You may be stunned slightly by the title of this post but I needed to get your attention. I found myself in the book of Matthew recently where Jesus was finishing up His famous Sermon on the Mount. In that sermon, He literally blew listeners’ minds that day due to the power and authority that He spoke with. But that isn’t why I call your attention to that message today, instead, this is when He talks about the wide and narrow gates. Have you heard of this before?
Let me quote what He said for you so we are on the same page.
Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Matthew 7:13-14
Simply put, Jesse points out the two choices you and I have in life; the wide gate and the narrow one.
The wide gate is the natural choice from a human point of view. Why? Because mankind gravitates towards sin. Our raw nature prefers darkness and falling in step with what is going on around us. Unfortunately, many of us have chosen this wide gate because it is the path of least resistance. This path doesn’t ask you to limit yourself because there are no boundaries. There is even tolerance for sin just as long as you say you love Jesus.
One of my favorite authors, John MacArthur, describes the wide gate this way, “And, if you insist on taking luggage, the wide gate may be more appealing. It is marked “Heaven…it may even be marked “Jesus “…but it is not going to Heaven and it has nothing to do with Jesus. It is the gate for the religion of the masses, a wide open gate through which anyone can pass without jettisoning self-righteousness, pride, material possessions, or even sin. But there is no salvation for those who choose this gate”
Where does entering the wide gate take you?
Read Matthew 7:21-23
Alternatively, Jesus also talks about the narrow gate, but, more importantly, “few are those who find it”.
Why do so few people find the narrow gate? Because you have to look for it. Jeremiah 29:13 is clear when it says, You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all of your heart. The message of Christ does not conform to what we need but rather WE are required to do the changing. MacArthur also tells us “Jesus did not want casual followers, but people willing to give their lives for Him.”
Guys, the bottom line for you and me, God intentionally makes the narrow path difficult. He demands that those who REALLY want to follow Him step out of the crowd and pick up His cross.
Like I said, Salvation isn’t easy. But His plan is for you to become a changed person inside your heart along your journey. What does “changed” mean to you and me? One who does the “will of the Father”. Remember, the test of true faith is whether or not it produces obedience…and that is what validates your Salvation.
What is your reward for living a life like this?
Eternal life with the Savior who made it all possible for all of us.
Until next time Guys,
MacArthur, John. The Gospel According to Jesus. Michigan: Zondervan, 2008
Discover more from Iron Sharpens Iron, Men Strengthen Men
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
