dies to self for My sake (because of Me – because of grace) will find life. In contrast, he who finds his own life (lives in himself) destroys life (makes grace of no value). When Thomas said they did not know the way; Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6a). Jesus is saying to enter by Him – by His life – His cross – by His blood – His grace.
What was Jesus talking about? “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33-34). “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:1-2). Jesus was telling us to judge not, and not giving us a measuring stick to judge others by. Jesus was giving us advice on entering into Him, and not another way to exclude the people of the world God so loves that He sent His Son in the first place.
Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:32). Matthew records it this way, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” Matthew 9:12b-13). Jesus did not come to sanctify those seeking righteousness through sacrifice, but those to whom God has given mercy. Yes, Jesus came to Judea and taught there first – in the places of daily sacrifice. But the works of men, even those ordained to do the works, could not rescue us from destruction. Our own works will not and cannot save us – and many are they who try to gain life by works.
Why not works of the flesh? “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Even in your own body, you do not wrestle against flesh and blood. The temptations of the flesh have another source – spiritual darkness. Jesus came to be the light of the world – “That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world” (John 1:9) – to expose and do away with spiritual darkness. “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:5). God created us to be containers of His light, and not to hold the darkness. Our bodies (flesh) are not meant to be houses for sin.
“The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:7). Mankind became sinful men. The bodies designed to hold God, created in His likeness, became full of sin. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). In Genesis 3 we can read where Adam hid from God, and God came seeking for him. Mankind hid from God, God did not hide from mankind. That was also prophecy of Jesus entering into the world to seek for us. It is God who came seeking us, “in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8b).. Did that seeking end with you? Is a gospel message only for those who already believe, or also for those who have not yet believed? When did already being saved become the criteria for being saved?
© 2012, Tim D. Coulter Sr.