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Narrow is the way:
When I think of the words of Jesus Christ, I am led back many times to His words that say "narrow is the way."
Jesus said,
So how do we determine who these "few be there that find it"? Is Jesus saying in Matthew 7 that the narrow way is just to have a belief alone in Jesus while one does not need worry so much about their sin so much because all their present and future forgiven is automatically forgiven at the cross (by a belief alone on Jesus), and we do not need to truly put away all grievous sin out of our lives? Is that the context of Matthew 7? Is Jesus talking about the believer justifying sin under God's grace or treating His grace as a safety net to sin in some way in Matthew 7?
In my discussion with other believers, I noticed that some believers say that we fight against sin and they hate it but yet at the same time (or on the other hand), they will contradict themselves and say they will always sin in this life and they are saved if they do so. In my understanding on the Scriptures, this view appears to be justifying sin under God's grace. For if one can sin a little bit under God's grace, or just get mad at sin, and pretend like they are fighting a losing battle against sin (and yet they are still saved), and they do not put away their grievous sin, they are technically showing their allegiance to sin and in being conquered by their sin. They are just pretending to fight, and not truly seeking to win the battle. Paul says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you" (Romans 6:14). This is not a safety net to sin because we are forgiven of future sins type statement, either. Jesus said
“Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin." (John 8:34) (NKJV). Also, Paul says, "we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection..." (Romans 6:5), and he says, "even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4). So Paul is saying we are to be in the likeness of his resurrection and walk in newness of life and not sin.
Granted, while we do have God's grace to be forgiven of sin if we do happen to sin on rare occasion if we confess our sins (1 John 1:9) (1 John 2:1); But we also know that Jude warns about those believers who turn God's grace into a license for immorality (Jude 1:4).
The best analogy or real world example (parable) I can make here to help illustrate to you the difference is with two men who are alcoholics that join a drug program.
One alcoholic joins the drug program just to temporarily please a family member and to get benefits (of some kind) from them, and to stop their lecturing on how the booze is gonna kill them, etc.; So they join the drug program with no real intention of every stopping. They may even hate their alcoholism and may have moments of wanting to stop, but they know they never will stop. So they justify their demon in the bottle. In the end: The alcohol will kill them. Their sin will kill them. For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
The second alcoholic joins the drug program with the intention of overcoming their sin of alcoholism. They may stumble on occasion, but they truly desire and seek to overcome and believe they will overcome their sin of alcoholism. So they battle and fight against their sin of alcoholism to put away out of their life for good. When they overcome, and have victory over their struggle with alcoholism, a person who seen them stumble may have told them that they could not do it, or no person can overcome such a sin. This is how many are today. They say, "you cannot do it." No man can overcome those sins in the Bible that condemn us. Yet, men have overcome certain sins by programs and they were not even believers. Imagine how much more of what God can do in a person's life? Does not Christ change us? Is not Christ supposed to do the good work through us?
Matthew 13:24 is particularly an interesting verse that is similar to Matthew 7:14.
We are told to enter in at the straight gate. Many times: Gates back in bible times were usually an entrance to the city, kind of like the gate to a fenced in wall for a castle to keep out enemy intruders. The Bible mentions the gate of Sodom (Genesis 19:1). No doubt entering into that gate would mean being around a lot of sinful corruption, influence, and harm to your very own being as a man of God. For the sin was so great within the gate of that city that God destroyed it as an example to all who would live ungodly thereafter (See: 2 Peter 2:6). Imagine if a gate door is crooked and bent out of shape from an attack. It would not keep out intruders too well. It would be a crooked gate. So the words "straight gate" is in reference to the shape of the gate in how it can properly function and in the moral aspect of the kind of gate that is an entrance to a particular place that is either good or bad. For a gate can be either a crooked gate like the gate of Sodom, or it can be the straight gate (the righteous gate) to God's kingdom.
