How narrow is the narrow path?

sparow

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Just curious. Im 17 and kind of deciding the next step to take with my life. I am a born again and seeking to stay on the narrow path. I'm just about finishing school.. I don't think I want to go to university like everyone else.. there's not much I desire from the world. And plus the bible says in Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Also we are not supposed to love the world nor the things in it... I really hate the way this world works trying to get everyone into the system.. Can we not just trust God by living in faith that he'll supply our daily needs? Or is that just me being lazy on my part.. I just feel it's so wordly.. stuff the gentiles seek.. are we not meant to be the light of the world ? But then again I could just keep Jesus as the priority in my heart & it may be a good opportunity to spread the gospel to people I come across. I just don't want to be like the world & come off the narrow path.. I don't want a luxurious life anyway





The Jews called the covenant or the Law and the Prophets the WAY. Matt 7:12, .... for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13, .... for wide is the WAY that leadeth to destruction.... 14, ... and straightened is the WAY that leadeth unto life, .... 15, Beware of false prophets in sheep's clothing, ....

The Gospel of both Jesus and John, "Make the WAY straight because the kingdom of God is near.
 
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WilliamBo

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Just curious. Im 17 and kind of deciding the next step to take with my life. I am a born again and seeking to stay on the narrow path.

That's incredible, I don't know if there was a single person at my entire high school that was seeking God like that. The Bible says "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" meaning you don't know when you will die and to really be serious about it. I've heard the narrow path described as "getting as thin as a razor blade." I personally found God in college and don't think there's anything ungodly about college besides the partying, drinking, fornicating, etc. and the worldly psychology they teach sometimes. Jesus was a carpenter, so we should also have a vocation of some type. What do you want to do for work? Do you plan on working to support yourself? College is all about pursuing a specific career path
 
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Beaker

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I would consider moving to the Himalayas and becoming a cave hermit. Just you God and darkness.......No worldly gentiles for thousands of miles.
Where's the 'don't be daft' emoticon?
 
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HeLeadethMe

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It comes to mind where it talks about the man who found a pearl of great price and hid it in a field, then went off to sell all that he had in order to buy that field. And Jesus telling the rich young ruler to sell all he had to come follow Him. Seek the Lord for His will and be led by the Spirit.......and going by scripture it sounds to me like you are on the right track.

Considering it is the end of the age and we are in the falling away, and Christian educational institutions are part of the falling away, with all sorts of wrong doctrine being taught, I would advise to avoid them these days.

The trouble with universities is that they feed the young impressionable carnal mind, really hard and really full......of carnal thinking which wars against the Truth......and that is spiritually dangerous to feed the carnal mind when the carnal mind cannot either obey the Spirit or perceive the things of God. It might not hurt to attend some place that just teaches a practical skill or trade though, if you need to, since we are to work with our hands......if the Lord permits/leads you in that direction. If you go that route, it might be practical to consider learning skills that have potential to turn into your own little business down the road.

Bless you for seeking to follow Jesus and walk in the narrow Way.
 
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Lizy424

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It comes to mind where it talks about the man who found a pearl of great price and hid it in a field, then went off to sell all that he had in order to buy that field. And Jesus telling the rich young ruler to sell all he had to come follow Him. Seek the Lord for His will and be led by the Spirit.......and going by scripture it sounds to me like you are on the right track.

Considering it is the end of the age and we are in the falling away, and Christian educational institutions are part of the falling away, with all sorts of wrong doctrine being taught, I would advise to avoid them these days.

The trouble with universities is that they feed the young impressionable carnal mind, really hard and really full......of carnal thinking which wars against the Truth......and that is spiritually dangerous to feed the carnal mind when the carnal mind cannot either obey the Spirit or perceive the things of God. It might not hurt to attend some place that just teaches a practical skill or trade though, if you need to, since we are to work with our hands......if the Lord permits/leads you in that direction. If you go that route, it might be practical to consider learning skills that have potential to turn into your own little business down the road.

Bless you for seeking to follow Jesus and walk in the narrow Way.
Yea thats true indeed. it's not like I'm anti - college or anything , it's just the thought of putting myself in such a carnally minded environment which I don't like.. but if I have to I will, if it is the Lords will for my life then I don't mind. I wouldn't make it my priority though.. because anyway to die is to gain and to live is Christ. Matthew 16 24Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save their lifef will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
God bless:)
 
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LoricaLady

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If you will research the original language I believe you will see that the word narrow in English is translated from a word that means constricted, filled with tribulation. As far as this decision and that decision, go one by one with them to your Heavenly Father. "Trust in YHWH" aka the Lord "and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."
 
