The Narrow Gate

When Truth Becomes Dangerous

On September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, a 22-year-old assassin named Tyler Robinson took aim at conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a campus speaking event. Kirk was shot in the neck from approximately 150 yards away by a sniper positioned on a nearby rooftop, dying instantly in front of hundreds of students and supporters during his "American Comeback Tour."

From Bullets to Baptisms: America's Great Awakening Begins

The assassination sent shockwaves across the nation, but it was the responses that followed which revealed the true spiritual condition of our time—responses that perfectly illustrate Jesus' teaching about the narrow gate and the wide gate, and the two thieves on the cross.

How One Assassination Sparked a Million Conversions

Tyler Robinson: A Profile in Radicalization

Tyler Robinson grew up in a suburban Utah community in a close-knit family, scored well on standardized tests, and earned a 4.0 GPA. After graduating high school in 2021, he filmed a video proudly reciting a letter from Utah State University offering him a four-year merit scholarship. But Robinson left the state school after just a semester, taking a leave of absence and never returning.

Robinson engraved provocative and politically charged messages on bullet casings used in the attack, ranging from internet memes to references tied to anti-fascist symbolism. One casing read "Hey fascist! CATCH!" another bore "Oh Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Ciao, Ciao," referencing the Italian partisan song celebrated by anti-fascist fighters, and another said "If you read this, you are GAY Lmao."

According to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Robinson had become "more political in recent years" and during a recent family dinner, Robinson mentioned Kirk was coming to Utah Valley University and discussed with family members why they didn't like Kirk and his viewpoints, with one family member stating Kirk was "full of hate and spreading hate."

The Hour of Decision: Choose Life Before the Gate Closes Forever

Robinson's message to the world was ultimately one of violence and hatred, justified through anti-fascist rhetoric but expressed through the lens of online meme culture and trolling. His manifesto was written not in words but in blood—the blood of a father, husband, and Christian who had dedicated his life to engaging in civil discourse on college campuses across America.

Two Responses: Wide Gate vs. Narrow Gate

The assassination of Charlie Kirk revealed a profound spiritual division in how people respond to tragedy and injustice. The responses fell into two distinct categories that perfectly mirror Jesus' teaching about the narrow and wide gates.

The Wide Gate Response: Division, Hatred, and Celebration

In stark contrast to previous eras when political opponents could at least unite in grief, when Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert stood on the House floor to request a spoken prayer for Kirk, who left behind a wife and two young children, Democrats shouted "No!" in raw, angry opposition. About three dozen Democrats joined the chorus of objection, creating what one observer called "Possibly the ugliest moment I've ever witnessed in politics."

A councilman in Palmetto Bay, Florida, faced backlash over a social media post calling Kirk's assassination "a fitting sacrifice" with a graphic referencing Kirk's 2023 remarks about gun rights, writing "Charlie Kirk is a fitting sacrifice to our Lords: Smith & Wesson."

The wide gate response revealed itself through:

Refusal to offer basic human compassion even in prayer.

Celebration of political violence.

Justification of murder based on ideological differences.

Immediate politicization of tragedy.

Division rather than unity in the face of loss.

The Narrow Gate Response: Unity, Prayer, and Spiritual Awakening

In dramatic contrast, Charlie Kirk's supporters responded with what can only be described as a narrow gate mentality:

Students across multiple universities organized prayer vigils. At Liberty University, students gathered on the steps of the Montview Student Union for prayer, with Chancellor Jonathan Falwell addressing the crowd. At Baylor University, hundreds of students gathered on Fountain Mall amid American flags, with prayer and worship as students reflected on Kirk's assassination.

At Utah State University, hundreds of students held a tearful candlelight vigil celebrating Kirk's faith and legacy, with students saying they "felt called by God to pray over everybody" and focus the event on "celebrating his faith, and the man that he was."

Outside Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, a steady stream of mourners came to pay respects. Prayer beads hung over a banner with Kirk's face and the words: "May Charlie be received into the merciful arms of Jesus, our loving Savior." Prayer circles formed as people contemplated the assassination and what comes next.

