Everyone.

Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:13-14 is crystal clear to me. Jesus said “FEW” find LIFE. What life? ETERNAL LIFE! Eternal life is Eternal life, whether it is found in this life, or the next. But UR’s want you to believe “ALL” will eventually find this life. Jesus said “Few”, not “ALL”… I’m open to the possibility for someone to explain to me what Jesus really meant by saying “few”. Why did Jesus not say “All”. If UR were true would not Jesus say “All” instead of “few” ?

There is two gates into the City of God, the narrow gate and the wide gate, both enter the City of God. Your point got mooted. So a few go through the gate of life, yay; and many go through the gate of destruction, boo! How would you choose to enter the Kingdom of God?

Craig.

If what your saying is true, why didn’t Jesus say “few” find life through the narrow gate, but some will find it going through the wide gate that leads to destruction, but “All” will eventually find life? Yet Jesus said "few’, not “all”.

BA, universalism (The Gospel) has a very tiny gate in comparison with your ideal. We hold that heaven has a single, accurate and perfect confession that is acceptable - not a variety or a range of beliefs and confessions that you find acceptable. Or perhaps, you think it’s as narrow as what YOU believe. If so, then be consistent and doom everyone else to eternal torture for not believing EXACTLY as you do - yeah, it’s that narrow - like the eye of a needle. The perfection only the resurrected enjoy in their confession.

Perhaps you forgot about the resurrection of the dead, and that their destruction is for the sake of their salvation unto life.

The gate of life:
John 11:25 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

The gate of destruction:
1 Corinthians 5:5 “…the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.”

There is only one foundation for all humanity, a foundation which no man can lay and has been established for all:
1 Corinthians 3:11
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves (the gate of destruction) but for him who died for them and was raised again (the gate of life).

1 Corinthians 3:12-15
If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones (the gate of life) or wood, hay or straw (gate of destruction), his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. f what he has built survives, he will receive his reward (the gate of life). If it is burned up, he will suffer loss (the gate of destruction); **he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. **

Destruction is not a desirable way to enter into the Kingdom because you suffer loss when entering.

Matthew 25:46
“The wicked will go away to AIONIOS KOLOSIS (the gate of destruction), but the righteous to AIONIOS ZOE (the gate of life).”

Acts 24:15
I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

Craig.

Again, if “ALL” eventually come to salvation why does Jesus say “few” will find this life? Regardless how they find it… if "ALL"find this life that Jesus said “few” would find…“Few” is not “All” and “All” is not “Few”. No matter how you hard try to explain how “All” eventually find this life …you still contradict what "few"means. It does not mean All.

BTW, This is Born Again. My password would not work, so I went ahead and registered under my real name. So, Aaron37 is really Born Again.

FEW in this life, but ALL eventually. That’s the message of the Gospel. The universal redemption of mankind is why everyone is resurrected, not because they believe this or that. Belief (and unbelief) will certainly be corrected.

Luther compared faith to one’s grip on a bag of treasure. Everyone has a different grip. Ultimately, it’s about the treasure - resurrection and immortality.

If salvation turns out to be universal - would you be willing to be corrected? It’s pretty humbling to find out one has been preaching ‘straw’.

I have not contradicted what few is at all, FEW WILL ENTER through the Narrow Gate, MANY WILL ENTER through the Wide Gate. I never said ALL WILL ENTER through the Narrow Gate.

1 Timothy 4:9-11
This is a trustworthy saying **that deserves full acceptance **(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of ALL men, and especially [malista doesn’t not mean only] of those who believe.

Not a potential savior, not an uncertain savior, not a savior of few, not a savior of believers only, but Savior of ALL men especially of believers.

That ESPECIALLY fo believers is because we who trust in the Lord, enter through the Narrow Gate. We are the FEW men, but ALL men are saved but some through the destruction of their sinful nature, saved as one’s escaping the flames.

11 Command and teach these things.

Craig and Ran.

Ok. Lets try it again. If “All” will eventually find this life( eternal life) in this life or however one finds it… why does Jesus say “Few”? Ok. I get that some will come through the narrow gate and some will enter the wide gate and whatever else you come up with how they enter…these people represent “ALL” that you say will find this life. Correct? But Jesus does not say “ALL” will eventually find this life he says “Few” will find it…period. Not “All” but few will find it. period…don’t you see you are taking “Few” who will find this life and making it All…your adding to the text.

Definition of Few = little; not many; some
Definition of All = everything; everyone; the complete amount

Few = some
All = everyone; the complete amount

Do you see the contradiction here guys?

I have to ask you, then, what is Jesus’ meaning when He said this:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber…I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” - John 10:1, 9

The Tabernacle only has one door leading to the inner chambers and the Holy of Holies. Just how many doors are there?

There’s no contradiction and it’s not a stumbling block because this is true:

“Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.”

Let it sink in before telling us that ‘all’ means ‘few’. OK? Don’t come back and do the same dreadful thing you accuse us of doing - or I will call you a big fat hypocrite.

