DISCIPLESHIP In Red Letters

THERE IS SO MUCH TALK ABOUT  ‘discipleship’ we have rarely even considered what Jesus has to say about it. This is what a disciple according to Jesus.

He is a person who…

 

FOLLOWS Christ.

John 8:31 “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

 

FELOWSHIPS With Others.

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

 

FISHES For Men.

John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

 

How do I start in that journey?

Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Now, you can’t obviously follow Christ without the cross. And you can’t carry something if you don’t even know what it stands for. Dead to self. Dead to sin. Then just as Christ was raised from the dead on the third day, you too can live. It starts with the Gospel.

 

To summarize, here’s what Jesus has to say both in Matt. 4:19, and in Mark 1:17:

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

 

In red letters.

 

 

MAKE DISCIPLES: An Expression Of Loving God

THERE’S NOW A WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON regarding (loving) helping the less privileged. Young people are now looking for something that is beyond them.  Volunteerism is on the rise. Sort of like our REAL Life-feeding program every Saturday morning. Habitat for Humanity. Gawad Kalinga (Philippine version). And many more.

After examining the first and the greatest commandment, let’s now look at the second great commandment.

Matt. 22:39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matt. 22:40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

These must really be highly classified commandments because ‘all the Law and the Prophets HANG on these two’.

‘LOVE the Lord…’ and ‘Love you neighbor…’

The other aspect of fulfilling the greatest commandment, besides the ‘love for the Lord’ -vertical relationship, is the ‘love for one’s neighbor’ –horizontal relationship. The Scriptures tells us that,

1John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
1John 4:21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Rom. 13:8  Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
Rom. 13:9 The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Rom. 13:10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

As a movement, we express this important law through our desire to ‘make disciples’. Despite of the current anti-discipleship attitudes of the age.

a disciple. One of the ways to find out the theme of a certain passage of Scriptures is through the Principle of Repetition. So if you look at these words below, you won’t be so far off from the truth.

* Christian/s – 3x
* believers- 28x
* saints – 69x
* disciple/s – 296x

God is looking, not just for a Christian, a believer, or a saint; He is on the look out for a disciple. A disciple; a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ezek. 22:30  “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.

be a disciple. How can one become a disciple of Christ? Well, let’s ask Him. It’s self-explanatory in red letters.

John 8:31  “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 15:8  “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

be a disciple-maker. Many stop short of just becoming a recipient of heaven. Just a recipient, but not a conduit. But Jesus, in red letters again, said,

Matt. 28:18  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Matt. 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Matt. 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Being a disciple-maker has something to do with first commandment ever mentioned in the Bible.

Gen. 1:28  God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

When we fulfill what He is asking us to do, we are actually following God.

So I say,

“Following God Entails Helping Others Follow Him.”

But as much as it is impossible to love God apart from Christ, so it is to love our neighbor as ourselves.

1John 3:16  This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

1John 4:19  We love because he first loved us.

Only through the cross that we can love God (vertical line) and love others (horizontal line).

When these lines crossed each other, that would give us a glimpse of HOPE.

Top 10 Anti-Biblical Discipleship Quotes

CHECK these quotes regarding biblical discipleship:

1. “I’ll take care of me, and you take care of you, and will get along better that way.” Independent Spirit.

2. “As long as your belief is correct, I don’t care how you behave.” Antinomianism.

3. “As long as you are sincere.” (Ignorantia Legis Neminem Excusat) Ignorance.

4. “Not now. I am not ready, yet.” Fear.

5. “What’s good for you might not be good for me.” Relativism.

6. “Been there, done that.” Arrived.

7. “Jesus makes no demands on me.” (Since Jesus is either dead or just a baby) Religiosity, Philippine-Version.

8. “Whatever feels good, do it.” Hedonism.

9. “I like your Christ, but I don’t like your Christians.” Burned.

10. “No one’s qualified enough to disciple me.” Pride.