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RisenInJesus

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Just curious. Im 17 and kind of deciding the next step to take with my life. I am a born again and seeking to stay on the narrow path. I'm just about finishing school.. I don't think I want to go to university like everyone else.. there's not much I desire from the world. And plus the bible says in Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Also we are not supposed to love the world nor the things in it... I really hate the way this world works trying to get everyone into the system.. Can we not just trust God by living in faith that he'll supply our daily needs? Or is that just me being lazy on my part.. I just feel it's so wordly.. stuff the gentiles seek.. are we not meant to be the light of the world ? But then again I could just keep Jesus as the priority in my heart & it may be a good opportunity to spread the gospel to people I come across. I just don't want to be like the world & come off the narrow path.. I don't want a luxurious life anyway
I suggest that you continue to seek God and the direction He has for your life. He has made you who you are and given you gifts and abilities which He desires to use for His glory in the world as you reflect Christ and serve and bless others. If you continue asking Him to lead you and sincerely want to submit your life to Him, I believe He will faithfully open the right doors for you and close the wrong ones. God Bless.
 
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Strong in Him

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Yea thats true indeed. it's not like I'm anti - college or anything , it's just the thought of putting myself in such a carnally minded environment which I don't like.. but if I have to I will, if it is the Lords will for my life then I don't mind. I wouldn't make it my priority though.. because anyway to die is to gain and to live is Christ. Matthew 16 24Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save their lifef will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
God bless:)


I think that's a remarkable attitude, and, if you decide to go to college, you could be a great witness and example to folk. :oldthumbsup: I truly wish I'd had your faith, and commitment, when I was 17.

I agree with you that it's the Lord's will for you that is most important. If he wants you to go, he will confirm it to you and give you the ability to cope once you're there.
But if a college degree is not necessary for where he's leading you, and/or you're worried about the effect the environment might have on your faith, maybe it would be a good idea to put it off - either for a while or completely.

When I was worried about college, a deaconess friend reminded me that I am in the Father's hand and, as Jesus said, nothing can snatch me from that position.
 
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ToBeLoved

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The Jews called the covenant or the Law and the Prophets the WAY. Matt 7:12, .... for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13, .... for wide is the WAY that leadeth to destruction.... 14, ... and straightened is the WAY that leadeth unto life, .... 15, Beware of false prophets in sheep's clothing, ....

The Gospel of both Jesus and John, "Make the WAY straight because the kingdom of God is near.
That's not right. It is talking about a way to get to an end point. The way is used in both a negative sense of the unsaved and a positive way for the saved.
 
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hedrick

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The world is spoken of in different ways in the NT. Some passages speak of the world in contrast to Christ. But in John, God loves the world and sends his son to save the world. Jesus says he’s come to establish the kingdom. The teachings he gives about how to be part of the Kingdom all talk about how we live today in this world.

So even though ultimately our citizenship may be in heaven, we’re expected to serve God in this world. If the best way for us to serve requires a college education we should do that. There are certainly things someone can do to serve without a degree, but it will limit your possibilities.
 
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LoricaLady

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The world is spoken of in different ways in the NT. Some passages speak of the world in contrast to Christ. But in John, God loves the world and sends his son to save the world. Jesus says he’s come to establish the kingdom. The teachings he gives about how to be part of the Kingdom all talk about how we live today in this world.

So even though ultimately our citizenship may be in heaven, we’re expected to serve God in this world. If the best way for us to serve requires a college education we should do that. There are certainly things someone can do to serve without a degree, but it will limit your possibilities.
I have 2 degrees and am really glad I got them. But it is not necessarily true that a degree is going to lead to a good job. Sometimes practical, non degreed, work, can lead to prosperity.
 
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sparow

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The world is spoken of in different ways in the NT. Some passages speak of the world in contrast to Christ. But in John, God loves the world and sends his son to save the world. Jesus says he’s come to establish the kingdom. The teachings he gives about how to be part of the Kingdom all talk about how we live today in this world.

So even though ultimately our citizenship may be in heaven, we’re expected to serve God in this world. If the best way for us to serve requires a college education we should do that. There are certainly things someone can do to serve without a degree, but it will limit your possibilities.

What I read from scripture is that God's people are to be apart from the world while being in it. Jezebel on the back of the beast is a church in the world but not apart from the world.
 
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sparow

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That's not right. It is talking about a way to get to an end point. The way is used in both a negative sense of the unsaved and a positive way for the saved.

The covenant is the way and the end point is the kingdom of God; the negative sense is where men abrogate the covenant and the endpoint is the second death.
 
