AT THE STRAIT GATE

 

God’s Word is what man needs to hear in this time and day.  We hear so much radical garbage and so much “Well, I think this” and “I think that.”  But the wise thing to do is to see what God has to say.  During this time in which we’re living, people are entering into the broad road:  They’re already lost, but they are entering into religion instead of being born again. 

 

The Word of God says in St. Matthew 7:13-23, “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.”

 

Many are on the road to destruction, the broad road.  Why? There’s a reason for it.  St. Matthew 7:14 tells you why: “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”  

 

People can say ‘Everybody is God’s child,’ but the Word of God says ‘‘few there be that find it.”

 

St. Matthew 7:15 says, “Beware of false prophets.”   Now, if there were no such thing, or if He didn’t want you to beware of them, then He would never have put this in the Bible.  If Jesus wants you to beware, then don’t you think there should be some preachers who will preach ‘Beware’?

 

The Word of God says, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits.”  If God didn’t want you to know false prophets, liars, and hypocrites, He never would have told you to beware.

 

People can tell other people that they are Christians and that they’ve been born again, but some of them live like the devil.  The Word of God says, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree (a rotten minded, evil person) bringeth forth evil fruit.”  That simply means they’ll do things to bring evil and harm upon people; they’ll use their tongues to spread slander and lies.  These evil things come from the heart.  “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.   Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”  That means these people are headed to HELL, while the false prophets are telling them that everything is alright.  “Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.”  A “corrupt tree’’ refers to people who are actually corrupted in mind and have been brainwashed by the devil.   Scripture says, “Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in the name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you.”  Jesus didn’t say, ‘I knew you; you did wrong so I forgot you.’ Neither did He say, ‘You were saved once, but I forgot about you.’  Nor did He say, ‘You did right at one time, but you started doing wrong.  So I forgot you.’  No, no! That’s not what He said.  He said, “I never knew you.” Simply, these people were never born again; they never belonged to Jesus.  Jesus says, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  Iniquity is sin.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  Now, when a preacher is preaching against sin and preaching the full counsel of God, he knows that not everybody who says ‘Lord’ is going anywhere, just as it says in St. Matthew.  Jesus will say to many in that day   “Depart from me,” because they were workers of sin, iniquity--yet they will quickly say “I’m saved by grace.”

 

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  You are a new creature if you are born again: God created a new you.  In other words, when God saved you, He saved you for His purpose, His own purpose.  He sanctified you; He set aside for good works so that you would be a light unto this world, no longer living in darkness.  A person who walks in darkness has no Truth in him. 

 

Notice what really happens to people who are living in darkness.  Jude verse 3 says, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith (one faith) which was once delivered unto the saints.”  People run to every kind of faith in the world other than the faith that was delivered to the saints.  Verse 4 tells what really happened.  “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness.”   You see, these men were ungodly: not preaching the Word of God, not showing men the truth. 

 

Remember, you can know them by their fruits; you can tell by just listening to what they say.  Ungodly men say, “You’re saved by grace, so don’t worry about it.  Live like hell.  Do what you want to do.”  Reading and studying the Word of God and preaching against sin doesn’t matter to them.  The Word of God says these men turn the grace of God into lasciviousness; these are ungodly men and are leading multitudes of people right into HELL with their eyes wide open.  You are saved by grace.  Now, don’t mix works with grace.  When a person is saved and born again, then that person is going to live for Jesus Christ.  That person’s life is going to show something other than just talk.  Everyone knows that a candle will not give off any light unless it is lit.  A saved person is lit with the light and fire of God; that person’s life shines as a bright light.  A person who is not lit with the light and fire of God shows nothing with his life, even though the person talks about it himself. 

 

Titus 2:11 says, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”  In other words, God is here for all men, but not all men have Him.  A lot of people have professed in religion and are not truly saved and born again; they are going straight to hell to burn for eternity. 

 

“Teaching us.” Are your preachers keeping the Word of God from getting to you? Is the Word of God teaching you this?:  “that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

 

What are your preachers teaching, and what are they fighting against? They’re fighting against this scripture right here.  It says in Jude that these men were denying Jesus Christ, denying the power of God that can keep you, live in you, and produce fruits of love, peace, joy, and righteousness. 

 

What did Jesus say in St. Matthew 15:7-9? “Ye hypocrites.” If you are a hypocrite, you are angry! Only the devil’s children hate the Word of God; the devil’s children cannot stand the truth.  I wonder how they felt when Jesus said, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophecy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”  They’re not going to give their lives to me, live for me, deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, nor live soberly in this present world.  No, they’re going to say, ‘We’re going to get right when we get to heaven’ or ‘Everything’s going to be fine when we get to heaven.’  These people are not going anywhere but to HELL.  This place—earth--is the proving ground.  ‘But in vain they do worship me’’.   They worship on Sundays and sing, ‘Oh, How I Love Jesus’ and are full of hell, hatred, and violence the rest of the week.  Be assured, you shall know them by their fruits, and you shall be known by your fruits.  Men will know by your fruits whether you are of God or not.

 

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