How narrow is the "narrow way"?

[Valetic]

I believe I am a born again Christian. I came to a point in my life where The Holy Spirit moved upon me, I recognized it, I acknowledged it, I was convicted of my sin BY the Holy Spirit, I was sorry, I desired to get to know this being - this person - this Holy Spirit, He accepted me, and I was born again. I went to bed that night full of fire and having a heart for God I never thought would come into my life in my dizziest daydreams. I felt so cool the next day at school because I personally had met the one true GOD almighty! I wondered who else around me possibly had this rebirth, and I had a yearning for everyone I knew to come to this same knowledge, to experience God personally in that way which would change their lives forever.

Regardless of my own testimony, how many Christians are actually going to find the narrow way? I wonder myself, "Am I walking along the path that Jesus himself calls the 'narrow way that leads into eternal life'?"

What about lukewarmness? Jesus said, I would rather you be hot or cold, for if you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.

What about intentional sin? If I step on your toe and then apologize, and you say it's okay, but then I do it again, and you forgive me again, and I continue to do it because I know I can get away with it, what of the "narrow way" then?

1 Corinthians 6

(NLT) 9Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

What about born again Christians who continue to walk in some of these ways? Obviously the actions listed above are not in accordance to the "narrow way". I will be honest. I am guilty of at least one of these wrong doings. I know I ought to repent of it, maybe I struggle with it and maybe I have not yet been corrected of it. But when I do it, I know I am committing a wrong doing that is not in line with the "narrow way" which has led me to start this thread to seek out how all of this comes together.

1 Corinthians 3 Paul writes...

(NLT) 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

12Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

16Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

In verse 15 above, it says we will saved, but we will be like someone escaping through the flames. Could this be the consequence to our sin even after we have been born again? Is the "narrow way" simply BEING born again? Or is the narrow way being born again AND building with a "material" that survives the fire so that we are rewarded, like in verses 13 and 14 above?

 

[Kevin Snow]

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. ~Luke 13:28

There will be many people who come to the Lord in flattery and self deceit. They

having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ~2 Timothy 3:5

These people will honestly believe they are saved. They do not honestly believe in the Lord however. They just have simply deceived themselves. This is why "in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." They will think that they are going to get into heaven but will be cast out.

The way is most certainly narrow. And for this reason judgment comes first to the house of God:

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ~1 Peter 4:17

This is clearly stating the same thing as everything said earlier. The household of God has people in it who are genuine and people in it who are lying to themselves. Judgment comes first to us and many of them will weep and gnash their teeth at coming to see and know God for who he really is and how they missed it entirely.

As for how narrow? It says in Zechariah

In the whole land, declares Yahweh, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. ~Zechariah 13:8

And again we see this principle that 2/3 will be destroyed and 1/3 will be saved in the precedent of David here:

And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute. ~2 Samuel 8:2

And this seems to be the meaning of the number of the beast. For it says that 666 is the number of man and 666 is 2/3 of 1000. Meaning that for every 1000, 2/3 are destroyed. Though I can't say for sure this is the whole meaning of the number, it goes without saying that mankind is meant for destruction and they are the majority.

 

[bcbsr]

I believe I am a born again Christian. I came to a point in my life where The Holy Spirit moved upon me, I recognized it, I acknowledged it, I was convicted of my sin BY the Holy Spirit, I was sorry, I desired to get to know this being - this person - this Holy Spirit, He accepted me, and I was born again. I went to bed that night full of fire and having a heart for God I never thought would come into my life in my dizziest daydreams. I felt so cool the next day at school because I personally had met the one true GOD almighty! I wondered who else around me possibly had this rebirth, and I had a yearning for everyone I knew to come to this same knowledge, to experience God personally in that way which would change their lives forever.

Regardless of my own testimony, how many Christians are actually going to find the narrow way? I wonder myself, "Am I walking along the path that Jesus himself calls the 'narrow way that leads into eternal life'?"

What about lukewarmness? Jesus said, I would rather you be hot or cold, for if you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.

