Enter in at the strait gate

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JackH said:
If there is a "perfect doctrine" I would like to know what it is. And I'm not interested in answers like "Read your Bible."
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Yes there is a perfect doctrine, taught by perfect teachers/ pastors/ etc. to a church GOD Himslef maintains and Jesus is the head. All this is very evident in the following Scripture....

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti_4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

The doctrine of Christ is the BORN OF GOD UNTO PERFECTION.... There is NO other that will fit 100% in all SCRIPTURE.... I have tested so many in my life and this is the ONLY doctrine that holds water IN EVERY verse in the Bible..... BE PERFECT AS THOU HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT! There is NO OTHER.
 
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crossnote said:
Context, context, context...

Luke 13:24-30 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
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How does the context change/undo/remove the word "strive" and that one must (imperative mood) strive to enter the strait gate?
 
SeaBass said:
How does the context change/undo/remove the word "strive" and that one must (imperative mood) strive to enter the strait gate?
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The context is His warning to the Jews not to be resting in their 'good works' or their Jewishness but to strive to trust solely in Him as their Messiah Savior. Nothing to do with striving in order to be saved at least not in this context.
 
eternally-gratefull said:
can God make an imperfect doctrine?
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Man can make the words of scripture into an imperfect doctrine, it is done every single day even here on CC. I was just reading how "we are under grace not law" doesn't mean that it is only through the blood of Christ we are saved, it means to not listen to law!!!

That narrow gate opens to a world we can see that gives a walk of contentment, peace, abundance, or as it says in the Hebrew language, to shalom. At the end of the road is a life with God in eternity. The blood of Christ is the key to the gate itself, always has been. For 4,000 years, even the symbol of that blood had power. Now we have the real blood.

It is narrow, a very straight walk, and we need to not take any of the many side paths on the walk that our flesh tells us are so fun and inviting. The rewards are so wonderful and pleasing, once we decide to take it, that it isn't hard at all, but pure pleasure, helping us over the rocks sin puts in our path.
 
crossnote said:
The context is His warning to the Jews not to be resting in their 'good works' or their Jewishness but to strive to trust solely in Him as their Messiah Savior. Nothing to do with striving in order to be saved at least not in this context.
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Nothing in the context changes the fact one must strive to enter the strait gate.


The context speaks of the Master shutting the door [judgment day] and many will knock at that door but will not be let in. It is speaking of the Jews that rejected Christ, but salvation has already past them with the door being shut. The Master does not know them that knock for they were workers of iniquity. The Master says Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the prophets were worthy to enter the kingdom (enter the strait gate) but the Jews [Abraham's fleshly seed] that rejected Christ are cast without, will not receive the Abrahamic promise.


So the context shows many fleshly Jews did not strive to enter the strait gate but instead rejected Christ.


You post "Nothing to do with striving in order to be saved at least not in this context."

Having read the context again, is still says Strive to enter in at the strait gate: No striving = no entering the strait gate.
 
SeaBass said:
Nothing in the context changes the fact one must strive to enter the strait gate.


The context speaks of the Master shutting the door [judgment day] and many will knock at that door but will not be let in. It is speaking of the Jews that rejected Christ, but salvation has already past them with the door being shut. The Master does not know them that knock for they were workers of iniquity. The Master says Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the prophets were worthy to enter the kingdom (enter the strait gate) but the Jews [Abraham's fleshly seed] that rejected Christ are cast without, will not receive the Abrahamic promise.


So the context shows many fleshly Jews did not strive to enter the strait gate but instead rejected Christ.


You post "Nothing to do with striving in order to be saved at least not in this context."

Having read the context again, is still says Strive to enter in at the strait gate: No striving = no entering the strait gate.
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Maybe our idea of striving is different.
What 'striving' did you do to enter His fold?
 
Some striving is certainly needed to get out of the jungle of all teachings/teachers of self righteousness.

But, hey, all striving in the world is still nothing to boast in. Only in the cross are we to boast.
 
tribesman said:
Some striving is certainly needed to get out of the jungle of all teachings/teachers of self righteousness.

