The Narrow Gate
Introduction. Because of the way Jesus concluded His Sermon on the Mount, we dare not ignore anything that was revealed in it! In few places in God’s word does a portion of Scripture end with such a powerful warning. The wise will take these words to heart and build their lives upon them.
This is not just a warning; it is a wonderful promise. Within “these words” Jesus has summed up the most important things that are necessary to build our hopes and dreams of eternal life upon. These sayings begin in chapter 5:1-2 when He goes up upon the mountain and ends in chapter 8:1 when He comes down. As genuine disciples begin their walk with God, they should spend time looking at, pondering and assessing the things in this sermon to be certain we are both hearing and remembering and growing to do what is contained in this sermon.
One of the warnings Jesus gave centers on the gate through which each disciple entered into the path leading to life. What is important about this passage is that He is not referring to those in the world. Only those disciples who have decided to walk with Jesus are under consideration. Among all the disciples in the world today, there is a very narrow gate that leads to life and only a few of those disciples have entered it. There is a second gate, a wide gate, that disciples can enter but that gate only leads to their own destruction. What is startling and terrifying to each disciple is His warning that many who believe they are disciples will enter this wide gate. Thus for each disciple the chances of entering into that narrow gate are far less than of entering into the broad gate.
Jesus then gave two reasons for this warning. First, there will be many false prophets creating new doctrines that widen the gate. Second, there will be “many” disciples calling Jesus “Lord”, but instead of doing “the will of My Father in heaven” they will be doing the will of men on earth (Mt. 7:15-23). Today, the sad reality of Jesus’ warning is seen all over the world. The narrow gate leading to life can only be found in Scripture and there is only one narrow gate revealed within them. Yet each new denomination creates slightly different methods to enter the kingdom of heaven. The obvious result of such additions will create a broader gate leading only to destruction.
Jesus was deeply concerned about the false teachers who would modify the gate enough to make it broader. As we look at the religious world today. we see clearly why His warning is so important. Many different methods have been devised to enter what they claim to be the narrow gate. Some teach “accept Christ as your personal savior, say the ‘Sinner’s prayer’, and join the church of your choice” is what is necessary to enter in salvation. Others teach that once one believes Jesus is the Christ, they have entered and nothing more is required. Some teach that baptizing infants will lead into the narrow gate. There are also those who teach that baptism is essential to enter the gate. These different gates are a direct fulfillment of Jesus warning. One is the narrow gate while the others are the broad gate.
Jesus is our loving Savior. He knows God wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. He also knows that many, expecting salvation and eternal life will be told, “I never knew you, depart from me all you who practice lawlessness” and that “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” on that day. Jesus does not want any disciple to hear these words. Imagine the agony and anguish of those who have lived their entire life believing they were saved, only to find out in the end that their false teachers had deceived them and they were lost forever.
No one can ignore these words! What gate did you enter into the kingdom and what scriptures would you use to prove to the Lord as you stand before Him that you did the very best you could to enter the narrow gate? Many do not even consider or think about how they entered into the kingdom. But Jesus said if you hear these words of mine and you don’t do them, you’re building your house on sand and it will fall. It is imperative to assess the proper means to enter the kingdom.
What is the narrow gate that leads to life? How do we find it? Consider the following. After Jesus asked His apostles “who do you say that I am,” Peter gave the answer that would become the foundation of the church Jesus was going to build. He said, “you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” At some time in the future, Jesus would build His church and after it was built Jesus would give Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Since keys open doors and gates, Jesus gave Peter the keys to the gate that leads to life!
This is the answer we are all looking for! At some time in the future Peter would be given the keys and what he bound on earth would be bound in heaven. Jesus could only say these words because He knew it would be the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter. These keys were given to Peter in His first sermon and if we want to enter the same gate, we must follow the same steps.
In Acts 2 the Holy Spirit came upon them and they preached in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. This means Peter was speaking in a language that he had never learned, so it would be impossible that Peter had any part in the words of this sermon.
The sermon gave five truths that must be believed and acted upon to enter the narrow gate.
Peter’s answer reveals the keys to enter the narrow gate as well as to receive the remission of sins.
This is a universal promise to “as many as the Lord our God will call.” If we have done these things, we have entered the narrow gate. If we have not done them then we have entered the broad gate. It is that simple! Only those who have entered the broad gate will argue against Peter’s words or ignore them. This is exactly what the vast majority of those who call themselves disciples today have done and proves without a doubt that they have been influenced by false teachers and have entered the broad gate that leads to destruction. What else can be concluded when disciples argue with the Holy Spirit about how one enters the narrow gate?
This conclusion is proven beyond doubt as the Spirit reveals what happened next.
Conclusion. It was the Holy Spirit and not Peter who gave these words. It was the Holy Spirit and not Peter who showed this clearly. Why do so many disciples today refuse to do this? While 3,000 souls were baptized for the remission of sin and then were added and entered, multitudes today refuse to do so! If you are among them, reconsider, repent and follow the words of the Holy Spirit and enter the narrow gate that leads to life.