What about intentional sin? If I step on your toe and then apologize, and you say it's okay, but then I do it again, and you forgive me again, and I continue to do it because I know I can get away with it, what of the "narrow way" then?

1 Corinthians 6

(NLT) 9Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

What about born again Christians who continue to walk in some of these ways? Obviously the actions listed above are not in accordance to the "narrow way". I will be honest. I am guilty of at least one of these wrong doings. I know I ought to repent of it, maybe I struggle with it and maybe I have not yet been corrected of it. But when I do it, I know I am committing a wrong doing that is not in line with the "narrow way" which has led me to start this thread to seek out how all of this comes together.

1 Corinthians 3 Paul writes...

(NLT) 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

12Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

16Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

In verse 15 above, it says we will saved, but we will be like someone escaping through the flames. Could this be the consequence to our sin even after we have been born again? Is the "narrow way" simply BEING born again? Or is the narrow way being born again AND building with a "material" that survives the fire so that we are rewarded, like in verses 13 and 14 above?

Have you trusted in Christ to save you, or is your faith that your salvation contingent upon your ongoing performance, in which case you would be putting your faith in your performance to qualify you to be saved.

Christians on these forums are largely divided on this issue. As I see it, salvation is a done deal for those who have trusted in Christ. "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24 And faith in Christ is a faith with is apart from consideration of one's works.

Rom 4:1-8 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about— but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered."

As for 1Cor 3:11-14, what it's saying is that the believer will inevitably be saved, regardless his works. One's works are like a book. There are good pages and bad. What happens to those who "sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more" is that the memory of one's bad works is burned up, and potential rewards for those pages lost. What remains are only the good works, the good pages, for which the believer will be rewarded.

The narrow way is speaking of those who are still seeking for salvation. Those who have trusted in Christ have ended their journey. They have obtained eternal life.

 

[Call me Nic]

I believe I am a born again Christian. I came to a point in my life where The Holy Spirit moved upon me, I recognized it, I acknowledged it, I was convicted of my sin BY the Holy Spirit, I was sorry, I desired to get to know this being - this person - this Holy Spirit, He accepted me, and I was born again. I went to bed that night full of fire and having a heart for God I never thought would come into my life in my dizziest daydreams. I felt so cool the next day at school because I personally had met the one true GOD almighty! I wondered who else around me possibly had this rebirth, and I had a yearning for everyone I knew to come to this same knowledge, to experience God personally in that way which would change their lives forever.

Regardless of my own testimony, how many Christians are actually going to find the narrow way? I wonder myself, "Am I walking along the path that Jesus himself calls the 'narrow way that leads into eternal life'?"

What about lukewarmness? Jesus said, I would rather you be hot or cold, for if you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.

What about intentional sin? If I step on your toe and then apologize, and you say it's okay, but then I do it again, and you forgive me again, and I continue to do it because I know I can get away with it, what of the "narrow way" then?

1 Corinthians 6

(NLT) 9Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

What about born again Christians who continue to walk in some of these ways? Obviously the actions listed above are not in accordance to the "narrow way". I will be honest. I am guilty of at least one of these wrong doings. I know I ought to repent of it, maybe I struggle with it and maybe I have not yet been corrected of it. But when I do it, I know I am committing a wrong doing that is not in line with the "narrow way" which has led me to start this thread to seek out how all of this comes together.

1 Corinthians 3 Paul writes...

(NLT) 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

12Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

16Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

In verse 15 above, it says we will saved, but we will be like someone escaping through the flames. Could this be the consequence to our sin even after we have been born again? Is the "narrow way" simply BEING born again? Or is the narrow way being born again AND building with a "material" that survives the fire so that we are rewarded, like in verses 13 and 14 above?

The book of 1 John, I've found, gives a great and simple litmus test for knowing that you are saved, because John admits in the last part of the epistle that he wrote so we would know we are saved.