If you have additional suggestions, they would be greatly welcomed.

Jump in!

DISCIPLESHIP Motives

Have you ever wondered what should be the driving force behind every attempt to make disciples?

Here are some questionable ones.

“Evange-ligaw” (courting a girl), “Bible-steady”, “disciple-chicks” trying to be a missionary to the opposite gender. Hoping at the end they’ll end up being together. The person, most of the time, becomes a recipient of Paul’s admonition in 2 Corinthians 6.14. Rather than winning the person to Christ, he ends up winning the person for his own benefit.

“Personal-priest” status to survive and acquire personal gain. In Judges 17.7-13, a young Levite became Micah’s personal priest (“this Levite has become my priest.”). Many ministers have become peddlers for profit rather than preachers of the Gospel.

Or many more other motives that Paul exposed in lives of the believers in Philippi. Out of envy and rivalry (Phil 1.15) and out of self ambition, not sincerely (Phil 1.17). So what could be the right motives in making long lasting disciples?

A Desire To Please God

2Cor. 5:9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

Pleasing God should be everyone’s business in every area of life. It is not a lip service; it’s our hearts’ pursuit. Faith then is necessary (Hebrews 11.6). Before you share and impart faith, you better make sure you’re possessed. Yup. Possessed with faith.

The Fear Of The Lord

2Cor. 5:11  Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.

We persuade men out of our healthy knowledge of the fear of the Lord. Are there rewards too? Definitely. But ultimately, we know that it is still the terror of God that makes us wise (Ps 111.10; Prov 9.10). And therefore makes us win souls (Prov 11.30).

Compassion For The Multitudes

2Cor. 5:14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

“Out of goodwill (Phil 1.15b)” done “in love” (Phil 1.16a), melts the hearts of people. The Gospel becomes real in the lives of many. There’s an undeniable effect. They not only see it, they could feel it too. Now I am compelled. Not out of mere emotion, but out of sure revelation (Rom 5.8). See Matthew 9.36 and be convinced.

But here’s the twist…

Phil. 1:18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Wow… I am thoroughly amazed of Paul’s high end sincerity. In light of the Philippians’ ‘envy’, ‘rivalry’, ‘self ambition’, and lack of ‘sincerity’, you could sense that Paul had no trace of legalism at all! As long as men and women come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, it’s enough to make Paul happy. But I advice the ones who have adapted the opposite motives, get into further discipleship in Christ. Embrace the true motives he enumerated in his second letter to the Corinthians chapter five.

So the next time you’re tempted to adapt the false ones, think again.

As long as Christ is exalted above all…

Let’s go keep making disciples…

TOP TEN Classic Discipleship Quotes (Part two)

DUE TO SOME POSITIVE RESPONSES from our dear readers and our hardworking staffs, I decided to add a sequel of our top ten sayings.

Be inspired!

 

1) “As long as there is a lost person out there, we are not big enough.” –Steve Murrell

This is a good measuring stick for us to use as far as church growth is concerned. There is no room for us to be big-headed, but instead we need to be concerned about the lost world out there.

 

2) “Find out what God is doing in your generation, then fling your life into it.” –Larry Tomzsack

While Steve was listening to Larry’s sermon when he was a young Christian, he was so surprised by that statement that it solidified his resolve to being in ministry and to reaching the youth.

 

3) “When in doubt, TITHE!” –Steve Murrell

A businessman handed me ten thousand pesos in cash for my first ever missions trip to Indonesia way back in the 80’s. I was so thankful to God and so I asked Pastor Steve if I should tithe it. Well, you know by now what he told me.

 

4) “You’ll never be mistaken in giving.” –Juray Mora

I can’t think of any other most generous person in the Ministry, but Juray. He lives, breaths, preaches, and demonstrates generosity to the full. It behooves us to follow his example.

 

5) “Don’t make decisions based on money.” –Steve Murrell

We were trained early on to move in faith not by sight. Every time we do conferences and missions trips, we were challenged with this punch line. I guess this can also by applied when getting married! (Warning: This only applies to single people 40 years old and above.)   

