Thus, to be able to walk in the way that Jesus is leading us, we must enter the Door of Salvation; and once we are through the door, we must be perfect, even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect (Matt. 5:48). Perfection in the sense of being holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:16).
Choosing the narrow gate means to enter it; choosing the narrow gate is choosing Jesus and to enter in His door. But this matter must not be taken lightly. Let us take one example to elaborate this matter:
The strait (narrow) gate that Jesus is telling us couldn’t accommodate the C.L.O.THING that embraces us: Cares (of life), Lust (of the flesh), Objects (of Passion) That Holds Intentions Negating God. We have to discard it if we want to enter the gate. In John 10:10, Jesus describes His intention for us; “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” By entering the strait gate, we will walk in the narrow way; a way that is simple without the cares of life, the lust of the flesh and the objects of passion; without the things that hold intentions to negate God. Jesus only wanted us to have a simple way of life without the complexity of the world. This doesn’t mean that we deny the things of the world to live in poverty, in humiliation and sickness. God wants to give us riches and honour and life as long as we live in humility and fear of the Lord (Proverbs 22:4). Entering the Door of Salvation insures us of God’s more abundant blessings.
The Way of the Lord
In Matthew 4:4, Jesus was giving us three instructions. When He said, “It is written…” He is trying to tell us that He, even as the Son of God, was subject to read God’s words. Thus, His first instruction to lead and live the way of the Lord is to read God’s words (BIBLE) regularly. When He said, “Man shall not live by bread ALONE” He is telling us that we have to BALANCE all things. That is His second instruction. It is not good for man to eat and not read the word of God AND it is also not good for man to read the word of God and not eat; everything must be balanced. His third instruction is when He said “but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” It is an instruction of BELIEVING on His words.
We are like trees. If a tree never experiences any storm from the beginning of its life, its roots are not deep. Thus, when a storm comes this tree will be easily uprooted. A tree that has experienced storms and heavy winds since it was planted, has roots that are deeply planted in the ground and is difficult to be uprooted. The storms in life (problems, persecutions, tribulations) help us to be rooted firmly in our foundation, who is Jesus Christ. To be able to survive the storms of life, we must read our BIBLE, BALANCE all things (not too much spiritual activity or too much physical activity), and start BELIEVING on God.
Excess baggage
By Ptr. JC Balao
23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Luke 13:23-24
By Ptr. JC Balao
23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Luke 13:23-24
The Baggage
We commonly use the term baggage in the form of packing-up things. It is sometimes called luggage where it pertains one’s personal things brought with him or her. A person usually packs his/her baggage when moving from a certain location to another, either a temporary stay (vacation) or a permanent one (migrate).
But sometimes, as tourists, we pack-up the wrong items for the occasion. For example, if you are going to Baguio for a two-week vacation, what will you bring? Bikinis, swimsuits, air-conditioning unit, sun-tan lotion, etc? Are these the right things to pack? What must we bring? Only the things that we need for that particular vacation. You must bring only what is necessary, anything more would be excess baggage.
The Christian’s Baggage
There is a particular passage that I would like for us to study; a passage where some (if not most) Christians become their ultimate drawback. Note that the following passage is dedicated to Christians, to all of us who have received Jesus Christ as our God and Saviour.
We commonly use the term baggage in the form of packing-up things. It is sometimes called luggage where it pertains one’s personal things brought with him or her. A person usually packs his/her baggage when moving from a certain location to another, either a temporary stay (vacation) or a permanent one (migrate).
But sometimes, as tourists, we pack-up the wrong items for the occasion. For example, if you are going to Baguio for a two-week vacation, what will you bring? Bikinis, swimsuits, air-conditioning unit, sun-tan lotion, etc? Are these the right things to pack? What must we bring? Only the things that we need for that particular vacation. You must bring only what is necessary, anything more would be excess baggage.
The Christian’s Baggage
There is a particular passage that I would like for us to study; a passage where some (if not most) Christians become their ultimate drawback. Note that the following passage is dedicated to Christians, to all of us who have received Jesus Christ as our God and Saviour.
Here we see Jesus mentioning a gate and way that is narrow, opposed to a wide gate and a broad way. What was Jesus trying to imply? What was He trying to say?
Jesus is describing two different ways with two different destinations; one is destined for destruction while the other leads to life. It is two different choices.
If we try to understand the words of Jesus, He is talking about one’s way of life; how to lead and how to live it. His message is a matter of choice; God’s way or the world’s way.
In John 14:6, Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jesus is actually leading us to Himself! He is inviting us to the True Way. He said in John 10:7, “I am the door of the sheep” and in John 10:9 He mentioned the purpose and meaning of His words, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
Jesus is describing two different ways with two different destinations; one is destined for destruction while the other leads to life. It is two different choices.
If we try to understand the words of Jesus, He is talking about one’s way of life; how to lead and how to live it. His message is a matter of choice; God’s way or the world’s way.
In John 14:6, Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jesus is actually leading us to Himself! He is inviting us to the True Way. He said in John 10:7, “I am the door of the sheep” and in John 10:9 He mentioned the purpose and meaning of His words, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matt 7:13-14
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matt 7:13-14
An ugly and sickly rat is caged inside a box. There is a small hole that can fit its head. As we all know, if the head of the rat could fit through a hole, its whole body could pass through. But imagine putting some clothing to this rat, could it still go through? It will but only up to the neck area. Its whole body will not get through because the clothing, the things that are embracing the rat, hinders it to go through. Thus, to be able to go through, the rat has to discard the clothing.