The second, narrow path leads to eternal life in heaven. 109 In contrast, "the way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. " This way give no check to your appetites, passion. 12 Those who have passed through the narrow gate will walk in the narrow way. Jesus says in verse 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 1) There are two roads people are traveling, yet thinking their going to go to heaven: the BROAD way, and the NARROW way.
From the Scriptures and personal experience, we understand that the path of the Christian is narrow and full of affliction, but it is not without purpose. 2) In Luke, "through the narrow door" into, apparently, the final abiding-place; here, "through the narrow gate" into apparently the (perhaps long) road which takes us at last to full salvation. Christ, as well as the New Testament writers, frequently forewarned both seekers and believers that true discipleship would entail great affliction. The Gate being so Straight and Narrow make Few Find & Choose It. The narrow gate is ignored. Caiaphas gave his counsel that one man should die for the people, that the whole nation perish not (John 11:50). Genesis 6:5, 12 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…. You have abundance of liberty in this way; the gate is wide, and the way is so vast and broad, and stands wide open to tempt those that go right in. If this work of salvation were to fail at any part, it would serve only to malign and discredit the name of God. In the consideration of both these ways, act like that wise young man who turned into the narrow way, saying to himself, " Not the path, but the goal, decides my choice. Death, eternal death, is at the end of it ( and the way of sin tends to it). Whether we are in leadership roles or following a leader, we are all to be fully servants in God's kingdom. Those who walk in this way are hemmed in with little room to wander. Ἀπάγουσα (apagousa).
For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. " 1 John 4:20 (my paraphrase). It bears the name of Vanity Fair, because the town where it is kept is lighter that vanity, and also because all that is sold there, or that comes there, is vanity; as is the saying of the Wise, 'All that cometh is vanity. ' 40 In fact, he told them that such suffering was the norm for the believers and churches throughout the entire world. The large open Bible at the foot of the signpost shows the following texts:—"Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me, "—{John 5:39. ) We've noted the lingering despondency of those disappointed in the tallies match the bleak grey that shades our end-of-year daylight hours. Therefore at this fair are all such things sold as houses, lands, trades, places, honors, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts, as wives, husbands, children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not. As part of Jesus' spiritual body, we each play our role, contributing to the whole. The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. " By God's grace, most of the Evangelical world continues to hold to the truth that Jesus is the only Savior and Mediator between God and men. Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. And yet a Christian has not only to fight against his own flesh and blood, which tempt him to impatience and to various passions and desires, nor against the world and the lust thereof, like Demas, who loved "this present world"—(2 Tim. From this we understand that conversion is not merely defined by a gate through which a person passes but also by the way in which he walks.
What is even more troubling is that they can rest undisturbed in the great majority of Evangelical churches and sit unconcerned under the great majority of Evangelical preaching. He has preached hundreds of sermons and has authored a dozen published works. On Sundays by young and old, and which, therefore, bears the inscription, "Sabbath Desecration" A waving flag and frivolous dance-music invite to a voluptuous masked ball. So it was with sorrow, not discrimination, that Jesus declared that the road to eternal life is "narrow, and only a few find it. But let this sink in your head. " But untold millions of men and women have squandered their lives by being undisciplined and lazy.
If it were not for the protection of Christ, the devil would sift him like wheat 102 and crush him until he cursed God. In a year where we were asked to choose, the year ahead will bring yet more choices. He is merciful, but He is also just. The Lord Jesus, who did not exclude children, taught in the synagogues of the Jews on the sabbath day— Mark 6:2. 1John 2:18) (Matthew 25:6). English Standard Version. LinksMatthew 7:13 NIV. We undergo the New Birth John 3:3-5. Still, people of the narrow way should understand that sacrifice is normal.
This loss may include time, money, and safety. But God loved us enough to provide the path to eternal life anyway (Romans 5:6–8). 96 When the Son of God came to the world that He created and the people that He had chosen, they would not receive Him. Those who might otherwise seem apolitical or divorced from the machinations of red, blue and green ideologies were vocal and passionate this year. John 6:45; Jeremiah 31:34. First, the narrow way is a way defined by the will of God. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Strong's 684: Destruction, ruin, loss, perishing; eternal ruin. This picture does not really need any explanation, inasmuch as for the most part that which is to be brought home and made important to the beholder speaks in symbolical, and therefore the plainest possible language. The "wide" gate is non-exclusive; it allows for human effort and all other of the world's religions. Anyone preaching anything to the contrary is not a true minister of Christ, but a charlatan with something to sell.
However, a few verses earlier, Jesus had told the same audience, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. The narrow gate and the narrow way are inseparable. In fact, the road was his design and is directed by his will. When we read the word narrow, we tend to associate it with prejudicial selection. There is actually great freedom on the narrow way. Matthew 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! A deeper significance is, however, suggested even by our Lord's own teaching. Psalm 38:4) He is comforted by the words, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest — (Matt 11:28)— and "Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37. ) If we are truly honest with ourselves, though, we know the truth. The different effects or fruits of faith are shown by various virtues, because faith worketh by love, and is manifested by the following corresponding good works:—. There is life after this. It is well-worn and hemmed in on both sides. In the midst of the city, with it's golden streets, rises Mount Zion, where Christ stands in the form of a Lamb, who, as the Sun of Righteousness, sends forth rays of glory —(Revelation, 21:23). We live in a culture of men with voracious appetites for all that is carnal and vain.
My paraphrase from a couple of verses in John 14 and 15). However, they are not the sum of the Christian faith, and if they are viewed outside the context of Christ, they can lead us down a dangerous path of legalism and self-righteousness. However, he did cry out to be delivered from his flesh and saw no hope of victory except through the person and work of Jesus Christ. They do not seek to know God's will, they do not desire His commands, they do not look for markers of His providence, and they do not walk circumspectly.