 

6) “How are you going to face your problem, if your problem is your face?” – Luther Mancao

Well, I don’t really know how to categorize this statement. Pastor Luther’s sayings are beyond explanation most of the time. You just have to hear and meditate on it for a week!

 

7) “All roads lead to discipleship.” –Ferdie Cabiling

Rome has been that important of a city that they made all roads, during those ancient days, leading to the center. Well, there is something significant about the term; it was the concept Jesus emphasized before He left: discipleship.

We decided to live with this aphorism as our guide in ministry every time we do an activity in Victory Ortigas.

 

8.)“If you have to brag much about your accomplishments, then it must have not been big enough.” Mr. Broocks (Rice’s Dad)

I heard this several times from Pastor Rice’s sermons on leadership, discipleship, and ministry. This really helped him to be on the side of humility every time he is tempted to brag on his achievements. He heard this said from his Dad when he went home one day.

I’d been on the opposite side of humility so many times. I’m just wondering how much more if I had never heard this early on from Rice. Oh God…more grace.

 

9) “The greatest legacy you can leave behind in this life is the lives you’ve touched for God.” –Dr. Jun Escosar

Way back when I was a student, I would always think, ‘I want to be like Jun E when I grow up‘. He was the first guy who became our full time minister in church. One of the other reasons why serving God was exciting is because we see him exemplify that.

 

10) “Saan tayo kakain?” (“Where are we going to EAT?”) –Manny Carlos

Acts 2.46b “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts…”

There’s nothing more biblical than finding out where to eat! Thanks Manny for inspiring all of us.

TOP TEN (+1) CLASSIC DISCIPLESHIP QUOTES

All throughout the twenty-four years of being a follower of Christ, I have collected powerful discipleship quotes.

Here are the following:

 

1. “Change the campus, change the world!”

The mother of all classic quotes. This was the very first ‘mantra’ ever launched way back in the 80’s by the master of quotes, Rice Broocks. It was so vivid because most of us were still university students at that time.

 

2. “Every nation in our generation.”

This is the most recent adage that Rice Broocks contributed. So simple yet profound that we named our worldwide movement after it. A powerful one – not only because of the name we got out of it, but also the mission of discipleship that is wrapped around it.

 

3. “A Bible and a passport.”

This was so real to us that a high percentage of our young people would want to go to the mission field. Most of us would apply for a passport, and be sure to be ready when he calls us to other nations. I don’t really know exactly who started this quote in the 80’s, but I could not think of anyone else but Pastor Steve Murrell.

 

4. “Why don’t you go home; take off your clothes in front of a mirror, then tell me if you are a boy of a girl?”

We were so much into helping others walk with God and become champions that we were all concerned about one another. So Pastor Steve asked me if I could help out this certain student named, Francis. While talking with him, I realized that there are fundamental issues I have to clarify before I proceed into this thing.

Ferdie: “Are you a boy or a girl?”

Francis: “I don’t knowww!”

Now, that was the start of a loooong journey to becoming a real man.

 

5. “Your Momma ain’t here!”

In one of our early exposure to Men’s Meetings, a young man in the Anson’s Arcade church venue was asked to share what’s in his heart to the expectant audience packed with disciples, young men full of testosterone. It was quite an inspiring exhortation that when he ended it with the quote mentioned above. Men…it was etched or shall I say, tattooed in our brains. To the middle-aged men today who were there during that time in the late 80’s; they could all point out to Jerry Santiago as the author of that phrase.

 

6. “If your son is acting like a monkey, it’s because he sees a bigger monkey in the house.”