1 John 4:2 "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:"
1 John 5:1 "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:"
1 John 5:10 "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son."
1 John 5:13 "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye can have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

So according to all these verses, if you believe (trust) that Jesus is the Christ, is the Son of God, and is come in the flesh then you are born of God and have received everlasting life.

I would encourage you to take the words Christ said about lukewarmness, and the words Paul said about wickedness and worldliness, and use them as motivations to resist giving into those things. However, the Bible doesn't say, "Don't be lukewarm and thou shalt be saved," or "don't be worldly and thou shalt be saved," but rather, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," (Acts 16:31). It's a positive commandment, and not a negative. Positive commands are followed by one obeisance, while negative commands (thou shalt not kill) are broken by one disobeisance- I believe the Lord did this on purpose, because salvation was always meant to be easy and simple, as long as one doesn't muddy it up, and as long as they trust on Christ Jesus alone.

Take comfort in the fact that you can't resist from lusts, sin, or lukewarmness, and that you will commit those sins the rest of your life and that proves that you need a Savior, and that you must believe on him alone to save you. Take comfort in the fact that Jesus paid it all, all to him you owe, sin had left a crimson stain, but he washed it white as snow.

God bless, friend.

 

[Basil the Great]

I believe I am a born again Christian. I came to a point in my life where The Holy Spirit moved upon me, I recognized it, I acknowledged it, I was convicted of my sin BY the Holy Spirit, I was sorry, I desired to get to know this being - this person - this Holy Spirit, He accepted me, and I was born again. I went to bed that night full of fire and having a heart for God I never thought would come into my life in my dizziest daydreams. I felt so cool the next day at school because I personally had met the one true GOD almighty! I wondered who else around me possibly had this rebirth, and I had a yearning for everyone I knew to come to this same knowledge, to experience God personally in that way which would change their lives forever.

Regardless of my own testimony, how many Christians are actually going to find the narrow way? I wonder myself, "Am I walking along the path that Jesus himself calls the 'narrow way that leads into eternal life'?"

What about lukewarmness? Jesus said, I would rather you be hot or cold, for if you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.

What about intentional sin? If I step on your toe and then apologize, and you say it's okay, but then I do it again, and you forgive me again, and I continue to do it because I know I can get away with it, what of the "narrow way" then?

1 Corinthians 6

(NLT) 9Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

What about born again Christians who continue to walk in some of these ways? Obviously the actions listed above are not in accordance to the "narrow way". I will be honest. I am guilty of at least one of these wrong doings. I know I ought to repent of it, maybe I struggle with it and maybe I have not yet been corrected of it. But when I do it, I know I am committing a wrong doing that is not in line with the "narrow way" which has led me to start this thread to seek out how all of this comes together.

1 Corinthians 3 Paul writes...

(NLT) 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

12Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

16Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

In verse 15 above, it says we will saved, but we will be like someone escaping through the flames. Could this be the consequence to our sin even after we have been born again? Is the "narrow way" simply BEING born again? Or is the narrow way being born again AND building with a "material" that survives the fire so that we are rewarded, like in verses 13 and 14 above?

I almost started a thread like this one a few days ago, Valetic. This is the million dollar question I suppose. Just how narrow is the narrow way? None of us know the answer for certain it seems. We can only hope that it is not too narrow or a lot of posters on Christian Forums will be sadly disappointed when they die.

 

[Call me Nic]

I want to stress to you all that the word "narrow" is not the same as the word "difficult." Christ said that his burden is light, and that all who are heavy laden should come to him to have rest for their souls.

Salvation is not difficult - in fact, God made it the easiest thing in the world through Christ. Narrow simply means that there is only one way, one gate, one entrance to heaven, and Christ is that way, that gate, that entrance. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father except through him.

If a man believes on Christ, he has entered into that strait gate already - the gate is wide open for any to come in freely, but it is one gate with one entrance nonetheless, and the only password is "Jesus Christ."

