One of the central questions addressed in the New Testament is this: How wide is the door to salvation?
When we examine the teachings of Jesus, the answer is consistent and uncompromising. He tells us the path to life is narrow, and only a few will find it. Entry into the kingdom, according to Jesus, requires repentance, obedience to God’s commandments, doing good deeds, and living a life of sincerity. Far from abolishing the Law, he calls his followers to uphold it—faithfully, spiritually, and truthfully.
But when we turn to Paul, we encounter a very different gospel. Salvation is no longer tied to righteousness, obedience, or walking a narrow path. Instead, it becomes accessible through a single condition: belief. Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, Paul insists, is sufficient to justify even the ungodly. Works are dismissed, and the Law is effectively set aside.
This isn’t just a difference in tone—it’s a difference in theology. Jesus and Paul present two distinct and often conflicting visions of salvation. And that leaves modern Christians with a pressing question: Whose gospel are you really following?
Jesus on the Narrow Path (Matthew 7:13–23)
Jesus does not leave ambiguity when it comes to the difficulty of salvation. In Matthew 7:13–14, he states:
[13] “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
[14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
This short statement alone challenges the core of Paul’s theology. Jesus is not describing salvation as easy or universally accessible. He is warning that most people—even the religious—are on the wrong path. The road to life is narrow. It must be actively sought. And most will miss it.
What follows in verse 15 only strengthens Jesus’ warning—and may even hint at a specific figure. Jesus immediately cautions his followers to beware of false prophets—those who appear righteous on the outside but are inwardly corrupt. These are not obvious deceivers, but wolves in sheep’s clothing. The implication is clear: the wide path is not just filled with the careless, but also the deceived—led astray by those who claim to speak for God. This isn’t a generic warning; it’s a direct challenge to anyone who would later preach a broad, easy gospel in Jesus’ name.
[15] “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
[16] You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?
[17] So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit.
[18] A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
[19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
[20] Thus you will know them by their fruits.
Notice how Jesus in these passages focuses on “fruit,” which symbolizes good works, rather than just the right beliefs. This is consistent with many other of Jesus’ teachings. Jesus then shifts from false teachers to false followers. In verses 21–23, he presents one of the most sobering passages in the entire Bible:
[21] “Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
[22] On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
[23] And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’
These are not unbelievers. They are people who called Jesus “Lord, Lord,” performed miracles, and claimed spiritual authority. Yet Jesus rejects them—not for lack of faith, but for failing to do the will of God. It is worth highlighting that these people that Jesus warns about are explicitly referring to him as “Lord,” and the reference to prophesying in his name is also especially revealing. Biblically, prophecy isn’t limited to predicting future events—it includes claiming divine revelation, new messages from God delivered to the people. In other words, Jesus is condemning those who come in his name, call him Lord, and claim to speak new truth on his behalf—but who ultimately lead people away from God’s will.
This passage obliterates the idea that belief alone is enough. Jesus doesn’t ask, “Did you believe I died for your sins?” He says, “Only the one who does the will of my Father will enter.”
Jesus’ Warning Was About Paul
Now consider Paul.
In what are considered the seven authentic letters of Paul (Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon), Paul consistently begins by invoking “the Lord Jesus Christ”—within the very first sentence:
- Romans 1:7: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:3 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:2 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
- Galatians 1:3 “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- Philippians 1:2 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
- 1 Thessalonians 1:1 “To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.”
- Philemon 1:3 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
From the very start of every letter, Paul invokes Jesus as “Lord.” But here’s the unsettling reality: Paul never met Jesus during his lifetime. Every word Paul claims to have received from Jesus comes not from firsthand discipleship, but from a vision on the road to Damascus (according to Acts, not Paul’s own letters)—years after Jesus’ death. He did not hear Jesus’ teachings, did not walk with him, and did not sit at his feet like the apostles.
So when Jesus says, “I never knew you” to those who proclaim him “Lord,” the application to Paul is hard to ignore. He calls Jesus “Lord” more than anyone in the New Testament, yet he teaches a gospel Jesus never preached—a gospel that removes the Law, dismisses righteous deeds, and replaces the narrow path with a wide one.
In light of Jesus’ words, Paul’s repeated invocation of “the Lord Jesus Christ” doesn’t vindicate him—it places him directly in the danger zone. Because calling Jesus “Lord” means nothing if you reject what he actually taught.
