Matthew 7:13-14 (MPhil & PhD Edits)

Through some research I found that I discussed Matthew 7: 13-14 in both of my British thesis degrees and also on this website in archives.

MPhil, Bangor University, 2003: The Problem of Evil: Anglican and Baptist Perspectives 

In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus stated that the majority found their way to destruction, and a minority to life, so even with the possible truth of suffering as lesson, it appears that although lessons can be learned, that most people do not come to God through these lessons in suffering. Now, if many believers in Christ grow spiritually through pain and suffering then I suppose it worthwhile nonetheless.

PhD, University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter, 2010: Theodicy and Practical Theology 

In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus uses an illustration relating to the ultimate destiny of individuals and explains that few persons enter by the narrow gate, and the wide and broad way of destruction is found by many. France (2001: 146). R.T. France (2001) explains that from these verses, and the perspective of Christ, true discipleship is a minority religion. France (2001: 146). He notes that in context, the narrow way should not so much be understood to be a difficult or hard path to travel on, but rather should be viewed as a restricted path. France (2001: 147). The narrow way of Christian discipleship is restrictive, and requires a particular type of religious devotion taught further by Christ and his Apostles. France (2001: 147). Admittedly non-Christian worldviews can contain much truth.

There are many religions and religious persons in the world, but the restrictive nature of Christ’s gospel requires God to enlighten persons to what Christian tradition understands as true religion, as opposed to human attempts at religion. Within a sovereignty perspective, God will choose whom he wills to be present in his culminated Kingdom. This idea is a key aspect of sovereignty theodicy, as God’s election of some is very important in the creator overcoming the problem of evil and ultimately culminating a Kingdom.

FRANCE, R.T. (2001) Matthew, Grand Rapids, Eerdmans.

Universalism July 2007

A religion and a political kingdom

This book review continues...

WALLACE TOM Jr. (2015) Refuting Islam, The Christian Patriots Guide to Exposing the Evils of Islam, Bellingham, Fundamental Publishers.

Chapter Six: Divide and Conquer

On page 50, the author discusses dividing the religion of Islam from Shariah. Mr. Wallace states that Muhammad was building more than a religion; he was building a kingdom. (50).

A political kingdom. Islam is therefore far more than just religious (50), it is by nature very political.
The Shariah (51) also known as Shariah Law (my add), is made up of laws to govern a nation. (51).

Mr. Wallace, reasons, that Shariah should be opposed within the United States of America because Shariah would establish a religious law that would oppose the constitution of the United States of America (54-55).

The author raises a reasonable objection. But are Westernized, and in his case, Americanized, Muslims that left Islamic nations to immigrate to the West, in the majority, or even large minority, going to support the establishment of Shariah Law? Even if it was established, there is a very significant difference between Shariah for submitting Muslims, in a religious context and a forced Shariah for those that do not support Islam in a society. It is very difficult to view a scenario where immigrant Muslims have enough of the population in support to force and coerce Shariah Law as the law of the land.

Quora: Muslim support of Sharia

Cited

2018

The research data by PEW to back up the following 2017 statistics is found at the end of this answer under Research data. 

World Muslims who want Sharia 

Basically the straight forward answer is 69.7% (call it 70%) of the world’s Muslims want Sharia Law. That is a shocking 70% of about 1.8 billion people, which is 1.26 billion Muslims, 16.8% of the world’s population of 7.5 billion.

What do we know about Muslims World-Wide that want Sharia? 

I am going to answer that via an article in the following 

UK paper of Dec 2016 (So almost 2017) pertaining to UK Muslims that want some aspect of Sharia: (SHOCK POLL: Four in ten British Muslims want some aspect of Sharia Law enforced in UK).

Four in ten is a disturbing number, but not a majority. A large minority in the United Kingdom, but not the United States of America, that is the main focus of Mr. Wallace's text.

Poll

By MACER HALL PUBLISHED: 00:01, Fri, Dec 2, 2016 | UPDATED: 13:54, Fri, Dec 2, 2016

Forty-three per cent of followers of the religion living in the country believed that parts of the Islamic legal system should replace British law while only 22 per cent opposed the idea. Researchers also found "deeply worrying" levels of belief among British Muslims in conspiracy theories such as blaming the US government or “Jews" for the 9/11 terror attacks on America.
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As I have noted previously in this review series. I will agree with Mr. Wallace that in principal, I do not philosophically support the concept of a group of people in a Western nation being ruled by their own laws. (16). In my opinion, religious rules and law should not be sanctioned by the state, but should be administered internally within the state support of freedom of religion in Western democracies.