But, hey, all striving in the world is still nothing to boast in. Only in the cross are we to boast.
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But the verse does NOT say "strive to get out of false teachings" but says "strive to enter in at the strait gate"

No striving = no entering
 
crossnote said:
Maybe our idea of striving is different.
What 'striving' did you do to enter His fold?
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Obedience to the Lord's will;

Mt 7:21 those that doeth the Father's will enter the kingdom of heaven, enter the strait gate.

Heb 5:9 Christ is the author of salvation unto that that obey Him.

Albert Barnes says of "strive":

Strive. Literally, agonize. The word is taken from the Grecian Games. In their races, and wrestlings, and various athletic exercises, they strove or agonized, or put forth all their powers to gain the victory. Thousands witnessed them. They were long trained for the conflict, and the honour of victory was one of the highest honours among the people. So Jesus says that we should strive to enter in; and he means by it that we should be diligent, be active, be earnest; that we should make it our first and chief business to overcome our sinful propensities, and to endeavour to enter into heaven. This same figure or allusion to the Grecian games is often used in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 9:24-26;;

As I posted earlier, strive is found in the context of 1 Cor 9:25 that one must strive, run the Christain race to obtain the prize. No striving/running = no prize.

JFB Commentary says of strive:

The word signifies to "contend" as for the mastery, to "struggle," expressive of the difficulty of being saved, as if one would have to force his way in.


 
SeaBass said:
Obedience to the Lord's will;

Mt 7:21 those that doeth the Father's will enter the kingdom of heaven, enter the strait gate.

Heb 5:9 Christ is the author of salvation unto that that obey Him.

Albert Barnes says of "strive":

Strive. Literally, agonize. The word is taken from the Grecian Games. In their races, and wrestlings, and various athletic exercises, they strove or agonized, or put forth all their powers to gain the victory. Thousands witnessed them. They were long trained for the conflict, and the honour of victory was one of the highest honours among the people. So Jesus says that we should strive to enter in; and he means by it that we should be diligent, be active, be earnest; that we should make it our first and chief business to overcome our sinful propensities, and to endeavour to enter into heaven. This same figure or allusion to the Grecian games is often used in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 9:24-26;;

As I posted earlier, strive is found in the context of 1 Cor 9:25 that one must strive, run the Christain race to obtain the prize. No striving/running = no prize.

JFB Commentary says of strive:

The word signifies to "contend" as for the mastery, to "struggle," expressive of the difficulty of being saved, as if one would have to force his way in.


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again context..which is Paul's striving to preach the Gospel...not enter heaven.
 
I strive like THIS..... And this is the striving to enter into the strait gate..... Who will strive without HOPE? Do we not strive becasue we have hope to succeed? And what does a person do that has hope to enter? Well the Bible gives us the answer....

What can a sinner do to please God? Can he baptize another sinner and God has one massive party in heaven? NOPE! Can he come to CC and tell people how God saved him, but he is still sinning? NOPE! Can he come here and tell other people they do not have the truth and he is still sinner? NOPE! Can he come here and ask questions HE HIMSELF did not do or even know the answer too? NOPE all that is vain worls of a SINNER!


There is only ONE thing any sinner can do to please God. ONLY ONE THING.... REPENT! When a sinner repent, GOD is pleased. And when a sinner is DONE repenting he is no more sinner but SAINT! Then God sanctified the sinner to be a saint, and that was ALL God's work. Sinners REPENT, God sanctify! Sanctified people are NAMED saints by God Himslelf, becasue HE knows when a sinner is made SAINT. All sinners are CALLED TO BE SAINTS.... And the saints are then PERFECTED by God's appointed office bearers, unto perfect men. Only THEN will the PERFECT man, the righteous as God is righteous man, live a life pleasing to God and God says these are the men BORN OF GOD... Only BORN OF GOD people live godly and in true holiness in this world.

