Entering By the Narrow Gate, Part 6

Driving home: we are married to a bewitching fascinating captivating woman a strumpet called the world and we have upon us figuratively speaking a wedding band a voluntary and joyful attachment to the world in this spiritual wedding a…

Martin uses the metaphor of being 'married to a bewitching, fascinating, captivating woman, a strumpet called the world' to illustrate humanity's voluntary and joyful attachment to the world, emphasizing that entering the narrow gate requires a spiritual divorce.

to that gate of a sound biblical conversion every one of us is found in a married condition there are singles at the gate we all come to it married and we are married to a bewitching fascinating captivating woman a strumpet called the world and we have upon us figuratively speaking a wedding band a voluntary and joyful attachment to the world in this spiritual wedding and we are and the teaching of scripture is that if we would enter the narrow gate we cannot go through arm in arm with our darling bride we cannot get through embracing our companion through the gate when we sue out a bill of di...

14:42 - 16:10 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We know that we are of God and the whole world, the total number of those who are not of God, who have not been born of his spirit, who are not for real, regardless of what they may profess. We are of God and the whole w…

A stranded vessel lying embedded in the sand, held captive, is used as an image to describe the world 'lying in the evil one,' suggesting its helpless and unbudgeable captivity.

The whole world lies in the evil one. One perceptive commentator writing on this text says the world lies in the wicked one. The figure may suggest several different ideas. First, a stranded vessel lying embedded in the sand.

32:32 - 32:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that having left the world, you are not to defile yourself with spiritual adultery by flirting with it again.

A lost sheep engulfed in a treacherous swamp is another image used to convey the world's helpless and dangerous state of being 'in the evil one.'

Another image, a lost sheep lying engulfed in a treacherous swamp. A sow contented to lie wallowing in the mire. A Samson lying bewitched in Delilah's lap. These are the images called forth and they are all but too appropriate.

33:08 - 33:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that having left the world, you are not to defile yourself with spiritual adultery by flirting with it again.

A sow contented to lie wallowing in the mire illustrates the world's willing and contented embrace of its fallen state under the evil one's influence.

Another image, a lost sheep lying engulfed in a treacherous swamp. A sow contented to lie wallowing in the mire. A Samson lying bewitched in Delilah's lap. These are the images called forth and they are all but too appropriate.

33:08 - 33:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that having left the world, you are not to defile yourself with spiritual adultery by flirting with it again.

Samson lying bewitched in Delilah's lap is used as a powerful analogy for the world lying in the evil one, highlighting the seductive and ultimately destructive nature of this embrace.

Another image, a lost sheep lying engulfed in a treacherous swamp. A sow contented to lie wallowing in the mire. A Samson lying bewitched in Delilah's lap. These are the images called forth and they are all but too appropriate.

33:08 - 33:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that having left the world, you are not to defile yourself with spiritual adultery by flirting with it again.

Martin quotes a perceptive commentator who describes the fall as 'out of the arms of God and into the embrace of the wicked one,' emphasizing the devil's active role in receiving and comforting the fallen, shaping their worldview.

Consider in its origin this lying of the world in the wicked one may be taken in a very literal and personal sense. And listen carefully, this description has gripped me like few things have gripped me in recent days. The fall is out of the arms of God and into the embrace of the wicked one. He is ready to receive the fallen and in a measure to break their fall.

33:28 - 33:56 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are conscious of ill will in your heart towards another, deal with it, even in the midst of worship, because God desires right relationships.

The analogy of salt preserving putrefying, rancid meat (like hamburger patties left in the sun) is used to explain how believers, as 'salt of the earth,' are in the world but separate from its corruption, checking its putrefaction.

in verses 13 and 14 you are the salt of the earth verse 14 you are the light of the world what's he saying my people are in this world what salt is in the presence of meekness that would otherwise putrefy and become rancid bacteria multiplying first on the surface and then penetrating through the fibers like the hamburger patties that someone forgot and left out in a hot august sun for three hours on the side of the grill and they've already begun to be slimy and covered with flies Jesus said that's the world with its slime with its flies of satanic instigation of desires and appetites and pas...

43:34 - 45:01 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are conscious of ill will in your heart towards another, deal with it, even in the midst of worship, because God desires right relationships.

The terms 'racha' (dummy, stupid jerk) and 'thou fool' are given as modern equivalents of ancient insults, illustrating how Jesus' law on anger touches even disdainful language, not just physical violence.

they were concerned with external appearances as Jesus said in Matthew 23 like whitewashed sepulchers like those who scrubbed the outside of a cup and a platter but within were full of excess they were concerned with minutia and they looked over the great mountain peaks of the moral demand you tithe mint and anise in coming and you've left undone the weightier matters of the law justice and mercy that was the Pharisees Jesus said the subjects of my kingdom are concerned for a righteousness that takes as its standard the law of my father in all of its divinely intended depth and length and brea...

47:59 - 49:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Be committed to sexual purity down to the 'throb of thought and desire and intention,' and be prepared to go to any length short of sin to deal with any breach of that command.

The Pharisees sounding a trumpet before giving alms is used as an example of worldly religious practice, where the motivation is human glory rather than God's approval.

and they're prepared to deal with anything that would feed at the deepest levels of thought even the slightest desire for physical intimacy with any other woman but their God intended wife and they're not if they are single they're prepared to deal with anything that will keep them from having erotic thoughts to any woman under any circumstances whatsoever that's not the world this is my people have left the world they've kissed it goodbye they've pulled off the ring it's buried in the sea and then in the fourth place in this sermon it's clear with respect to the great concerns by which the su...

56:52 - 58:20 Read in full sermon