Problem Texts for Sovereign Grace (Part 59) – Mat 7:13-14; Luk 13:24; Joh 4:36; Joh 8:24

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1.      Mat 7:13-14

1. “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: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Mat 7:13-14)
2. Are these verses teaching that one acquires eternal life by walking the strait and narrow way?
   1. No; first of all, walking through a strait gate on a narrow way is work.
      3. Strait – 3. a. Of a way, passage, or channel: So narrow as to make transit difficult.
      4. Work n. – 1. Something that is or was done; what a person does or did
      5. Eternal salvation is by grace, not of works (See Section II,7,A) (2Ti 1:9; Tit 3:5; Rom 9:11; Rom 11:5-6).
   2. Secondly, Jesus was speaking to the disciples (Mat 5:1-2) who already had eternal life (Mat 4:18-22 c/w Mat 19:27-29).

• Therefore, He was not telling them how to get what they already had, which would have been impossible to obtain had they not already had it.

1. The life that Jesus was referring to in Mat 7:13-14 is eternal life.
   1. His words were in response to the question “Lord, are there few that be saved?” (Luk 13:23).
   2. There will indeed be few that are saved (Rom 9:27-29; Rom 11:1-5).

• There will be many reprobates seeking to enter through the strait gate that will be rejected by Jesus on judgment day (Luk 13:24-28).
  1. They will call Jesus “Lord” and appeal to their works when begging Him to let them in (Mat 7:22).
  2. They don’t do the will of God the Father, but rather follow their own will and call Jesus “Lord” to cover up for it (Mat 7:21) (See Mat 7:21 – Section III).
  3. They are of the many that walk the broad way that leads to destruction (Mat 7:13).
  4. They are false brethren who are chaff among the wheat (Jud 1:4; Mat 13:24-30, 36-43).
  5. Jesus will tell them He never knew them and to depart from Him (Mat 7:23)

1. The strait gate and narrow way lead unto
   1. Unto prep. – 1. Expressing or denoting motion directed towards and reaching (a place, point, or goal)
   2. In other words, the man that walks the narrow way is heading toward eternal life in heaven.

• Walking the narrow way is living a life of following Jesus by keeping His commandments and denying ourselves (Mat 16:24-25).

1. Those that believe and obey (Joh 14:15) the gospel already have eternal life and have the promise that they shall not come into condemnation (Joh 5:24) (See Joh 5:24 – Section III).
2. Therefore, entering the strait gate and walking the narrow way is the evidence that a person is a child of God on his way to heaven.

1. Jesus was not teaching the disciples how to get to heaven, but rather how to have the assurance that they were going there (2Pe 1:5-11).

1.      Luk 13:24

1. “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luk 13:24)
2. See Mat 7:13-14 – Section III

1.      Joh 4:36

1. “And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” (Joh 4:36)
2. Does this verse teach that men acquire eternal life by their works?
   1. No.
   2. Eternal salvation is by grace, not of works (See Section II,7,A) (2Ti 1:9; Tit 3:5; Rom 9:11; Rom 11:5-6).
3. These words of Christ were spoken to His disciples who were apostles (Joh 4:31 c/w Luk 6:13) who already had eternal life (Mat 4:18-22 c/w Mat 19:27-29).
4. They were being sent into the evangelistic fields to reap converts where others had sown (Joh 4:37-38).
   1. One minister plants, another waters, and God gives the increase (1Co 3:5-7).
   2. Each minister receives a reward for his labor (1Co 3:8).

• Christians will be rewarded in heaven for the work they do on this earth (Mat 6:19-20; Mat 19:21; Luk 12:33; Mat 25:20-21; Luk 14:12-14; Mat 16:27; 2Co 5:10).

1. The fruit that we gather here is therefore gathered unto (toward) life eternal (our heavenly life).
2. Unto prep. – 1. Expressing or denoting motion directed towards and reaching (a place, point, or goal)

1. This verse is not referring to the acquisition of eternal life, but to rewards that we (specifically ministers in this case) obtain now and enjoy during our eternal life.

1.      Joh 8:24

1. “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (Joh 8:24)
2. Does this verse teach that belief of the gospel is necessary for eternal life?
   1. No.
   2. Belief is a work (Joh 6:28-29; 1Th 1:3).

• Eternal salvation is by grace, not of works (See Section II,7,A) (2Ti 1:9; Tit 3:5; Rom 9:11; Rom 11:5-6).

1. Belief in Jesus is the evidence, not the cause, of eternal life (Joh 5:24; Joh 6:47; 1Jo 5:1) (See Joh 5:24 – Section III).
2. Rejecting the gospel is an evidence, but not a guarantee, that a man is eternally lost (Joh 3:18; Joh 3:36) (See Joh 3:18 – Section III).

1. Jesus was not giving His hearers something to do in order to prevent them from dying in their sins; He was rather stating the fact that they were going to die in their sins.
   1. Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees (Joh 8:13).
   2. He previously told them that they shall die in their sins and that they cannot come where He was going (Joh 8:21).
      1. He did not say that they could, might, or would die if they didn’t do something, but that they “shall die in [their] sins.”
      2. He did not say that they might not, or didn’t want to, come where He was going, but that they “cannot“

• They were from beneath, of this world (Joh 8:23).

1. They were of their father the devil (Joh 8:44).
2. They were not of God (Joh 8:47).
3. They were reprobates and could not escape the damnation of hell (Mat 23:33).

1. Jesus was declaring that they were going to die in their sins, which was evidenced by the fact that they did not believe that Jesus was God.