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People use the narrow gate metaphor that Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount to feed their persecution complex and to exclude others. I frequently come across egregious misrepresentations of these passages. Often spoken with cult-like intentions, it is always meant to instill fear. Was this Jesus's intent? Was he using fear to encourage people to follow him instead of the religious leaders of his time? That was certainly part of it, but it also gave comfort to an oppressed people by offering them an alternative to the strict application of the law or just going along with the bullies. These passages are hard to consider because these verses are some of the clearest examples of where audience and context matter. It is why simplistic interpretations are so easily weaponized by people today. Nuance and context are hard for many Christians. I discuss these verses and compare it to the seemingly contradictory when Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light," in Matthew 11:30.
#salvation #narrowgate #widepath #yokeiseasy #jesussaves #edmonds #edmondspres #pcusa