The Narrow Gate: Why does God need, not want, a Narrow Gate?

“And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.” Job 1:5

I feel that what this verse speaks to is the fact that the contrition, the desire to become right with God again, that was involved in the sacrificial was starting to wane. Thus, Job, being both a kind and concerned (and rich) Dad, made sacrifices for them, and in so doing, we can see that the rich or whomever, could sin and then just sacrifice and make it ok. That ease of atonement hurt God, I think, like that situation we’ve all been in where we are still hurting and the person that seemed to apologize just to apologize, there wasn’t any real change, but they knew they ‘had’ to do it. Their response, “What? I said I was sorry. I did my sacrifice. What’s your deal?”

Further, God felt a little far away from his creation. While he watched over all of them, the only ones that could enter his presence were the Levites, and while he loved them, there was a connection to each person that he wanted to have. Something deeper than a sacrifice- so Jesus took on the mission to save the world.

He came into the world as it was establishing one of the largest conquests Europe and Asia had ever seen, the Roman Empire spanned continents, allowing messages to travel far and wide. Jesus entered a scene of unrest for the Jewish people; A land that had people plucked for local power in Herod, kept the traditions alive by not eliminating the High Priests, Pharisees, and Sadducees, but still made sure that Rome was not forgotten in the appointment of Pontius Pilate and other nearby governors.

Fast-forwarding while not forgetting the weight of his actions, Jesus dies and rises again. This resets the opportunity for us to get close to God. With Jesus as our mediator, paying for our sins once and for all, Jesus is now the person we have to have a relationship with to enter Heaven and have connection with God. So now, we can see that God looks to Jesus- “Is this one with you? Is this person safe? Has this one given his or her life to you?” Jesus is the one who guards the gate. God trusts his son, and they are both in trust of the Holy Spirit who helps and speaks for us: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26

So God has a gate. His perfection requires it. However, he doesn’t make it difficult for anyone to enter. Jesus asks us to enter into relationship with him and doesn’t ask for any more than that at that point. However, change is coming, as the Bible says,

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2nd Corinthians 3:18. Then the Holy Spirit comes, as we saw above and in this last verse, to help us out and speak on our behalf. You won’t win the lottery and you might still be addicted to something, but subtle changes do begin to occur. As we are transformed, God is crafting us through revelations that come from a variety of places: through his word, our prayer, our friends, our world, and our actions as we respond to these revelations.

While God makes the gate narrow, I hope that every person who reads this remembers that no one, not even the greatest preachers, not any of the apostles, from Billy Graham and Rick Warren to Paul and John, no one achieved or will achieve perfection in their lifetime. Jesus, the perfect lamb, is our perfection.

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.1st Peter 1:17-19