So I strive for this in this fashion....1 joh 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
No person will get as pure as He is pure, if he keeps on sinning over and onver and over.... Got to stop and REPENT to get pure! Repent means to TURN AWAY, STOP, and to have a change of mind of OLD MAN THINGS.... God knows how to handle the mind to get the RENEWED mind... Oh what a great Lord we follow!
Luk 15:10.... Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
God knows what sinner will repent unto salvation. And the joy of the angels of God, I know is without REPENT... they will NEVER be sorry they had a great joy of this sinner that reanteth. May I be reason for the angels to have joy in heaven. Amen!
 
Cobus said:
I strive like THIS..... And this is the striving to enter into the strait gate..... Who will strive without HOPE? Do we not strive becasue we have hope to succeed? And what does a person do that has hope to enter? Well the Bible gives us the answer....

What can a sinner do to please God? Can he baptize another sinner and God has one massive party in heaven? NOPE! Can he come to CC and tell people how God saved him, but he is still sinning? NOPE! Can he come here and tell other people they do not have the truth and he is still sinner? NOPE! Can he come here and ask questions HE HIMSELF did not do or even know the answer too? NOPE all that is vain worls of a SINNER!


There is only ONE thing any sinner can do to please God. ONLY ONE THING.... REPENT! When a sinner repent, GOD is pleased. And when a sinner is DONE repenting he is no more sinner but SAINT! Then God sanctified the sinner to be a saint, and that was ALL God's work. Sinners REPENT, God sanctify! Sanctified people are NAMED saints by God Himslelf, becasue HE knows when a sinner is made SAINT. All sinners are CALLED TO BE SAINTS.... And the saints are then PERFECTED by God's appointed office bearers, unto perfect men. Only THEN will the PERFECT man, the righteous as God is righteous man, live a life pleasing to God and God says these are the men BORN OF GOD... Only BORN OF GOD people live godly and in true holiness in this world.

So I strive for this in this fashion....1 joh 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
No person will get as pure as He is pure, if he keeps on sinning over and onver and over.... Got to stop and REPENT to get pure! Repent means to TURN AWAY, STOP, and to have a change of mind of OLD MAN THINGS.... God knows how to handle the mind to get the RENEWED mind... Oh what a great Lord we follow!
Luk 15:10.... Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
God knows what sinner will repent unto salvation. And the joy of the angels of God, I know is without REPENT... they will NEVER be sorry they had a great joy of this sinner that reanteth. May I be reason for the angels to have joy in heaven. Amen!
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Can one still have hope of entering the strait gate if he does not strive to enter it?


(Repenting is part of the striving)
 
Let's get this right my friends. It would seem that the Sermon on the Mount is not an evangelistic sermon as much as it is a discipleship sermon. It was specifically given to the disciples.

Strive to enter the narrow gate means "it's a hard road" it's not an easy path. Many will not commit their lives fully and will be on the path to destruction, a lifestyle that wastes one's life. THIS IS NOT INITIAL SALVATION. This is sanctification, living the kingdom life now. One must strive for it.

We do not strive to believe in Jesus for eternal life, that's relatively easy, once one gets over the initial unbelief, however we do strive to enter the narrow gate, to find the way, to search and seek diligently. This is the "way, the truth and the life", a following Christ throughout one's life that sanctifies us presently, and brings earthly and heavenly reward.
 
Seabass repenting is the striving.... Some do not repent all sin they might as well not repent at all it is them that are NOT ABLE to enter, only the ones that REPENT FULLY as the Holy Spirit leads will enter... ONLY SAINTS can enter.... Saints are 100% repented to be: most holy one, (completely sanctified) Physically pure (as pure as God is pure) and morally blameless ( not doing sin as God does not do sin) but then the Saints need to be perfect BEFORE God will use them for HIS PURPOSE... Amen!
 
notice the difference between "strait," and "straight."

4728. stenos sten-os' probably from the base of 2476; narrow (from obstacles standing close about):--strait.

3717. orthos or-thos' probably from the base of 3735; right (as rising), i.e. (perpendicularly) erect (figuratively, honest), or (horizontally) level or direct:--straight, upright.

Hebrews 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way ; but let it rather be healed .
Matthew 7:12-14
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
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.
 
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