 

[Dave L]

I believe I am a born again Christian. I came to a point in my life where The Holy Spirit moved upon me, I recognized it, I acknowledged it, I was convicted of my sin BY the Holy Spirit, I was sorry, I desired to get to know this being - this person - this Holy Spirit, He accepted me, and I was born again. I went to bed that night full of fire and having a heart for God I never thought would come into my life in my dizziest daydreams. I felt so cool the next day at school because I personally had met the one true GOD almighty! I wondered who else around me possibly had this rebirth, and I had a yearning for everyone I knew to come to this same knowledge, to experience God personally in that way which would change their lives forever.

Regardless of my own testimony, how many Christians are actually going to find the narrow way? I wonder myself, "Am I walking along the path that Jesus himself calls the 'narrow way that leads into eternal life'?"

What about lukewarmness? Jesus said, I would rather you be hot or cold, for if you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.

What about intentional sin? If I step on your toe and then apologize, and you say it's okay, but then I do it again, and you forgive me again, and I continue to do it because I know I can get away with it, what of the "narrow way" then?

1 Corinthians 6

(NLT) 9Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

What about born again Christians who continue to walk in some of these ways? Obviously the actions listed above are not in accordance to the "narrow way". I will be honest. I am guilty of at least one of these wrong doings. I know I ought to repent of it, maybe I struggle with it and maybe I have not yet been corrected of it. But when I do it, I know I am committing a wrong doing that is not in line with the "narrow way" which has led me to start this thread to seek out how all of this comes together.

1 Corinthians 3 Paul writes...

(NLT) 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

12Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

16Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

In verse 15 above, it says we will saved, but we will be like someone escaping through the flames. Could this be the consequence to our sin even after we have been born again? Is the "narrow way" simply BEING born again? Or is the narrow way being born again AND building with a "material" that survives the fire so that we are rewarded, like in verses 13 and 14 above?

My salvation experience is similar to yours. But I think the narrow way is in Christ's atonement. Trusting that his death on the cross in your behalf is your only grounds of acceptance with God.

Many trust in their faith to save them. Thinking it is a condition they met to save themselves. But true faith abandons self and looks beyond to Christ's death on the cross. Holding that up to God as your only grounds of acceptance by him. And not holding up any form of self-righteousness, whether choosing to believe, or partaking of sacraments to save yourself.

 

[Call me Nic]

My salvation experience is similar to yours. But I think the narrow way is in Christ's atonement. Trusting that his death on the cross in your behalf is your only grounds of acceptance with God.

Many trust in their faith to save them. Thinking it is a condition they met to save themselves. But true faith abandons self and looks beyond to Christ's death on the cross. Holding that up to God as your only grounds of acceptance by him. And not holding up any form of self-righteousness, whether choosing to believe, or partaking of sacraments to save yourself.

How does one have faith in their faith? Isn't faith itself the very act of distrusting oneself to trust in something else?

 

[Dave L]

How does one have faith in their faith? Isn't faith itself the very act of distrusting oneself to trust in something else?

If faith is a condition you must meet, your faith will be in your meeting the condition and not in Christ.

 

[Kevin Snow]

I want to stress to you all that the word "narrow" is not the same as the word "difficult." Christ said that his burden is light, and that all who are heavy laden should come to him to have rest for their souls.

Salvation is not difficult - in fact, God made it the easiest thing in the world through Christ. Narrow simply means that there is only one way, one gate, one entrance to heaven, and Christ is that way, that gate, that entrance. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father except through him.

If a man believes on Christ, he has entered into that strait gate already - the gate is wide open for any to come in freely, but it is one gate with one entrance nonetheless, and the only password is "Jesus Christ."

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
~Matthew 7:14

You certainly spoke out of turn and the depiction of a "password" in heaven is the very kind of thinking that will get you cast out.

 

[Kevin Snow]

If faith is a condition you must meet, your faith will be in your meeting the condition and not in Christ.

The very element of self deceit. Imagining that you know when in fact you do not know as you ought to know.

 

[Valetic]

I almost started a thread like this one a few days ago, Valetic. This is the million dollar question I suppose. Just how narrow is the narrow way? None of us know the answer for certain it seems. We can only hope that it is not too narrow or a lot of posters on Christian Forums will be sadly disappointed when they die.