In Matthew 7: We see many key indicators of the context of the chapter that Jesus wants us to do good as a part of the narrow way.
Jesus is the door. Jesus is the way.
Many want Jesus but they do not want His teachings or to follow Him or His commands.
In 2 Timothy 3:1-9, some key points to take away from this passage that speaks of the opposite of the narrow way is this:
For Hebrews 12:14 says to follow after holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
The apostle John says he that does righteousness is righteous (See: 1 John 3:7).
Jesus says, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20).
Many have gotten off the narrow path or they never even knew about it.
So what can a person do if they are not currently on the narrow way?
Repent (i.e. seek forgiveness with the Lord), and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance (like living holy, helping the poor to some capacity, spreading the gospel in some way, loving your fellow faithful Christian friends if you can find them in these last days).
When I think of the words of Jesus Christ, I am led back many times to His words that say "narrow is the way."
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
which leads unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14).
which leads unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14).
Jesus said,
"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13:24).
Some key words to keep in mind here in Matthew 7:14 is: "FEW BE THERE THAT FIND IT."
So how do we determine who these "few be there that find it"? Is Jesus saying in Matthew 7 that the narrow way is just to have a belief alone in Jesus while one does not need worry so much about their sin so much because all their present and future forgiven is automatically forgiven at the cross (by a belief alone on Jesus), and we do not need to truly put away all grievous sin out of our lives? Is that the context of Matthew 7? Is Jesus talking about the believer justifying sin under God's grace or treating His grace as a safety net to sin in some way in Matthew 7?
In my discussion with other believers, I noticed that some believers say that we fight against sin and they hate it but yet at the same time (or on the other hand), they will contradict themselves and say they will always sin in this life and they are saved if they do so. In my understanding on the Scriptures, this view appears to be justifying sin under God's grace. For if one can sin a little bit under God's grace, or just get mad at sin, and pretend like they are fighting a losing battle against sin (and yet they are still saved), and they do not put away their grievous sin, they are technically showing their allegiance to sin and in being conquered by their sin. They are just pretending to fight, and not truly seeking to win the battle. Paul says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you" (Romans 6:14). This is not a safety net to sin because we are forgiven of future sins type statement, either. Jesus said
“Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin." (John 8:34) (NKJV). Also, Paul says, "we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection..." (Romans 6:5), and he says, "even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4). So Paul is saying we are to be in the likeness of his resurrection and walk in newness of life and not sin.
Granted, while we do have God's grace to be forgiven of sin if we do happen to sin on rare occasion if we confess our sins (1 John 1:9) (1 John 2:1); But we also know that Jude warns about those believers who turn God's grace into a license for immorality (Jude 1:4).
"For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4) (BSB).
The best analogy or real world example (parable) I can make here to help illustrate to you the difference is with two men who are alcoholics that join a drug program.
One alcoholic joins the drug program just to temporarily please a family member and to get benefits (of some kind) from them, and to stop their lecturing on how the booze is gonna kill them, etc.; So they join the drug program with no real intention of every stopping. They may even hate their alcoholism and may have moments of wanting to stop, but they know they never will stop. So they justify their demon in the bottle. In the end: The alcohol will kill them. Their sin will kill them. For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
The second alcoholic joins the drug program with the intention of overcoming their sin of alcoholism. They may stumble on occasion, but they truly desire and seek to overcome and believe they will overcome their sin of alcoholism. So they battle and fight against their sin of alcoholism to put away out of their life for good. When they overcome, and have victory over their struggle with alcoholism, a person who seen them stumble may have told them that they could not do it, or no person can overcome such a sin. This is how many are today. They say, "you cannot do it." No man can overcome those sins in the Bible that condemn us. Yet, men have overcome certain sins by programs and they were not even believers. Imagine how much more of what God can do in a person's life? Does not Christ change us? Is not Christ supposed to do the good work through us?
Matthew 13:24 is particularly an interesting verse that is similar to Matthew 7:14.
