Discernment at the Gates: To Whom Shall We Go?
Dear Abimbola,
To know the real Jesus, start with the Catholic Catechism. Not saying you must become Catholic—but start there. And everything in it that you disagree with—or even find abhorrent—search the Scriptures, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, trace its origin.
If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then He cannot be like the Mercedes-Benz—new model for each year, for each income bracket. He must be the same in the time of Athanasius of Alexandria as He is today.
In fact, if Athanasius were to appear in our time, I suspect the only place he might still recognize as Christianity would be the Catholic Church.
Yes, the Church has been ruled—at times—by violent and corrupt men. Jesus Himself said as much:
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”
(Matthew 11:12, KJV)
Some interpret this as a call to violent prayers. It is not. There is no scriptural example of such prayers being prescribed or commended. The text is about something else entirely.
The Church—specifically the Catholic Church—is a survivor of that violence: from without, and tragically, from within. Evil men like the Medicis once used it to gain power and wealth. But really, are they any different from today’s Kenneth Copelands and Jesse Duplantises—men who also use the church as a vehicle for influence and affluence?
So what’s my point?
Even the evangelical movement is not immune.
It, too, is a victim of that same violence.
With Christianity, violence—in a manner of speaking—comes with the territory. Demonic strongholds do not go quietly; they align themselves against anything that threatens their dominion.
Here’s an interesting thought: they rarely come with horns and pitchforks. No—they come with entreaties:
“Come join us - they beckon - we’ll give you wealth, power, and fame.”
Sound familiar?
It should. Because at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus was approached by Satan himself—with that exact offer.
It was a negotiation.
Why? Because the Kingdom of Darkness felt threatened.
And who did Satan use to ultimately oppose Jesus?
The religious establishment.
The synagogue.
The Church.
And this culminated in the Crucifixion.
Did the Kingdom of Darkness rejoice?
For a moment, yes.
But Death could not hold Him down.
Now here’s what we must be aware of:
At the start of our own ministry—and yes, we are all a royal priesthood—Satan comes again, restarting the same negotiation.
Why? Because you are the light of the world, the salt of the earth.
You are called to tear down his gates and release those trapped in darkness—and he cannot allow that.
So he comes, offering the same terms he offered Jesus: wealth, power, and fame.
Which many so-called men of God accept. None of them does this ignorantly. None are deceived.
It is out of the abundance of their hearts, they acquiesce.
They shake hands with the evil one, sign the contract—and that’s it.
They no longer represent the Kingdom of God.
And so?
And so, they experience no violence.
And the wide gate becomes even more attractive to seekers. Smartly dressed gatekeepers standing just outside the 24-carat gates… who might even blow the bugle as you approach.
The narrow gate?
Made of wood.
Barely hanging on its hinges.
With no attendant in sight.
C’mon… who’s going to walk past the golden gates and choose that?
And yet, that is the supreme paradox of the Christian faith—God born of His own creature, because of His love for them. A King born in a manger.
A God who suffered and died at the hands of those who failed to recognize Him.
Recognition.
That’s the key.
Discernment—the ability to recognize the wiles of Satan.
To recognize that the wide, gold-plated gate leads not to abundance—but to destruction.
To recognize where our souls might find the salvation of Christ.
To recognize the true vineyard…
And to have the patience to wait all day until the Owner admits us.
And the humility to return the next day. If we are passed over.
And the next.
And if anyone should ask, “Why do you keep coming back?”—
The wisdom to respond:
“To whom shall we go?”
The Lord help us.
Don Kenobi
OldManInTheMolue
Video: https://youtu.be/Tf55HkRFegs?si=PvD1TTmAVI9HdKXK
A Prayer for the Seeker
Lord Jesus,
You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
You are not a brand to be reimagined, nor a trend to be reinvented.
You are Truth—eternal, unchanging, and alive.
To all who sincerely seek You, grant grace to find You.
To those disillusioned by false gospels, reveal the true Gospel.
To the weary and wounded, send light and healing.
To those hungry for righteousness, feed them with Your Word—whole and undiluted.
And when they find You,
Engraft them into Your Body—
Not a counterfeit, but the Church You founded,
Preserved through storms, scandal, and centuries
The pillar and ground of truth.
Let no seeker be lost.
Let no soul be deceived.
Draw them, O Shepherd, and keep them in Your fold.
Forever.
Amen.
(c) Author Unknown
MyFrancisEssays
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