''But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in (Matthew 23:13).''
The scribes and the Pharisees were so engrossed in keeping up their hypocritical facade that they were shutting the Kingdom of Heaven to everyone. They tried to make sure that those unworthy sinners and tax collectors were not in Heaven. They did not belong there. No one belonged there unless they were one of their number.
While trying to keep other people out of Heaven, they were managing to keep themselves out of Heaven. The more they worked to keep others out, the more they kept themselves out. This is the problem with being a hypocrite. Lying about what you believe makes you believe the lies. And lies keep you out of Heaven. Because lies come from the devil, the father of lies (John 8:44).
The devil wants to shut the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven in everyone's face. He wants to keep everyone out of Heaven. He isn't allowed in Heaven. So he wants to keep the doors closed. He nudges us to keep with the Pharisees' hypocrisy. To keep ourselves out of Heaven. He wishes for us to keep him company for eternity in Heaven.
God wants you to be with Him for all eternity. He sent Christ into the world so that He could open the gates of Heaven for everyone who believes in Him. Jesus died and rose from the dead so that the gates of Heaven will be thrown wide open on the day when you arrive to meet Him. Amen.
