The devastating truth of the 2 gates, 2 roads, 2 destinations

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way
that leads to destruction (#684), and there are many who go in by it.
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life (#2222),
and there are few who find it.”


“destruction” (Strong’s #684) “of persons, signifying their
spiritual and eternal perdition, Matthew 7:13”
“life” (Strong’s #2222) “Eternal life …it has moral associations
which are inseparable from it, as of holiness and righteousness”
<<from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words>>

No other passage attacks today’s easy-believism with as much force as the above!
It amounts to the Savior’s own presentation of the way of salvation …
and it brings the Sermon on the Mount to a powerful climax.

2 gates -- narrow & wide
2 paths -- difficult & broad
2 destinations -- heaven & hell
2 participants -- few & many
Also in Matthew 7 …
2 trees/fruit: good & bad --- 2 builders: wise & foolish --- 2 foundations: rock & sand

“Jesus himself stands at the crux of each person’s destiny and demands
a deliberate choice of life or death, heaven or hell … the Lord requires that
each person choose between following the world on the easy, well-travelled
road, or following him on the difficult road. … The choices are clear-cut.
He demands a decision, We are all at the crossroads, and each individual
must choose which way he or she will go. … The message of Jesus cannot
be made to accommodate any kind of cheap grace or easy-believism.”
(John MacArthur, The Gospel according to Jesus, Zondervan, 1994)


Each person inevitably must make a choice … and God has always presented choices!
• “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil … I have set before you
life and death, the blessing and cursing; therefore choose life …” (Deut 30:15-19)
• “I set before you the way of life and the way of death.’ ” (Jeremiah 21:8)


Both gates are marked, “Heaven”, but one of the gates does NOT lead to heaven!
The narrow gate is like a turnstile: only one person can pass through at a time.

Another passage which annihialates today’s easy-believism
“Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved (#4982)?’
And He said to them, ‘Strive (#75) to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’ ” (Luke 13:23-24)


“strive” (Strong’s #75) “agonizamai”: “to contend (Eng. “agonize”), KJV “laboring fervently”
<<from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words>>

“violent men take it (the kingdom of heaven) by force” (Matthew 11:12)
“everyone is forcing his way into it (the kingdom)” (Luke 16:16)


The broad way is the natural choice, from a human point of view.
People prefer sin over righteousness.

Some believers fight the narrow road to the very death … they just refuse to acknowledge it.
Some believers are devastated by the truth of the narrow road, and fall away from the faith.

This gives a whole new meaning to “the terrible twos”.
 
Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way
that leads to destruction (#684), and there are many who go in by it.
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life (#2222),
and there are few who find it.”


“destruction” (Strong’s #684) “of persons, signifying their
spiritual and eternal perdition, Matthew 7:13”
“life” (Strong’s #2222) “Eternal life …it has moral associations
which are inseparable from it, as of holiness and righteousness”
<<from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words>>

No other passage attacks today’s easy-believism with as much force as the above!
It amounts to the Savior’s own presentation of the way of salvation …
and it brings the Sermon on the Mount to a powerful climax.

2 gates -- narrow & wide
2 paths -- difficult & broad
2 destinations -- heaven & hell
2 participants -- few & many
Also in Matthew 7 …
2 trees/fruit: good & bad --- 2 builders: wise & foolish --- 2 foundations: rock & sand

“Jesus himself stands at the crux of each person’s destiny and demands
a deliberate choice of life or death, heaven or hell … the Lord requires that
each person choose between following the world on the easy, well-travelled
road, or following him on the difficult road. … The choices are clear-cut.
He demands a decision, We are all at the crossroads, and each individual
must choose which way he or she will go. … The message of Jesus cannot
be made to accommodate any kind of cheap grace or easy-believism.”
(John MacArthur, The Gospel according to Jesus, Zondervan, 1994)


Each person inevitably must make a choice … and God has always presented choices!
• “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil … I have set before you
life and death, the blessing and cursing; therefore choose life …” (Deut 30:15-19)
• “I set before you the way of life and the way of death.’ ” (Jeremiah 21:8)


Both gates are marked, “Heaven”, but one of the gates does NOT lead to heaven!
The narrow gate is like a turnstile: only one person can pass through at a time.

Another passage which annihialates today’s easy-believism
“Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved (#4982)?’
And He said to them, ‘Strive (#75) to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’ ” (Luke 13:23-24)


“strive” (Strong’s #75) “agonizamai”: “to contend (Eng. “agonize”), KJV “laboring fervently”
<<from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words>>

“violent men take it (the kingdom of heaven) by force” (Matthew 11:12)
“everyone is forcing his way into it (the kingdom)” (Luke 16:16)


The broad way is the natural choice, from a human point of view.
People prefer sin over righteousness.

Some believers fight the narrow road to the very death … they just refuse to acknowledge it.
Some believers are devastated by the truth of the narrow road, and fall away from the faith.

This gives a whole new meaning to “the terrible twos”.

Yes, this passage is so clear for anyone claiming that their goodness, their effort, their whatever will bring them eternal life. There are no grey areas for certain!!!
 
CFS can not say if these writings are Legit or Not and take no responsibility for them.

The Didache, also known as The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, is a brief anonymous early Christian treatise, dated by most modern scholars to the first century.

Since it was discovered in a monastery in Constantinople and published by P. Bryennios in 1883, the Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles has continued to be one of the most disputed of early Christian texts. It has been depicted by scholars as anything between the original of the Apostolic Decree (c. 50 AD) and a late archaising fiction of the early third century. It bears no date itself, nor does it make reference to any datable external event, yet the picture of the Church which it presents could only be described as primitive, reaching back to the very earliest stages of the Church's order and practice in a way which largely agrees with the picture presented by the NT, while at the same time posing questions for many traditional interpretations of this first period of the Church's life. Fragments of the Didache were found at Oxyrhyncus (P. Oxy 1782) from the fourth century and in coptic translation (P. Lond. Or. 9271) from 3/4th century.
 
Hi Brother Paul,

Can you tell me how this would apply to this thread?

Thank you and blessings

Sure CTurtle! Though it is not authoritative scripture, as a testimony of an understanding of these things held by 1st century Christians (who were taught by the Apostles and their immediate students) it speaks of Two Ways reminiscent of so many contrasts in the Bible (including those mentioned in Paul's discourses of what to put off and put on, to do and not to do). Apparently this was noticed and applied by these very early Christians.

Thanks for the history Jim...I would add the fact that NO ONE questioned its early dating until the 18th or 19th century (those of the Critical School who for the most part do not actually believe in the veracity of Scripture either)

If interested you can find it at Early Christian Writings...In my opinion, the Lightfoot translation is straight forward and word for word, others appear to influence by word choice and imposition of phraseology not actually in the Text.

Paul
 
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Yes it is apparent that in His grace God always provides a way out. Even in the very first book we see God offer Cain grace if he would also just "go and do it right" and in love even forewarns him of the consequence of going the other way. So where in the New Covenant writings do we see other examples of Two Ways?

I see it here in Galatians 5:16-25

Paul
 
Sure CTurtle! Though it is not authoritative scripture, as a testimony of an understanding of these things held by 1st century Christians (who were taught by the Apostles and their immediate students) it speaks of Two Ways reminiscent of so many contrasts in the Bible (including those mentioned in Paul's discourses of what to put off and put on, to do and not to do). Apparently this was noticed and applied by these very early Christians.

Thank you brother Paul for your thoughtfulness!

Blessings
 
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