Kingdom: Gate

[Matthew 7:13-14]
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are hard.” Matthew 7:13-14
The Kingdom of God is vast. The Kingdom of God is all around. But there is only one way in. All who want to be a part of the Kingdom must enter through the the one narrow gate. There is no other way into the Kingdom. There are no other roads that lead to life. Only one narrow gate provides access into the Kingdom.
As Jesus teaches us in John 14:6 He alone is the way, the truth, the life. Noone can come to the Father but through Him. He alone is the narrow gate that provides entry to the Kingdom. He alone can offer salvation and eternal Kingdom life. Buddha won’t save. Mohammed can’t give life. The Deli Lama is unable to provide entry. Clean living won’t get you there. Righteous needs will never be enough. Only Jesus is able to provide entry to the Kingdom. No matter what others promise there is no way into the Kingdom that is not through Him.
And it may sound harsh to say there is no other way. It may sound arrogant to say all other options lead to destruction, that the one and only gate to the Kingdom is Jesus. But here is the thing. While the gate to the Kingdom is exclusively Jesus, He is an inclusive gate. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.
All other religious systems have restrictions on who can be saved according to their beliefs. All other ideologies are restrictive in who can follow. But Jesus is gracefully inclusive. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Through Jesus’ death on the cross the narrow gate to the Kingdom has been flung open and all can enter in. The narrow gate is wide open to people from every nation. The narrow gate is wide open to male and female, young and old, rich and poor. Regardless of race, regardless of what language you speak the gate is open. You don’t have to dress a certain way, walk a certain way, speak a certain way or read the ‘right’ Bible translation. The gate is open to all who call on the name of the Lord. Healthy and sick, cripple, lame, disabled, unwell – the gate is open. Regardless of occupation, regardless of where you live, regardless of if you have a little or a lot, regardless of the religious system you were born into, regardless of your nationality, regardless of what you have done – the gate is open. To all who call on the name of the Lord the narrow gate to the Kingdom is open wide. No matter what is in your past, the struggles you’ve faced, the burdens you carry, the ongoing sins – if you approach the narrow gate by the hard way that leads to the Kingdom you will be welcomed in by Jesus, our inclusively exclusive Saviour. Jesus, the one who died on the cross in our place to open the narrow gate to the Kingdom. All who call on the name of the Lord will be welcomed into the Kingdom and receive the fullness of life that is found there. Jesus places no restrictions on who can come. The only restriction is on how we come. We must come through the narrow gate of faith in Jesus’ death on the cross in our place, but the gate is open to all. Do not make a blockade that prevents people getting to the gate but instead make sure all know that the gate is open to them as they are. Sure they may have changes to make, but first they need to enter through the narrow gate into Kingdom life. The gate is narrow but it is wide open. Salvation is exclusively through Jesus, but He is the inclusive Saviour!
Focus verse: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:13
To ponder:
What restrictions do other religions put on salvation?
How does Jesus differ?
What does it mean for us to grasp that the gate is open to all who call on the name of the Lord?