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jimmyjimmy

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Just curious. Im 17 and kind of deciding the next step to take with my life. I am a born again and seeking to stay on the narrow path. I'm just about finishing school.. I don't think I want to go to university like everyone else.. there's not much I desire from the world. And plus the bible says in Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Also we are not supposed to love the world nor the things in it... I really hate the way this world works trying to get everyone into the system.. Can we not just trust God by living in faith that he'll supply our daily needs? Or is that just me being lazy on my part.. I just feel it's so wordly.. stuff the gentiles seek.. are we not meant to be the light of the world ? But then again I could just keep Jesus as the priority in my heart & it may be a good opportunity to spread the gospel to people I come across. I just don't want to be like the world & come off the narrow path.. I don't want a luxurious life anyway

We don't have careers simply to make us rich. Our work is part of the thriving of everyone else in our community, area, or even the world. God made us to work, i.e. to make order out of chaos. Also, our neighbor needs the fruit of our work. We need water, roadways, food, trucks, email, books, phones, hospitals, doctors, truck drivers, movers, accountants, politicians. . .

Your view, as stated in the OP, is very dualistic and stems from gnosticism, i.e., spiritual things are good, and physical things are bad. That's NOT a Christian view, for God created both the spiritual AND the physical, so they are both, "good".

Lastly, we work to earn money, not just for our own needs, but for the needs of others.
 
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ToBeLoved

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The covenant is the way and the end point is the kingdom of God; the negative sense is where men abrogate the covenant and the endpoint is the second death.
I read that you said the Way is what the early church called Christianity in reference to Jesus.

I must have misunderstood.
 
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Lizy424

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We don't have careers simply to make us rich. Our work is part of the thriving of everyone else in our community, area, or even the world. God made us to work, i.e. to make order out of chaos. Also, our neighbor needs the fruit of our work. We need water, roadways, food, trucks, email, books, phones, hospitals, doctors, truck drivers, movers, accountants, politicians. . .

Your view, as stated in the OP, is very dualistic and stems from gnosticism, i.e., spiritual things are good, and physical things are bad. That's NOT a Christian view, for God created both the spiritual AND the physical, so they are both, "good".
Lastly, we work to earn money, not just for our own needs,



Oh pardon me then.. I undesrtand that not everyone does it for the love of money. There may be a bunch of good reasons.. trust me I heard these things from the pastors all the time.. even with their private jets, ferraris etc ofcourse they always narrow it down as "blessings from God" but I know God is not of a god of vanity and idolatry.. its just scary what modern "Christianity" has come to. Like I said im not anti social/work/college or whatever. Everyone has their own paths. It just really depends whats in your heart. I still think im able to serve my neighbours without going to Uni but if the Lord wills then I will. It's about listening to His voice alone. God leads his people in different ways after all. Im just trying to be careful not to follow the majority just because its the norm in society. Matthew 16
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the PAGANS run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
God bless.
 
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SolomonVII

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Just curious. Im 17 and kind of deciding the next step to take with my life. I am a born again and seeking to stay on the narrow path. I'm just about finishing school.. I don't think I want to go to university like everyone else.. there's not much I desire from the world. And plus the bible says in Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Also we are not supposed to love the world nor the things in it... I really hate the way this world works trying to get everyone into the system.. Can we not just trust God by living in faith that he'll supply our daily needs? Or is that just me being lazy on my part.. I just feel it's so wordly.. stuff the gentiles seek.. are we not meant to be the light of the world ? But then again I could just keep Jesus as the priority in my heart & it may be a good opportunity to spread the gospel to people I come across. I just don't want to be like the world & come off the narrow path.. I don't want a luxurious life anyway
I have heard the narrow path likened to the parameters that lay out a ski run. Relative to the whole mountain outside of those parameters, the narrow path is pretty narrow. But in terms of defining the part of the mountain that is actually ski-able, the parameters are what make skiing possible in the first place.
The point of the narrow path that Christianity lays out for us is not to be confining and oppressive. The point of having a narrow path is to define the parameters that make live livable in the first place. Life in all its abundance lies in sticking to the narrow path.

The narrow path does not restrict you from continuing your education. It does not insist that you continue your education either. It does however guide you into the fact that you are now an adult, and have adult decisions to make as you move from a state of dependence to independence expected of adults.
"When I became a man I put away childish things."
 
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sparow

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I read that you said the Way is what the early church called Christianity in reference to Jesus.

I must have misunderstood.

I think it is that you start from a different place, using a different theology. If by early church you mean James's Jerusalem church, then the way was the OT and having Jesus fulfilling His role in the OT way; if you mean the Church Fathers then their was different.
 
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