And yes, I agree with Dondi - there’s only one way in - through Christ. The common/ broad way has always been via SELF-righteousness. If there’s anything lost here - it’s that everyone WANTS in but most go about it in the wrong way.

Ran.

Why do you refuse to see that you are making few into all? The scripture you mention identifies the human race with Adam and Christ. The steps of redemption began when Christ (the last Adam) paid the penalty for the human race, when Christ hung on the cross in our place…but you must believe to receive it. Jesus is very clear on how many will believe to receive it…He said “Few”…not “All”

I didn’t refuse to see it. I agreed and I told you why. He meant few - but I won’t use Christ like that to contradict the rest of the Gospel. Actually, not using Him like that allows me to see much more. Like this:

“Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.”

Why do you refuse to see that you are making all into few? Don’t accuse me of REFUSING TO SEE, when you are doing the SAME thing. You’re not being accurate in your depiction of me and you are being hypocritical.

Ran.

It is obvious that your going to hold to your blinded position no matter what and keep quoting the same scripture that has already been answered and ignore what Jesus really meant by saying “Few” will find life and not “All”. Oh well.

The City of God has four sides and each with their own gates. There are twelve gates in the wall oriented to the compass with three each on the east, north, south, and west sides. There is an angel at each gate, or gatehouse. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on these gates. In order to enter the city, nothing impure can enter, therefore those who need to enter must have their impure nature destroyed. There is a time when the gates will be shut, this is for the wedding and the banquet but afterward, the gates will always be open. There is still the outer court which has been given to the Gentiles and in the new Heaven and New Earth, there is no Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

So it is easy to make simple observations not realizing that everything is in it’s own time and place.

Craig.

you said: The names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on these gates. In order to enter the city, nothing impure can enter, therefore those who need to enter must have their impure nature destroyed.

Aaron: What do you have to do to have your sinful nature destroyed? Believe and receive what Jesus has done for you and be born again. You cant burn out your sinful nature…your spirit has to be regenerated and replace the spirit of sin and death( sin nature) with the spirit of the life of Christ… Gods own nature.

Craig please respond to this: Ok. Lets try it again. If “All” will eventually find this life( eternal life) in this life or however one finds it… why does Jesus say “Few”? Ok. I get that some will come through the narrow gate and some will enter the wide gate and whatever else you come up with how they enter…these people represent “ALL” that you say will find this life. Correct? But Jesus does not say “ALL” will eventually find this life he says “Few” will find it…period. Not “All” but few will find it. period…don’t you see you are taking “Few” who will find this life and making it All…your adding to the text.

Definition of Few = little; not many; some
Definition of All = everything; everyone; the complete amount

Few = some
All = everyone; the complete amount

Do you see the contradiction here guys?

How was it answered??? Where? You never take things head on - you simply assert and then tell yourself it has been dealt with or cut and paste an ‘answer’ from someone else.

By substituting your presupposition for the repeating logic of the verse and turning it into nonsense:

“Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for few men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for few men.”

And don’t go around calling Christians ‘blinded’ - it’s arrogant, hypocritical and contradictory.

Ran.

Either your interpretation of Romans 5:18 is in error or Jesus does not know what “few” means. Here is the answer to Romans 5:18, again. (The scripture you mention identifies the human race with Adam and Christ. The steps of redemption began when Christ (the last Adam) paid the penalty for the human race, when Christ hung on the cross in our place…but you must believe to receive it. Jesus is very clear on how many will believe to receive it…He said “Few”…not “All”)

Of course, that isn’t what the verse is saying, at all!

Receive WHAT? Redemption? So if a person doesn’t believe that they are redeemed then they aren’t redeemed? If that’s the case, then they were correct in their ‘faith’ in the first place.

But if a person doesn’t believe that they are redeemed, when, IN FACT, they are redeemed, then their unbelief changes nothing. They can come to see their redemption and even regret not having seen it, but they remain redeemed. Which is what the verse in question is talking about - the universal redemption and justification of mankind.

Not everyone enters eternal life (AIONIOS ZOE), few will find it.
Many will enter eternal corrective punishment (AIONIOS KOLASIS), they will go through a destruction of the sinful nature.

All will enter into the Kingdom, only few will reign in this Kingdom. There are the rulers of the Kingdom (those in AIONIOS ZOE) and then there are the subjects of the Kingdom (those in AIONIOS KOLASIS).

1 Corinthians 15:23-25
*Each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.*

The phrase, “until he has put all his enemies under his feet” is a phrase that means they are in full submission.

Ezekiel 43:7
He said: **"Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. **The house of Israel will never again defile my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the lifeless idols of their kings at their high places.

1 Chronicles 28:2
King David rose to his feet and said: "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it.

Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says:“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.”

Deuteronomy 4:39
Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.

Deuteronomy 10:14
To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.

2 Kings 19:15
And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : "O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.

1 Chronicles 16:31
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”

Acts 17:24
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.

etc. etc. etc.

There is no contradiction, you just don’t understand the big picture yet.