LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter the narrow gate; for wide is the way and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few on it.” Jesus

These two verses have been the focus of the blog. I want to spend some time on these two verses, explaining the life of those on each way and where each way leads. At this point a person has come to make a decision of following Jesus or not and that determines which way a person walks.  You have seen that the Lord Jesus Christ offers a choice between the kingdom of self and the kingdom of God – two kingdoms. It is important to know that Jesus offers to those who refuse Him the choice of His kingdom many times in their lives. I want to spend time examining the way each person chooses.

Jesus spoke these words when speaking to His disciples in what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is telling His listeners that each person is presented a choice to enter through two gates and walk on two ways to get to an [eternal] destination. One gate is wide and one gate is narrow. One way to the destination is wide and one way is narrow. One way offers an easy way and many are on it; it is a way that leads all who are on it to destruction. The other choice is a narrow way and few choose to be on it; it is a difficult way that leads to life.

Consider the wide gate. It can be easily seen because it offers an attractive way to get to its destination, no doubt offering what most people want. According to Jesus this way leads to destruction; it leads to hell and eternal punishment. If this gate had a sign above it that said the gate led to hell, why would anyone choose it? Of course, there are those who believe there is no hell and there are others who would just follow the devil there. The question is how many would do that? Jesus also stated there are many on it. Think clearly on this and consider that the sign above the wide gate says heaven and the people on this way actually believe that they are on their way to heaven.

With the premise that many people would not willingly choose to spend in eternity in hell, the question of why they are on the broad way or wide road needs to be answered. The only possible answer is they are deceived. They have chosen to follow men and women who claim to be God or they are misrepresenting the Word of God; in Matthew 7:15, Jesus called these people false prophets. These false prophets may actually be sincere in their beliefs and who follow them have no idea what they are teaching is false. Jesus gave this warning, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). False prophets give false promises, false doctrine, and mislead people into believing they can live any way they want. All is required is to be a good person, go to church on Sunday, and give their tithes.

Jesus went on to say in Matthew 7:21-22, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in You name?’” Yes, those are great credentials and they would impress many who meet them. They were preaching, teaching, healing, casting out demons and performing many wonders that man would consider great works! But look at the evaluation of Jesus in verse 23, “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.’”

This needs to be broken down so there is no misunderstanding. False prophets are in the church today as they were in the days of the New Testament. They are concerned about impressing man more than God and His Word. They are more concerned about their own desires and glory than with God’s honor and glory. They do not care about sound doctrine but offer salvation that comes from entering the through the broad gate and walking the easy life offered by the broad way. Jesus is speaking a warning that not everyone who professes to be a Christian is a true Believer. The warning is that not all writers, singers, ministers, teachers, evangelist, and deacons are who they profess to be. Jesus said they may “outwardly appear to be righteous to man but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:28).

This will be continued tomorrow. Be encouraged! “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)