President Trump called for Americans to "move forward rather than living in fear" and urged supporters to seek "revenge at the voter box" rather than through violence.

The narrow gate response revealed itself through:

Immediate turn to prayer and spiritual reflection.

Calls for unity and healing.

Emphasis on Kirk's Christian faith and legacy.

Rejection of retaliatory violence.

Focus on continuing Kirk's mission through peaceful means.

Spiritual awakening among many who had been indifferent to faith.

The Parallel to Historical Christian Persecution

Charlie Kirk was publicly outspoken not only about conservative values—including the sacredness of human life in the womb, the importance of the family, and the exclusivity of sexual activity between a man and woman in marriage—but also about the gospel, clearly and forthrightly stating that a person must trust in Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Son of God, for one's eternal salvation.

Kirk's assassination fits a pattern as old as Scripture itself: those who boldly proclaim truth, call for repentance, and challenge the prevailing culture often face violent opposition. Like the prophets, like John the Baptist, like Stephen, like countless Christian martyrs throughout history, Kirk paid the ultimate price for speaking what he believed to be God's truth to a generation desperately in need of hearing it.

Two Thieves, Two Gates, Two Destinies: Which Will You Choose?

The choice facing America—and indeed the world—in the wake of Kirk's assassination is the same choice Jesus presented to His audiences: the narrow gate or the wide gate. Robinson chose the wide gate of violence and hatred. Many politicians chose the wide gate of celebrating his death or refusing basic human compassion. But millions chose the narrow gate of prayer, unity, and spiritual awakening.

The Diagnosis

Like an oncologist delivering critical test results, Scripture presents humanity with an unfiltered diagnosis of our spiritual condition. The biblical text offers no comfortable platitudes—only the stark reality of two paths, two destinations, and an urgent choice that determines eternal destiny.

The assassination of Charlie Kirk and the divergent responses it generated serve as a perfect case study for Jesus' teaching about the narrow and wide gates. In examining Matthew 7:13-27 and Luke 23:39-43, we see not merely ancient wisdom but a prophecy being fulfilled in real time—a revelation of where people's hearts truly lie when faced with the choice between love and hatred, unity and division, life and death.

The Narrow Gate

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14

Defining the Narrow Gate

Jesus presents humanity with a binary choice. The text establishes several critical contrasts:

The Narrow Gate:

Small entrance ("the gate is small")
Constricted pathway ("the way is narrow")
Leads to life
Few find it

The Wide Gate:

Broad entrance ("the gate is wide")
Spacious pathway ("the way is broad")
Leads to destruction
Many enter through it

The Greek word for "narrow" (thlibo) literally means "to press," "to compress," or "to squeeze." This gate requires individuals to leave behind excess baggage—pride, self-sufficiency, worldly attachments—to pass through. The narrowness is not arbitrary difficulty but necessary purification.

The word "destruction" (apoleia) means complete ruin, perdition, or eternal damnation. This is not temporary setback but permanent separation from God.

The Great Concern for the Wide Gate

Jesus reveals the terrifying reality: the majority of humanity chooses destruction. The wide gate accommodates human pride, self-determination, and the illusion of multiple paths to God. It requires no repentance, no acknowledgment of sin, no surrender of will. It appears easier because it demands nothing of the traveler.

The statistical reality Christ presents is sobering: "many" versus "few." This is not a close contest but a massive disparity. The wide gate's appeal lies in its accommodation of human nature's desire to remain unchanged while still achieving spiritual benefit.

False Prophets and Fruit Inspection

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:15-20

Jesus immediately follows the narrow gate teaching with a warning about deception. False prophets appear as legitimate spiritual guides but lead people toward the wide gate while claiming to offer the narrow path. Their identifying marker is not their words or appearance but their "fruits"—the actual results of their teaching and character.

The fruit metaphor establishes an unchangeable spiritual law: authentic spiritual life produces authentic spiritual fruit. Counterfeit spiritual life cannot produce genuine spiritual fruit, just as thorn bushes cannot produce grapes.