Paul doesn’t present his gospel as a continuation of what Jesus taught during his ministry. Instead, he boldly declares that his version of the gospel came directly by revelation from Christ himself—not from any disciple, not from Scripture, not from eyewitnesses, but through a private spiritual experience.
In Galatians 1:6–12, Paul writes:
[6] I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel —
[7] not that there is another gospel, but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
[8] But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.
[9] As we have said before, so now I say again, If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
[10] Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.
[11] For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel.
[12] For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
This is not a humble appeal to the teachings of Jesus or the authority of those who walked with him. It is a bold self-assertion that places Paul’s own message above all others—even if that “other gospel” came from an angelic being.
And here’s the unsettling historical reality: Paul’s letters predate the written Gospels. His earliest writings (c. 48–60 CE) came before the Gospels of Mark (c. 65–70), Matthew and Luke (c. 80–90), and John (c. 90–100). That means when Paul says “if anyone preaches a different gospel, let him be accursed,” he is preemptively condemning the teachings later written down in the four canonical Gospels—many of which contradict the doctrines he promotes.
Jesus, in those Gospels, teaches a message of repentance, obedience to God’s commandments, and a narrow path of righteousness—not instant salvation through belief in his death and resurrection. Paul, on the other hand, insists that his gospel came directly from Christ and is the only true gospel. In doing so, he sets himself not only above the other apostles—but even against the future recorded words of Jesus himself.
In light of this, Paul’s harsh warning becomes chilling: The Jesus of the Gospels could be seen as “accursed” by Paul’s standard—because the gospel Jesus preached is not the one Paul received.
“Look, He Is in the Wilderness” — Jesus’ Warning and Paul’s Vision
In Matthew 24:23–26, Jesus gives one of his most urgent and prophetic warnings:
[23] Then if any one says to you, `Lo, here is the Christ!’ or `There he is!’ do not believe it.
[24] For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
[25] Lo, I have told you beforehand.
[26] So, if they say to you, `Lo, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; if they say, `Lo, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
Jesus couldn’t be more direct. His return on the Day of Judgement would not be private, hidden, or confined to a vision in the wilderness—it would be unmistakable and public. Any claim of a secret or personal encounter with Christ in a desert or secluded space, he said, should be rejected.
Now consider Paul’s account of how he received his gospel.
According to Acts 9, Paul’s first encounter with Jesus occurs on the road to Damascus, far outside the community of believers:
[3] Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him.
[4] And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
[5] And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting;
This was not a public appearance of Jesus. It was a private vision, accompanied by light and sound, in a remote location—exactly the kind of event Jesus told his followers not to trust. Later accounts of this event in Acts 22 and Acts 26 offer conflicting details about what Paul’s companions saw or heard, underscoring the ambiguity of the experience.
Even more troubling is what Paul himself says about the aftermath of that vision. In Galatians 1:15–17, Paul writes:
[15] But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace,
[16] was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood,
[17] nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus.
[18] Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days.
Rather than verifying his vision with the apostles who actually knew Jesus, Paul retreats into Arabia—a literal wilderness—claiming that God revealed His Son “in” him. He does not present himself as a disciple of Jesus, but as one who bypassed all human instruction and authority.
This is precisely the kind of claim Jesus warned about.
Paul then escalates his claim in Galatians 2:19-21, claiming to be Christ:
[19] For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God.
[20] I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
[21] I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification were through the law, then Christ died to no purpose.
And in Galatians 4:14, Paul describes how the Galatians received him:
[12] Brethren, I beseech you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong;
[13] you know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first;
[14] and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
This is stunning language. Paul claims to carry Christ within himself, to the point that others received him as if he were Christ. He tells others to “become as I am” (Gal. 4:12), not simply as a follower of Christ—but as someone who has been transformed into a vessel of Christ’s own presence.
All of this matches the pattern Jesus warned about:
- A private revelation in a remote place.
- A self-authorized gospel that contradicts Jesus’ public teachings.
- A claim to Christ’s presence without Christ’s approval.
- A person received as Christ by others.
When Jesus said, “If they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out,” he gave his followers a test. When Paul claims he found Christ in the wilderness and that Christ now lives in him, he failed that test.
Jesus Upholds the Law—Paul Calls It a Curse
One of the clearest contradictions between Jesus and Paul lies in their views of the Law of God—the commandments given in the Torah. Jesus taught that the Law was not only valid, but enduring. Paul, on the other hand, portrayed the Law as a burden, even a curse, and taught that righteousness comes apart from it.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says in Matthew 5:17–19:
[17] “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.