Reasonable religious rules that is. I would not support a religion that supports a horrid practice such as human sacrifice, or is unethical.

For example,  I am a member of Northview Community Church and its second church plant, TriCity Church. If I break a rule required for membership, it is my view that for a reasonable separation of church-state, any church discipline with me should be administered via the church and not in any way by a state government. But again, I support freedom of religion via the state.

For Islam, I am opposed to state sanctioned Shariah Law, but support the right of Islam to rule internally. The modern West, unlike traditional Islam, does not have the religion-state unity and this should be maintained within Western society and law.

You'll not only lose your mind, but you'll lose your soul

Tourist Office Dublin (touristofficedublin.com)

You'll not only lose your mind, but you'll lose your soul  (Video citation).

'Sir Christopher Lee at University College Dublin, discusses rumours of his extensive occult library and black magic. You Tube, November 2011'

Amusing that the person that wrote that Mr. Lee owned 20, 000 books in regard to the occult, to some extent, may have assumed that Mr. Lee's occult based characters in films equated with Mr. Lee being obsessed with the occult. Perhaps in a way, the now late, Mr. Lee was a victim of his own acting excellence with acting roles involving the occult. Mr. Lee from this video source and some other sources online, very well may have had a Christian worldview.

A philosophical lesson here is not to assume that someone that presents a fictional worldview (s), is also embracing that fictional worldview (s) in a non-fiction context, such as the story of Mr. Lee's life. A fictional portrayal does not equate necessarily with an actual worldview in reality. Nor should it be assumed that someone that owns a few books on the occult, and may find them intellectually interesting, embraces the occult as worldview.

I own very few books on the occult, for educational purposes, as I do study religious studies and philosophy. I am by no means an expert on the occult. My friendly neighbour, Walter Thomas Franklin, gave me some of them, probably largely to get disturbing images within the texts out of his house. I neither embrace the books nor the worldview.

Interestingly, I was chatting last Sunday, with a very committed Christian brother and actor at church, that has done local church performances. He is acting in a horror film...

'Sir Christopher Lee at University College Dublin, discusses rumours of his extensive occult library and black magic. You Tube, November 2011'

Via my neighbour

MATTHEWS, RUPERT (ed.) PAUL ROLAND, KAREN FARRINGTON, LUCY DONCASTER, ANDREW HOLLAND, (2009) The Encyclopedia of the Paranormal, London, Arcturus.

I John 2: 18-24: antichrists went from us

I John 2: 18-24

New American Standard Bible

18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that [d]it would be shown that they all are not of us. 20 [e]But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and [f]because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the [g]Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

English Standard Version

18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.[d] 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.

King James Version

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
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The I John texts mentions the antichrist then antichrists. The commentary of R.W. Orr explains that these antichrist teachers seceded from the New Testament Christian Church, marking their apostasy from the truth. (1578). It serves as a demonstration that none of the persons actually belonged in the true Church.

From the versions listed:

NASB: 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that [d]it would be shown that they all are not of us.

A friend of mine today texted me and wrote that a Christian intellectual he listens to opined that the actual end times antichrist might come from New Apostolic Reformation with its approach that assumes the continuation of apostles of prophets. My friend reasons that the movement embraces hyper-charismatic theology and manifestations.

I thought of what I had recently heard listening to I John 2, online...

If the futurist interpretation is correct, and I reason it is at least to some significant degree, the end times antichrist and not only antichrists, could arise from those that attended church within the Christian Church, as those that were never really of us. They were false, biblical Christians.

From my theological speculation, which is different than my friend's source, some type of traditional Christianity and traditional denominations seems a reasonable possibility to produce a religious side of a false Christ, the end times Antichrist. 2 Thessalonians mentions a great falling away (2: 3).

But, I admit, a new religion, without claimed Christian heritage, but a Satanic copy of sorts, is also a possibility.

With the first possibility, extreme liberal and secularized churches connected to Western, political powers in North America and Europe could possibly be part of a revitalized (Western) Roman Empire of sorts, that claims Christian religious heritage and yet denies both the Father and the Son, and therefore the Holy Spirit. These churches then energized by Satanic powers within the reign of the Antichrist.

2 Thessalonians 2

New American Standard Bible

6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His [f]coming; 9 that is, the one whose [g]coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and [h]signs and false wonders, 10 and with [i]all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God [j]will send upon them [k]a deluding influence so that they will believe [l]what is false, 12 in order that they all may be [m]judged who did not believe the truth, but [n]took pleasure in wickedness.

HUBBARD, DAVID A.(1996) ‘Antichrist’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

ORR, R.W. (1986) 'The Letters of John' in The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.