- “whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock ... and it did not fall for it was founded on the rock” (Mt. 7:24-25)
- “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 ... and it fell. And great was its fall." (Mt. 7:26-27)
This is not just a warning; it is a wonderful promise. Within “these words” Jesus has summed up the most important things that are necessary to build our hopes and dreams of eternal life upon. These sayings begin in chapter 5:1-2 when He goes up upon the mountain and ends in chapter 8:1 when He comes down. As genuine disciples begin their walk with God, they should spend time looking at, pondering and assessing the things in this sermon to be certain we are both hearing and remembering and growing to do what is contained in this sermon.
One of the warnings Jesus gave centers on the gate through which each disciple entered into the path leading to life. What is important about this passage is that He is not referring to those in the world. Only those disciples who have decided to walk with Jesus are under consideration. Among all the disciples in the world today, there is a very narrow gate that leads to life and only a few of those disciples have entered it. There is a second gate, a wide gate, that disciples can enter but that gate only leads to their own destruction. What is startling and terrifying to each disciple is His warning that many who believe they are disciples will enter this wide gate. Thus for each disciple the chances of entering into that narrow gate are far less than of entering into the broad gate.
- "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad 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, and there are few who find it. (Mt. 7:13-14)
Jesus then gave two reasons for this warning. First, there will be many false prophets creating new doctrines that widen the gate. Second, there will be “many” disciples calling Jesus “Lord”, but instead of doing “the will of My Father in heaven” they will be doing the will of men on earth (Mt. 7:15-23). Today, the sad reality of Jesus’ warning is seen all over the world. The narrow gate leading to life can only be found in Scripture and there is only one narrow gate revealed within them. Yet each new denomination creates slightly different methods to enter the kingdom of heaven. The obvious result of such additions will create a broader gate leading only to destruction.
Jesus was deeply concerned about the false teachers who would modify the gate enough to make it broader. As we look at the religious world today. we see clearly why His warning is so important. Many different methods have been devised to enter what they claim to be the narrow gate. Some teach “accept Christ as your personal savior, say the ‘Sinner’s prayer’, and join the church of your choice” is what is necessary to enter in salvation. Others teach that once one believes Jesus is the Christ, they have entered and nothing more is required. Some teach that baptizing infants will lead into the narrow gate. There are also those who teach that baptism is essential to enter the gate. These different gates are a direct fulfillment of Jesus warning. One is the narrow gate while the others are the broad gate.
Jesus is our loving Savior. He knows God wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. He also knows that many, expecting salvation and eternal life will be told, “I never knew you, depart from me all you who practice lawlessness” and that “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” on that day. Jesus does not want any disciple to hear these words. Imagine the agony and anguish of those who have lived their entire life believing they were saved, only to find out in the end that their false teachers had deceived them and they were lost forever.
No one can ignore these words! What gate did you enter into the kingdom and what scriptures would you use to prove to the Lord as you stand before Him that you did the very best you could to enter the narrow gate? Many do not even consider or think about how they entered into the kingdom. But Jesus said if you hear these words of mine and you don’t do them, you’re building your house on sand and it will fall. It is imperative to assess the proper means to enter the kingdom.
What is the narrow gate that leads to life? How do we find it? Consider the following. After Jesus asked His apostles “who do you say that I am,” Peter gave the answer that would become the foundation of the church Jesus was going to build. He said, “you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” At some time in the future, Jesus would build His church and after it was built Jesus would give Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Since keys open doors and gates, Jesus gave Peter the keys to the gate that leads to life!
- And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Mt. 16:19)
This is the answer we are all looking for! At some time in the future Peter would be given the keys and what he bound on earth would be bound in heaven. Jesus could only say these words because He knew it would be the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter. These keys were given to Peter in His first sermon and if we want to enter the same gate, we must follow the same steps.
In Acts 2 the Holy Spirit came upon them and they preached in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. This means Peter was speaking in a language that he had never learned, so it would be impossible that Peter had any part in the words of this sermon.
- 4 they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ... 14 Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.” (Acts 2:1-41)
The sermon gave five truths that must be believed and acted upon to enter the narrow gate.
- Jesus a man approved of God miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him.
- You have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
- This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses
- Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God.
- God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
- “they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’”
Peter’s answer reveals the keys to enter the narrow gate as well as to receive the remission of sins.
- Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
This is a universal promise to “as many as the Lord our God will call.” If we have done these things, we have entered the narrow gate. If we have not done them then we have entered the broad gate. It is that simple! Only those who have entered the broad gate will argue against Peter’s words or ignore them. This is exactly what the vast majority of those who call themselves disciples today have done and proves without a doubt that they have been influenced by false teachers and have entered the broad gate that leads to destruction. What else can be concluded when disciples argue with the Holy Spirit about how one enters the narrow gate?
This conclusion is proven beyond doubt as the Spirit reveals what happened next.
- “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
- And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.
Conclusion. It was the Holy Spirit and not Peter who gave these words. It was the Holy Spirit and not Peter who showed this clearly. Why do so many disciples today refuse to do this? While 3,000 souls were baptized for the remission of sin and then were added and entered, multitudes today refuse to do so! If you are among them, reconsider, repent and follow the words of the Holy Spirit and enter the narrow gate that leads to life.