[18] For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
[19] Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
[20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus does not speak vaguely here. He affirms the eternal validity of the Law—down to the smallest letter. He warns that even loosening the least commandment is a spiritual failure. And he links greatness in God’s kingdom to doing and teaching the Law.
Paul, however, takes the opposite approach.
In Galatians 3:10–13, Paul writes:
[10] For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them.”
[11] Now it is evident that no man is justified before God by the law; for “He who through faith is righteous shall live”;
[12] but the law does not rest on faith, for “He who does them shall live by them.”
[13] Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us — for it is written, “Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree” —
Rather than seeing the Law as a divine guide or a moral foundation, Paul views it as an unbearable standard—a curse from which Christ came to free humanity. In other letters, he reinforces this rejection:
- Romans 10:4 – “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
- Galatians 2:21 – “If righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”
- Galatians 5:4 – “You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.”
Jesus says the Law remains until heaven and earth pass away. Paul says Christ ended the Law.
Jesus says doing and teaching the Law leads to greatness in the kingdom. Paul says those who rely on the Law are cursed and cut off from grace.
These are not differences in nuance. These are flat contradictions.
One came preaching a call to return to righteousness through God’s commandments. The other came preaching freedom from the commandments in the name of grace.
And again we must ask: Whose gospel are we following—the one who upheld the Law, or the one who abolished it?
Conclusion: Matthew 7 and the Apostle Paul — A Prophecy Fulfilled?
Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:13–23 aren’t vague. They are prophetic. In that short passage, he gives a clear profile of a type of person who would come after him—someone who would use his name, call him Lord, claim spiritual authority, and yet lead people astray from the will of God.
Let’s look again at what Jesus says—and how it lines up with Paul:
🔹 “Enter through the narrow gate… few find it.” (v.13–14)
Jesus warns that salvation is difficult, and only a few will find the path.
▶︎ Paul teaches the opposite—that salvation is freely given to all through one act (Romans 5:18), and justification is by faith alone, not through obedience to the Law.
🔹 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing…” (v.15)
Jesus says false prophets will appear looking righteous, but inwardly they are corrupt.
▶︎ Paul appears righteous—he preaches in Jesus’ name, calls him Lord, and claims divine authority. But he leads people away from Jesus’ actual teachings and God’s Law.
🔹 “You will recognize them by their fruits.” (v.16–20)
Jesus emphasizes that true disciples are known by their actions, not their claims.
▶︎ Paul de-emphasizes deeds and repeatedly argues that the Law and works are unnecessary or even dangerous.
🔹 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter… but only the one who does the will of my Father.” (v.21)
Jesus rejects those who invoke his name but fail to do God’s will.
▶︎ Paul calls Jesus “Lord” constantly in his letters, yet contradicts the Father’s will as expressed in the Law and the teachings of Jesus.
🔹 “Many will say… ‘Did we not prophesy in your name… do many miracles…?’” (v.22)
Jesus warns that even those who perform miracles or preach in his name may be condemned.
▶︎ Paul bases his authority on his personal vision of Christ and the signs and revelations he claims to have received (2 Corinthians 12).
🔹 “Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (v.23)
The final condemnation comes down to this: they abandoned God’s Law.
▶︎ Paul repeatedly undermines the Law, calling it a curse (Galatians 3), saying Christ ended it (Romans 10:4), and warning believers not to return to it (Galatians 5:4). Not only does Paul oppose the Law that Jesus upheld, but he also never met Jesus during his lifetime—making Jesus’ words “I never knew you” all the more striking and literal.
This is not mere speculation—it is a pattern. Paul matches nearly every feature of the very type of figure Jesus warned his followers to avoid.
He calls Jesus “Lord,” yet teaches against what Jesus taught.
He claims a private revelation given by Jesus himself in the wilderness.
He draws people away from the Law.
He elevates belief over obedience.
And he pronounces curses on anyone—even angels—who preach a gospel different from his own (Galatians 1:8–9).
Jesus said, “By their fruits you will know them.”
So look at the fruit:
A divided church. A gospel at odds with Jesus’ own words. A theology that nullifies the very commandments Jesus said not to relax.
If we believe Jesus, we must take his warning seriously.
Because in the end, not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven—but only those who do the will of the Father.
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