The Profession Without Possession

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'" Matthew 7:21-23

This passage delivers one of Scripture's most chilling revelations. Jesus describes individuals who:

Verbally acknowledge His lordship ("Lord, Lord").

Perform supernatural ministry ("prophesy," "cast out demons," "perform miracles").

Do everything "in His name."

Are completely rejected by Christ.

The determining factor is not religious activity or even supernatural power, but relationship ("I never knew you") and obedience ("he who does the will of My Father"). The word "knew" (ginosko) indicates intimate, experiential knowledge, not mere intellectual awareness.

These individuals practiced "lawlessness" (anomia), meaning they lived without God's law governing their hearts despite their religious activities. They took the wide gate while claiming the narrow one.

The Two Foundations

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall." Matthew 7:24-27

Jesus concludes with a parable about foundations. Both builders face identical storms—the same trials, tribulations, and ultimate judgment. The difference lies not in the storm's intensity but in the foundation's stability.

The wise builder both "hears" and "acts" on Jesus' words. The foolish builder "hears" but "does not act." Hearing alone provides no protection. The foundation determines survival.

The phrase "great was its fall" (megale en he ptosis autes) suggests not merely collapse but catastrophic, complete destruction.

The Two Thieves - Our Perfect Illustration

"One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, 'Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!' But the other answered, and rebuking him said, 'Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.' And he was saying, 'Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!' And He said to him, 'Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.'" Luke 23:39-43

The Wide Gate Thief

The first criminal represents the wide gate mentality:

Demands salvation without repentance - "Save Yourself and us!"

Shows no recognition of sin - No acknowledgment of deserving punishment.

Maintains self-righteousness - Expects rescue while hurling abuse.

Seeks benefit without cost - Wants deliverance without transformation.

Dies in rebellion - Never submits to Christ's authority.

This thief embodies the "many" who enter the wide gate. Even facing death, he demands that Jesus accommodate his terms rather than submitting to Jesus' lordship.

The Narrow Gate Thief

The second criminal demonstrates narrow gate characteristics:

Acknowledges God's authority - "Do you not even fear God."

Confesses personal guilt - "we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds."

Recognizes Jesus' righteousness - "this man has done nothing wrong."

Submits to Christ's kingship - "remember me when You come in Your kingdom."

Exercises faith in Jesus' divine nature and future reign.

The Immediate Response

Jesus' response to the repentant thief reveals the narrow gate's accessibility: "today you shall be with Me in Paradise." Salvation requires no religious ceremonies, no good works to balance the scales, no period of purification. The narrow gate demands everything (complete submission) but offers it freely to those who truly enter.

Scripture Interpreting Scripture: The Consistent Pattern

When Scripture interprets Scripture, a clear pattern emerges across biblical narratives:

The Narrow Path Pattern

Adam and Eve: Disobedience led to spiritual death (Genesis 3).

Cain and Abel: God's way versus man's way (Genesis 4).

Noah: Few saved through obedience, many perished through rebellion (Genesis 7-8).

Sodom and Gomorrah: Lot's family called out, cities destroyed (Genesis 19).

The Israelites: Many died in wilderness, few entered Promised Land (Numbers 14).

Elijah: "I alone am left" - the faithful remnant (1 Kings 19:10).

The Wide Gate Pattern

Tower of Babel: Human effort to reach heaven rejected (Genesis 11).

Golden Calf: Idolatry while claiming to worship God (Exodus 32).

False Prophets: Leading people astray with comfortable lies (Jeremiah 23).

Pharisees: Religious activity without heart transformation (Matthew 23).

The Romans 12:1-2 Life: Total Transformation

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2

This passage defines the narrow gate life: complete surrender ("living sacrifice"), separation from worldly thinking ("do not be conformed"), and internal transformation ("renewing of your mind"). The narrow gate is not a one-time decision but a daily death to self.