"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13:24).
We are told to enter in at the straight gate. Many times: Gates back in bible times were usually an entrance to the city, kind of like the gate to a fenced in wall for a castle to keep out enemy intruders. The Bible mentions the gate of Sodom (Genesis 19:1). No doubt entering into that gate would mean being around a lot of sinful corruption, influence, and harm to your very own being as a man of God. For the sin was so great within the gate of that city that God destroyed it as an example to all who would live ungodly thereafter (See: 2 Peter 2:6). Imagine if a gate door is crooked and bent out of shape from an attack. It would not keep out intruders too well. It would be a crooked gate. So the words "straight gate" is in reference to the shape of the gate in how it can properly function and in the moral aspect of the kind of gate that is an entrance to a particular place that is either good or bad. For a gate can be either a crooked gate like the gate of Sodom, or it can be the straight gate (the righteous gate) to God's kingdom.
In Matthew 7: We see many key indicators of the context of the chapter that Jesus wants us to do good as a part of the narrow way.
#1. Beware of false prophets who are like wolves in sheep's clothing (For we shall know them by their fruit) (Matthew 7:16-17) (Note: Fruits are deeds; Compare Luke 3:8 with Acts 26:20 NKJV).
#2. A tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire (Matthew 7:19) (Matthew 3:10, and John 15:1-6 says a similar thing).
#3. Jesus says, "Not every one that says unto me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) (to see the will of the Father or God, see 1 Thessalonians 4:3).
#4. Jesus says, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye [you-all] that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22-23) (Note: Jesus did not know these believers who professed to do works in His name because they worked sin or iniquity; This is confirmed in the fact that we can have an assurance in knowing the Lord if we keep His commandments 1 John 2:3. For those who say they know the Lord and do not keep His commandments are a liar and the truth is not in them. Jesus is the Truth that is not in them because they break God's laws and commit sin.).
#5. In Matthew 7:26-27, Jesus says that the person who does not do what He says is like a fool who built his house upon the sand, and when a storm came, great was the fall of that house.
#2. A tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire (Matthew 7:19) (Matthew 3:10, and John 15:1-6 says a similar thing).
#3. Jesus says, "Not every one that says unto me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) (to see the will of the Father or God, see 1 Thessalonians 4:3).
#4. Jesus says, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye [you-all] that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22-23) (Note: Jesus did not know these believers who professed to do works in His name because they worked sin or iniquity; This is confirmed in the fact that we can have an assurance in knowing the Lord if we keep His commandments 1 John 2:3. For those who say they know the Lord and do not keep His commandments are a liar and the truth is not in them. Jesus is the Truth that is not in them because they break God's laws and commit sin.).
#5. In Matthew 7:26-27, Jesus says that the person who does not do what He says is like a fool who built his house upon the sand, and when a storm came, great was the fall of that house.
Jesus is the door. Jesus is the way.
Many want Jesus but they do not want His teachings or to follow Him or His commands.
In 2 Timothy 3:1-9, some key points to take away from this passage that speaks of the opposite of the narrow way is this:
1 "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves,..." (2 Timothy 3:1-2).
"...unholy, Without natural affection,..." (2 Timothy 3:3).
4 "...lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:
from such turn away." (2 Timothy 3:4-5).
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves,..." (2 Timothy 3:1-2).
"...unholy, Without natural affection,..." (2 Timothy 3:3).
4 "...lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:
from such turn away." (2 Timothy 3:4-5).
For Hebrews 12:14 says to follow after holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
The apostle John says he that does righteousness is righteous (See: 1 John 3:7).
Jesus says, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20).
Many have gotten off the narrow path or they never even knew about it.
So what can a person do if they are not currently on the narrow way?
Repent (i.e. seek forgiveness with the Lord), and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance (like living holy, helping the poor to some capacity, spreading the gospel in some way, loving your fellow faithful Christian friends if you can find them in these last days).
