The Gate That Leads to Life

2004-12-20 00:11

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14).

The gate that leads to life is like the gate for the sheep. The gate for the sheep is a narrow gate through which only one sheep, not two together, can enters.

The road that leads to this gate is also narrow and suitable only for one sheep, not two together.

Therefore, small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and the old man and the new man cannot go on the road together and cannot enter through the gate together. This is the narrow way of the cross on which the Lord went before us. This is the small gate, the torn curtain through which the Lord entered. It is written, "by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body." (Hebrews 10:20).

The Bible said about the people who would go on the road and enter through the gate: "you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man." Without putting off the old man, no one can go on the narrow road and enter through the small gate that leads to life.

Therefore, the Bible says, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." And again, "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable."

It is written, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to." (Luke 13:24). Without doing away with the old man who is born of the flesh, no one can enter through the narrow road and the small gate.

It is written, "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23).

The kingdom of God is not the place that I, the old man, can also enter. Only he, the new man, can enter it.

Therefore, the kingdom of God is "his kingdom and his righteousness," not "my kingdom and my righteousness." It is written, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33). The kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, is not the kingdom where the old man lives in. The old man should die with Jesus and the new man should be raised with Christ. The kingdom of God is a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness, which this new man enters with Christ.

It is written, "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows. And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows--was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). He, the man in Christ, is set free from sin and becomes a slave to God and enters the kingdom of God, but not I, the old man.

It is written, "Therefore Jesus said again, 'I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.'" (John 10:7). The narrow gate for the sheep is suitable only for the new man without the old man.

Therefore, I offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and a whole burnt offering to God our Father in Jesus Christ, the good shepherd who leads us to the road and the narrow gate, which many try to enter and are not able to. Amen. Thank you, Lord.

Brother of the End, Kim Yun-gu.