Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Luke.13:22 He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem. 13:23 One said to him, "Lord, are they few who are saved?" He said to them, 13:24 "Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able.

It is a sad, but an amazing thing the nature of our fallen flesh under sin, it loves to compete, and its hates being told it can't do something, it will defy all common sense to prove you wrong. Here this great nation of Israel had God's kingdom, and would kill to keep its Kingdom, as God's chosen people. Now Christ tells them that few would be saved from among these Jews.

Romans 1:17 For in it is revealed God's righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, "But the righteous shall live by faith."{Habakkuk 2:4}

Next he tells them to strive to enter into the kingdom by the narrow door! We could here speak about the size of the doors on Jerusalem's gates, how hard is was to get into the walled city once its gates were closed for business, but we won't, we will instead speak to spiritual matters in those being saved by faith. Those striving in their flesh in this case was the Jews in their flesh thinking through works of law they were trying to entire into God's kingdom. Moreover, in our own times it is legal-minded Christian's whom resent the words resting in faith considering it an evil thought - implying not working hard enough to enter into the kingdom of God.

Romans 3:28 We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Romans 4:5 But to him who doesn't work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

Who faith was the narrow door leading into life? Was it the Jews whom put faith in the law of God, or was it those putting faith in Christ Jesus? Whom would become the door into heaven, unseen by human eyes? Hence, Christ was unlike the impressive walled city of Jerusalem, which impressivness caused the Jew's to failed in their faith in Christ. Hence, to a Jew, if it was not concrete, in written laws, or the mortar of their earthly city, it was not of God! The Jews did not speak spirit lead thing like: "were the wind blows', as did spirit son of God practice; this talk was blasphemy to the Jewish organizational sight led people.

Romans 4:13 For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world wasn't through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Romans 9:32 Why? Because they didn't seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

So what was the striving spoken of by Christ here? Will, in context to all the written words it was not works of law for we are told no person is going to get salvation by works of law.

Galatians 2:16 yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

The context of striving to get into the kingdom was between flesh and Spirit, which started thousand's of years before this writing of Christ, it started in the Garden of Eden, and finds itself fulfilled in Christ Jesus time, where the flesh is the earth Jerusalem, striving by works of the old law against the newly born son's of God who are born again into the Jerusalem above as their mother by Spirit. It is not the striving as legal Christian's teach, in doing good works to enter into the kingdom, no! It is a striving of spirit against flesh from Satan rebillion in fleshly thinking from Adam's time forward, found into our times through the fallen flesh, which sinful thoughts and/or actions produces entire world of fleshly governments, religions, and commerce. It is our striving too be no part of this world, by our faith, which requires us to walk in Spirit and truth in faith, resting in Christ Jesus life.

Romans 8:13 For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Galatians 4:29 But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.

Our striving is not with God, by doing good works bartering with Him for favors, not at all! Our striving is maintaining peace, by our faith in a world of fleshly thinking which attacks the mind of Christ, and the Holy Spirit, each day. Here than is the narrow door few will find; "when Christ returns, will he find this faith upon earth", or will he find Christian's striving in their flesh too prove themselves righteous by fleshly works of law?

Ephesians 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

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