Narrow Gate
Narrow Gate. For which gate are you bound? Jesus said, in Matthew 7, that there are only two gates, and everyone, man, woman, and child, is bound for one gate or the other? What do we know about these two gates as revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ?
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13-14, NKJV
Narrow Gate
Verse 13 tells us of the first gate: "Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." (KJV)
The first gate, then, is the easy gate--wide enough for everyone to pass
through. No specific requirements are given, for its scope is wide and
broad--and destructive! It is the wrong gate! Yet, it is the gate
through which most people traverse.
What of the second gate, the strait gate (or narrow gate) mentioned in verse 14? "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (KJV)
We see, then, that this gate is strait and narrow--there is no turning
to the right or turning to the left, but rather, one must stay on this
narrow path or the gate will be missed. As a matter of fact, there are
really very few who even find this gate.
How can that be? God has given to us, in this 21st century, an
instruction manual so to speak. We have been blessed with the
Bible--God's Holy Word which clearly delineates the way to the strait
and narrow gate. Why, then, do so many miss it?
The only way through this gate is through the Lord Jesus Christ--no
other way will lead to God, the Father. For you see, it is not St. Peter
who stands at the gate of heaven, but God Himself. As a matter of fact,
the first face we see will be that of the Lord Jesus Christ. However,
if we do not choose God's way, then there is no other way!
A very beautiful song written by John W. Peterson explains it well:
Before the stars were hung or planets fashioned
Before the clay was formed to make a man
Christ was the Lamb of God, for sinners offered
This was redemption’s one and only plan
Refrain:
There was no other way a God of love could find
To reconcile the world and save a lost mankind
It took the death of His own Son upon a tree
There was no other way but Calvary
The wealth of all the world could not redeem us
Nor could our feeble works so great a price
Our only hope is in the blood of Jesus
The blood He shed for us in sacrifice
So friend if you would find the way to Heaven
If from the guilt of life you would be free
Accept the only way by God provided
The great redeeming work at Calvary
O I must tell the news where’er He leads me
Proclaim the Gospel sound both far and near
The way, the truth, the life is found in Jesus
This is the message all the world must hear
Why
is it that people seem to search so hard for heaven, but fail to find
it? They are searching in the wrong place. Only through Christ can they
find the path to God.
Go, then, this day and proclaim the Gospel of Christ that leads to the strait and narrow gate, to God, Himself.
What a glorious day that will be!
Devotional Reflections from the Bible
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