Historical Examples of Narrow Gate Living

Throughout history, individuals have embodied the narrow gate principles, often paying the ultimate price:

The Pattern of Rejection

Biblical history reveals that God's messengers frequently faced violent opposition:

The Prophets: "which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?" (Acts 7:52)

John the Baptist: Beheaded for confronting sin (Matthew 14:3-12)

Stephen: Stoned for preaching truth (Acts 7:54-60)

James: Killed by the sword (Acts 12:2)

Paul: Imprisoned, beaten, ultimately martyred for the Gospel

The pattern continues through church history. Those who call for repentance, challenge worldly systems, and demand spiritual transformation often face persecution.

The Characteristics of Narrow Gate Messengers

Scripture reveals common characteristics among those who walk the narrow path and call others to it:

Uncompromising truth-telling - They speak God's word regardless of reception.

Call for repentance - They demand internal transformation, not external reform.

Challenge existing power structures - They expose corruption and injustice.

Love their enemies - They respond to hatred with love.

Willing to suffer - They count the cost and pay it willingly.

Modern Application: Two Responses to Tragedy

Contemporary events often reveal whether groups choose the narrow or wide gate response to tragedy and injustice.

The Wide Gate Response Pattern

When tragedy strikes, the wide gate response typically includes:

Blame without self-examination - Focus on others' faults while ignoring personal responsibility.

Vengeance over justice - Seek retribution rather than righteousness.

Destruction as solution - Believe that tearing down creates positive change.

Division over unity - Increase separation between groups.

Human solutions to spiritual problems - Rely on political action rather than heart transformation.

The Narrow Gate Response Pattern

The narrow gate response to tragedy characteristically includes:

Self-examination before accusation - "First take the log out of your own eye" (Matthew 7:5).

Forgiveness over vengeance - "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34).

Building over destroying - Create rather than tear down.

Unity over division - "There is neither Jew nor Greek... for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28)

Spiritual solutions to spiritual problems - Recognize that heart change precedes social change

The Fruit Test Applied

Jesus taught that we would know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:20). When examining responses to tragedy:

Wide Gate Fruits:

Increased hatred and division
Destruction of property and lives
Temporary emotional release without lasting change
Perpetuation of the cycle of violence
Human glory and political power

Narrow Gate Fruits:

Reconciliation and healing
Protection and building up of communities
Lasting transformation of hearts and minds
Breaking cycles of hatred
Glory to God and spiritual awakening

The End Times Context: Urgency of Choice

Scripture presents end times as a period of intensified choice between the narrow and wide gates:

Matthew 24:12-13 "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved."

2 Timothy 3:1-5 "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant... holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 "For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness."

The end times are characterized by:

Increased deception - More false prophets and false paths.

Polarization - Clear distinction between narrow and wide gate followers.

Persecution - Those choosing the narrow gate face increased opposition.

Urgency - Time for decision-making becomes limited.

Divine judgment - Final separation of wheat and tares.

The Harpazo: The Ultimate Separation

The biblical concept of the rapture (Harpazo in Greek, meaning "to seize" or "to snatch away") represents the final separation between narrow and wide gate followers:

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord."

Matthew 24:40-41 "Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left."

The Harpazo represents:

Sudden separation - No time for last-minute conversions.

Based on previous choices - Determined by earlier narrow/wide gate decisions.

Irreversible consequences - No opportunity to change after the event.

Divine initiative - God acts according to His timeline, not human readiness.

Building Kingdoms vs. Surrendering to the King

Scripture presents humanity with two fundamental orientations:

Building Our Own Kingdoms (Wide Gate)

Characteristics:

Self as ultimate authority
Human wisdom as guide
Temporal goals as priority
Independence from God
Pride in personal achievement

Biblical Examples:

Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:4): "let us make for ourselves a name."

Rich Fool (Luke 12:18): "I will tear down my barns and build larger ones."

Pharisees (Matthew 23:5): "they do all their deeds to be noticed by men."

Surrendering to the King of Kings (Narrow Gate)

Characteristics:

Christ as ultimate authority
God's Word as guide
Eternal goals as priority
Dependence on God
Humility in service

Biblical Examples:

John the Baptist (John 3:30): "He must increase, but I must decrease."

Paul (Philippians 3:7-8): "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."

Mary (Luke 1:38): "May it be done to me according to your word."