I could sense that the short stint that the Lord allowed Omeng (Cervantes) and I in ministering to the Chinese youth in Dasmariñas Village, Makati was coming to an end. We were approaching the chapter on the Holy Spirit in the Purple Book that I knew some parents are a bit worried about, doctrinally. The spokesperson told me while surrounded by all the parents of these teenagers that his son was not really into it. “In fact,” he said, “ I have never even seen him read his Bible at home.” At the back of my head, I was thinking that this concerned father was treating Omeng and I as ‘hired’ teachers. Without hesitation, an aphorism just came out of my mouth!

 

7. “If you will not stop taking advantage of the girls here, I’m going to squeeze your b*@#s! You understand?”

Rico Ricafort was one of the youth pastors we had who made so much impact in many of our young people’s lives. He was a ‘shepherd’, indeed. A couple of teenagers were smooching inside a car in the parking lot before the youth gathering one Friday evening. When Rico found that out, he sat down with the boy and gave him a youth pastor’s straight-to-the-point advice.

Similarly, just a side note here, Joseph Carodan told one of the athletes regarding purity in the midst of fame in the sports world. “This (pointing to person’s heart) and this (pointing to the person’s crotch), belong to only one woman – your wife!”

 

8. “Every member a minister”

Denis Sy, the senior pastor of our San Juan congregation, once traveled with me to Bogota, Colombia back in 2002. We visited one of the larger Christian local churches in the world with a discipleship-based culture. We came back to Manila armed with a vision and a strategy wrapped into one.

 

9. “Discipleship is relationship”

This statement hit the nail on the head. The right to disciple is earned through a framework of relationship. Joey Bonifacio, not only coined the term; he even entitled one his blog sites with it.

 

10.“It’s all about discipleship, stupid”

I was caught surprise when Julius (Fabregas) and I discovered the philosophy of ministry of the Fellowship Church, Dallas, Texas. ‘It’s all about the weekend service, stupid.’ I approached one of the pastors and suggested the above-mentioned cliché. I liked it so much that I named my Word Press site, ‘It’s all about discipleship, Genius!’

 

+1 This has been Joseph Carodan’s version of the Great Commission to simplify it for the athletes to understand. Whether he is doing the offering, preaching a sermon, or teaching in our school; he would always use this to wrap it up. I think he has been using this like an exclamation point or a period in a sentence for five years!

“We’re gonna rock this nation!”

 

 

VIP -EQUIPPING The Disciples (3/6): “It’s HIP To Be EQUIPPED”

“WHERE DID YOU GET ALL THESE LEADERS, Steve?” inquired by a visiting missionary to our beloved pastor. “Just right here.” And he would add, “You should have seen them when we found them. You wldn’t recognize them at all! And you should have heard how (horrible) they preach before…”

We just laugh about it when Steve would tell these types of conversations. The ‘trade secret’ of the ministry was so simple but usually not given much attention: a consistent hard work of making and equipping disciples, in-house. The philosophy behind our version of ‘ENLI’- in-house leadership training school, ‘Leadership Labs‘ during summer time, two-by-two evangelism in the campuses, etc, etc…is the desire to raise leaders from the ranks. There is that undeniable culture of discipleship. Where streams of students would get, not just teaching-impartation of Bible knowledge and values, but also training, where there’s an avenue for impartation of skills and wisdom.

Ephesians 4:12
“to prepare God’s people for works of service…”

A conscious effort of ‘preparing God’s people for works of service’ across the board is what makes us able to multiply and develop leaders. A ‘man-of-God’ syndrome is abhorred, or at least, minimized. Success in ministry, at least in the campuses, is measured by having successors rather than a numbers game.

Speaking of developing leaders, one of the best descriptions regarding David that I really treasure in the Scriptures is the one found in Psalms. This verse really epitomizes the importance of having the skills needed in leadership as it is contrasted with having the character (integrity of heart).

Leading God’s people requires the balance of both.

Psalms 78:72
“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart (impartation by teaching); with skillful hands (impartation by training) he led them.

An “integrity of heart” – a “skillful hands = inefficiency.

While,

A “skillful hands”- an“integrity of heart” = shallowness.

