I have heard, all of my life in church things like many are called but few are chosen and you must only enter through the narrow gate, which was explained as a metaphor for Christ. If that sounds like a very exclusive club, I agree. It seems to eliminate everyone who is not Christian doesn’t it? Or, does it?
Living in God, living God’s way is not an exclusive club. You do not have to be a Christian to live God’s way. People from all over the world live lives of kindness and caring and giving. So what is this “narrow gate” all about? It is my understanding that the “narrow gate” was used by shepherds to ensure that each sheep could be counted. The sheep could only go through the gate one at a time. It was done to count each sheep individually. It was done so that the shepherd could know each and every sheep. It was done so that the sheep could not get through except alone.
It dawned on me that the “narrow gate” is not about excluding anyone. It is instead about having to go through the “gate” alone, one by one. We cannot find someone to walk with us through the gate, nor can we have someone go there for us, instead we have to get through by ourselves. The second thing that dawned on me is that entering through that gate alone means the Christ, the Living God sees everyone individually, gets to know and understand us individually.
Perhaps we have missed the point. That narrow gate is the way in which the God of All of life knows us personally. That “one-at-a-time” approach is what makes the God of all a personal God. Throughout time, people have had to have a god. The God that is the one Christ talked about as being above all others is unique. This Creator wants a personal relationship with each one of us. Now, does the “narrow gate” make sense? That gate is how we are one on one with God, how God “lays eyes on us” directly. No other deity that I have encountered in study or travel takes a personal and individual interest in the created.
So, this metaphor is much more about one-on-one love with the Creator of all than it is about excluding anyone. Perhaps that is why the metaphor is taught in other ways, it is very personal to be one – on- one with the Living God. That is very intimate and most of us feel unworthy of that deep intimacy. We are NOT unworthy. That one life sacrificed made all of creation worthy. It makes all of creation able to be aware of the intimacy the Living God wants to share with us.
TMM