The Desperate Need for Jesus

Scripture consistently presents humanity's complete inability to save itself:

Romans 3:10-12 "There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one."

Ephesians 2:1 "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins"

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The narrow gate acknowledges this desperate condition and accepts God's solution. The wide gate denies the severity of the problem and attempts human solutions.

Jesus on the Cross: The Ultimate Narrow Gate

Jesus' crucifixion perfectly demonstrates narrow gate principles:

Complete Surrender

Despite possessing all divine power, Jesus chose complete submission to the Father's will (Luke 22:42): "not My will, but Yours be done."

Bearing Others' Sin

Though sinless, Jesus took humanity's guilt upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21): "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Forgiving Enemies

While being tortured, Jesus prayed for His executioners (Luke 23:34): "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."

Revealing Human Condition

Jesus' nakedness and suffering revealed humanity's true spiritual state—powerless, guilty, and desperate for salvation.

The Choice: Time Running Out

Scripture presents the choice between narrow and wide gates as:

Urgent

2 Corinthians 6:2 "behold, now is 'the acceptable time,' behold, now is 'the day of salvation.'"

Hebrews 3:15 "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."

Binary

Matthew 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me."

Joshua 24:15 "choose for yourselves today whom you will serve."

Eternal

John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

Matthew 25:46 "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Final

Revelation 22:11 "Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy"

A Prophetic Call to Church Leaders: Account for Your Stewardship

Tyler Robinson grew up in St. George, Utah—a community saturated with churches, Christian schools, and religious institutions. He was raised in what many would consider a "Christian" environment, yet he chose the path of assassination and violence. This demands urgent questions of those who claim to be shepherds of God's flock.

The Blood is on Our Hands

Ezekiel 34:2-4 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost."'"

Questions That Must Be Answered

To every pastor, teacher, and Christian leader in St. George, Utah, and across America, Scripture demands accountability:

James 3:1 "Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment."

Where was the Word of God when Tyler Robinson needed it? Where were the teachers who should have been pointing him to the narrow gate instead of allowing him to drift toward destruction?

What have you been feeding the flock? Life coaching principles? Self-help psychology? Therapeutic methodologies? Or the uncompromising Word of God that convicts of sin and points to the cross?

Jeremiah 23:21-22 "I did not send these prophets, but they ran. I did not speak to them, but they prophesied. But if they had stood in My council, then they would have proclaimed My words to My people, and would have turned them back from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds."

The Indictment Against Modern Pulpits

The American church has been infiltrated with:

Life coaching masquerading as biblical counseling.

Psychology replacing the sufficiency of Scripture.

Self-help messages instead of sin-confronting truth.

Therapeutic approaches rather than biblical repentance.

Programs and methodologies instead of Word-centered ministry.

Isaiah 30:10-11 "Who say to the seers, 'You must not see visions'; And to the prophets, 'You must not prophesy to us what is right, speak to us pleasant words, prophesy illusions. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.'"

Cease the Entertainment - Return to the Word

2 Timothy 4:2-4 "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."

The blood of Tyler Robinson's victim cries out against every minister who has:

Replaced biblical preaching with motivational speaking.

Substituted psychological theories for biblical truth.

Avoided the hard doctrines of sin, judgment, and hell.

Failed to call people to genuine repentance.

Preached a false gospel of self-improvement rather than self-crucifixion.

A Prophetic Demand

Malachi 2:7-8 "For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi," says the LORD of hosts.

TO EVERY PASTOR AND TEACHER:

REPENT of replacing God's Word with human wisdom.
REMOVE all psychological methodologies from your counseling and teaching.
RETURN to expository preaching that confronts sin and exalts Christ.
REJECT the Townsend Institute and similar therapeutic approaches that deny the sufficiency of Scripture.
RESTORE biblical church discipline and genuine pastoral care.

If you cannot or will not do this, STEP DOWN and let someone who fears God more than man take your place.

The Blood of the Martyrs

Matthew 23:29-32 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers."

Charlie Kirk's blood joins that of countless Christian martyrs throughout history. But how much of that blood stains the hands of shepherds who failed to feed the flock with the Word of God?