But,

An “integrity of heart + a “skillful hands” = epitome (of a shepherd of God’s people).

I believe we have variety of opportunities for our local church members, who are small group leaders, to get to a place of further equipping.

Through our small groups, where each member is exposed to a firsthand life/ministry coaching; through our two years of in-house leadership training classes (E.N.L.I.); through our Leaders’ Lectures; through our bi-monthly all-small-group-leaders rally (V.I.P.); and every other month of impartation and encouragement from each pastoral staff to his/her block of small group leaders; or at least, someone who cares enough about you to share a time in a regular basis, to help bring you to a ‘hole natha’ level in leadership.

I hope by now, you’ve surmised how I value (as a local church pastor), leadership development. And I believe this is the way to be assured that the movement’s core values and DNA are passed down to the next generation of leaders.

I think my conclusion is undeniable:

“It’s HIP to be EQUIPPED!”

V.I.P. Disc. Leaders (2/6) ESTABLISH In Sp. Foundations & Sp. Family: “Quit Drifting, Get ANCHORED”

WHAT MADE THE GOSPEL of Jesus Christ penetrate the known world for only thirty-three years right after the resurrection? Imagine accomplishing that without mobile phones, internet, jet planes, emails, chat rooms, television, telephones, websites, etc.

What sort of transformation took place between Acts 1:8 and Acts 8:1? What happened between the conversion of the sinners to becoming preachers of the Gospel?

I believe it has something to do with the foundations laid in the lives of the new believers and the genuine fellowship (family atmosphere) formed among them. In short, they were established – solidly grounded.

Take a look at this:
Acts 2:42-47
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Apostle Paul himself was established spiritually – a foundation was laid, when a disciple named Ananias assisted him in his new-found faith (Acts 9.10-19). Then another Christian disciple, Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’), introduced him to the rest of the spiritual family (Acts 9.27).

Now, imagine the effect in his life and ministry. He wrote two-thirds of the New Testament, which were designed to help establish new believers in different regions, mostly churches he started.

One of the epistles, not the wives of the apostles, which he wrote to the Hebrews was designed to help them press on to spiritual progress and maturity. Some were neglecting the Word that he exhorted them not to drift away (Hebrews 2.1).

Try to look around us and see lots of people who responded well to the Gospel but in a stunted stage because they are drifting away like a boat, afloat but with no direction. No exertion of effort. Just at the mercy of the incoming waves. Before you know it, you’ve become so far away from the shore, and beyond reach.

But, thanks be to God, new believers don’t have to be adrift. They can be established firmly and securely (with the help of fellow ‘ship mates’).

When the storms of life start to attack us on every side; we will have nothing to worry, for our hope (Jesus Christ), is the Anchor of our lives.

Hebrews 6:19a
“We have this hope (Jesus Christ) as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”

OUTRAGEOUS Sayings Of Jesus: All You Can Eat

OUTRAGEOUS FOODS ARE here to stay. We have different weird ones in almost every country: “veggie mite” of the Aussies; “chicken feet” of China; “monkey’s brain” of Hong Kong; some sort of “hippopotamus” meat of South Africa; “ceviche” of Peru; “sushi” dipped in wasabe with soy souce of Japan…(the rest of our readers out there, feel free to share your contri, especially if you’re a fan Andrew Zimmer of Discovery Channel: (‘Bizarre Foods’).

We don’t even have to go far to see some bizarre ones. In the Philippines, we have a lot of those: “Azucena” adobo dog meat of Baguio; fried “cricket” of Tuguegarao; “durian” fruit of Davao; the world famous and I think, Ptr. Steve’s fave, “balut”, a boiled unhatched duck egg of Pateros.

But there is this unique Filipino dish that’s so good to eat with rice cake (puto): “Dinuguan”. Side note, “Sabi nila, pinaglihi daw ako sa puto…kaya lang nahulog sa dinuguan kaya naging ganito ang kulay ko.” It’s pork meat with some mysterious parts mixed with pig’s blood.

I know…I know you are a bit squeamished about the idea. But imagine telling that to the Jewish people!

Well, Jesus mentioned something even more outrageous that “dinuguan”.

John 6:52-55
“Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.”

But what made this statement so outrageous; being one of the most original hard sayings in the Bible, is not because of the ‘cannibalism’ idea in it; not because they can’t understand the saying; but it is the difficulty of accepting the meaning of it. So hard that many disciples, I mean DISCIPLES, turned there backs and no longer followed Him.

This has become the saddest verse in the entire Scriptures, which is found in, what I call, the ‘666’ verse- John 6.66.

What made Christianity so unique is that it is highly EXPERIENCIAL. He was telling us to feed on Him! And He wasn’t the first one to talk about eating the things of God, though:

Psalms 34:8
“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”

Ezekiel 3:2-3
“So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.”

Since the words He used were associated with ritual sacrifice terms, Jesus was here claiming to be the Lamb of God, the sacrifice that would be offered for the sins of the world.

It is almost like Jesus was telling them, the disciples then, and today, that:

“Only Jesus Satisfies Our Hunger.”

(In a way, I made an illustration about this idea in what we can call ‘Salad Bar’ theology, and the story as I have said it at the end of my message in this podcast.)

With that truth, He must have attached this note: “Re’spondez S’il Vous Plait” (R.S.V.P.)…short for, “Please reply.”

Only few, twelve disciples to be exact, responded well (vv.67-69).

Will you?

If you will, then I say to you…

“Bon Appetit!”

OUTRAGEOUS Sayings of Jesus: The Camel And The Eye Of The Needle (No ID,No Entry)

INSTEAD OF BEING MUSHY and just focus on ‘boy and girl’ relationships this month of love- February, allow me to go through other aspects of our hearts’ pursuits.

In conjunction to our new series, we will be dealing with several ‘hard’ or shall I say ‘outrageous’ sayings of Jesus. To start with, let’s jump right in to the most difficult sayings of all: The camel and the needle’s eye.

This encounter with ‘the rich young ruler’ gives a rich picture of the radical nature of discipleship. The impossibility of one’s attempt to save self or to enter heaven.

Fulfilling the laws of Moses cannot guarantee it. It can only point a person to the right direction, but it can not bring you to a lasting security. Now Jesus pointed out the real issue of the matter in the life of this man: a LOVE for the things of this world.

The Scripture tells us…

1John 2:15
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Colossians 3:1-2
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

There were attempts to tone down this hard-to-believe declaration of Christ. Some say that the ‘eye of the needle’ was a reference to a small opening, giving an independent access to the city. A visitor can dismount and get through the small entrance on foot but the camel, especially if it’s loaded, can’t get through. It must wait for the main gate to be opened to let it through. This is a charming explanation but it has no evidence at all; that a subsidiary entrance really did not exist in history.

Another attempt was made, but this time in the area of definition. The word ‘camel’, they say, has the same sounding in Greek with the word ‘cable’. If it is the case, then it can be translated as ‘rope’. This then can be more acceptable and rational to say compared to what Jesus declared. Well, at least a ‘rope’ is easier to accept than a camel or an elephant! But once again, this is nothing but futile attempt to lessen the impact of the meaning of this language…a language of hyperbole that Jesus used.

Whatever one might say, realize that it is humanly impossible for a person, rich or poor, to enter the kingdom of God apart from the divinely initiated ultimate act: Christ’s death on the cross.

Our “identity” should be establish on who Christ is and what he did (faith in Christ) before we can attain eternal life. Salvation is impossible apart from Christ, who was sacrificed on the cross of Calvary. More like a student trying to enter through the campus main gate seeing this notice: “No ID, No Entry”.

So to follow the logic of what Christ said:

The Way To Enter The Eye Of The Needle Is Through The Foot Of The Cross!