Ezekiel 3:18 "When I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand."

The Hour is Late

2 Timothy 3:1, 5 "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come... holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."

The Great Tribulation approaches. The narrow gate is closing. Time is running out for both shepherds and sheep.

PASTORS AND TEACHERS: Your people are dying spiritually while you entertain them. They are going to hell while you make them feel better about themselves. They are choosing the wide gate while you fail to show them the narrow one.

CHURCH MEMBERS: Stop enabling lazy shepherds. Demand biblical preaching. Study the Word for yourselves. Test everything against Scripture.

Acts 17:11 "Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."

The Final Warning

1 Peter 4:17 "For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"

The judgment is beginning. Tyler Robinson's choice of the wide gate, leading to murder and destruction, stands as testimony against every shepherd who failed in his duty and every believer who chose comfort over truth.

Which gate will you choose? Which gate are you leading others toward?

The narrow gate demands everything but offers eternal life. The wide gate accommodates everyone but leads to destruction.

The Diagnostic Truth

Like an oncologist delivering a stage 4 cancer diagnosis, Scripture presents humanity with an uncompromising truth: we are spiritually terminal apart from divine intervention. The narrow gate offers the only cure, but it requires complete surrender of our own efforts and total dependence on Jesus Christ as Lord, Savior, Master, Shepherd, and King.

The wide gate appears more appealing because it accommodates human pride and self-determination, but it leads to eternal destruction. The narrow gate demands everything but offers eternal life to those who truly enter.

Tyler Robinson's assassination of Charlie Kirk serves as a wake-up call to the American church. We can no longer afford lukewarm leadership, psychological substitutes for biblical truth, or entertainment masquerading as worship. The stakes are eternal. The hour is late. The narrow gate stands open, but not forever.

Time is running out. The choice cannot be delayed indefinitely. Each person must choose: build their own kingdom while denying Jesus, or surrender completely to the King of Kings, acknowledging their depravity and desperate need for Jesus as their only hope.

The two thieves on the cross perfectly illustrate humanity's options. One demanded salvation on his terms and died in rebellion. The other confessed his guilt, acknowledged Jesus' kingship, and received immediate entry into Paradise.

Which thief represents your response to Jesus Christ?

The diagnosis has been given. The choice is before you. The narrow gate stands open, but it will not remain so forever.

Choose This Day Which Kingdom You Will Serve

Joshua 24:15 "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

America stands at the precipice of divine judgment, and our response to Charlie Kirk's assassination—combined with our treatment of Israel—will determine whether we become a Sheep Nation or a Goat Nation in the coming separation of nations.

Matthew 25:32-33 "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left."

The narrow gate responses of prayer, unity, and spiritual awakening following Kirk's death reveal the sheep heart within America, while the wide gate responses of celebration, hatred, and violence expose the goat nature that seeks our destruction.

This is our Matthew 25 moment—how we treat "the least of these" His brethren, including His chosen people Israel, and how we respond to the persecution of those who proclaim His name, will determine our eternal destiny as a nation.

The hour demands that every American choose: Luke 9:23 commands, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." This is not merely individual salvation but national transformation. When believers across America fell to their knees in prayer instead of rising up in violence after Kirk's assassination, they demonstrated the sheep nation character that God honors.

But the question remains: will we continue in this narrow gate response, or will we allow the goat nation voices of hatred, division, and Israel-hatred to drag us into judgment?

Genesis 12:3 still stands: "I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

Our treatment of Israel and our response to Christian persecution will determine whether God's blessing or His curse falls upon this land.

Time is running out. The separation of sheep and goat nations approaches rapidly, and America's choice is before us: deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus into becoming a sheep nation that blesses Israel and protects those who proclaim His name, or continue down the wide gate path that leads to becoming a goat nation marked for destruction.

Matthew 25:34, 41 reveals the eternal consequences: "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world'... Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.'"

The narrow gate of national repentance, Israel-blessing, and Christ-following stands open today, but not forever. Choose this day which kingdom—and which eternal destiny—America will serve.

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." - Matthew 7:13-14