I believe Kevin Snow got the answer straight from the bible in the OT! I read the chapter and I interpreted it in context the best I knew, and it looks solid.

In the whole land, declares Yahweh, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. ~Zechariah 13:8

 

[Call me Nic]

If faith is a condition you must meet, your faith will be in your meeting the condition and not in Christ.

I think that thinking of it this way overcomplicates something that should be very simple.

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
~Matthew 7:14

You certainly spoke out of turn and the depiction of a "password" in heaven is the very kind of thinking that will get you cast out.

Matthew 7:14 "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (King James Version).

And the password analogy was just that: an analogy. Calm down. It was an analogy for expressing that Christ is the only way to heaven.

 

[~Anastasia~]

It seems you are mostly asking about sin.

I will say this - There's a difference between these two cases, between the heart they reveal about the person.

One person comes to God and has some besetting sin. Whatever it is - alcoholism, drug addiction, a tendency to fly into a rage, persistent creeping pride or covetousness. (In actuality we may have a number of besetting sins, it's just that God doesn't overwhelm us by laying them all before us at once.) Thst person may be grieved by his sin, ask forgiveness, desire not to do it again, and struggle within himself or with temptation. And he may indeed fail and fall back into sin. Repeatedly. As long as he repents and comes back to God, he is on the path of salvation.

Now imagine another person. He may even have the same besetting sin. Or he might not even be so beset but just have selfish desires to do whatever. He knows the thing he wants to do is wrong, but he doesn't even try to avoid it. He want to do it, so he does it. He might even reason that God will simply forgive him anyway, or is even obligated to forgive or has already forgiven. That person is compounding the sin of presuming on God, btw. This person ---- well, God still WANTS to save him, and may in mercy give him the necessary situation so that he truly repents and can accept God's forgiveness. But that's only through God's mercy. That person is not living a Christian life.

We mostly all fall somewhere in between with most temptations. But what is important is our heart, our motive, and whether we are cooperating with the grace of God so that we can accept His forgiveness, or whether we are effectively blocking His transformation in our lives. It's not a static moment. It's something we walk every day. And the process is what shapes us to become - whatever we become. And that matters in the end.

I believe I am a born again Christian. I came to a point in my life where The Holy Spirit moved upon me, I recognized it, I acknowledged it, I was convicted of my sin BY the Holy Spirit, I was sorry, I desired to get to know this being - this person - this Holy Spirit, He accepted me, and I was born again. I went to bed that night full of fire and having a heart for God I never thought would come into my life in my dizziest daydreams. I felt so cool the next day at school because I personally had met the one true GOD almighty! I wondered who else around me possibly had this rebirth, and I had a yearning for everyone I knew to come to this same knowledge, to experience God personally in that way which would change their lives forever.

Regardless of my own testimony, how many Christians are actually going to find the narrow way? I wonder myself, "Am I walking along the path that Jesus himself calls the 'narrow way that leads into eternal life'?"

What about lukewarmness? Jesus said, I would rather you be hot or cold, for if you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.

What about intentional sin? If I step on your toe and then apologize, and you say it's okay, but then I do it again, and you forgive me again, and I continue to do it because I know I can get away with it, what of the "narrow way" then?

1 Corinthians 6

(NLT) 9Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

What about born again Christians who continue to walk in some of these ways? Obviously the actions listed above are not in accordance to the "narrow way". I will be honest. I am guilty of at least one of these wrong doings. I know I ought to repent of it, maybe I struggle with it and maybe I have not yet been corrected of it. But when I do it, I know I am committing a wrong doing that is not in line with the "narrow way" which has led me to start this thread to seek out how all of this comes together.

1 Corinthians 3 Paul writes...

(NLT) 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

12Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

16Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

In verse 15 above, it says we will saved, but we will be like someone escaping through the flames. Could this be the consequence to our sin even after we have been born again? Is the "narrow way" simply BEING born again? Or is the narrow way being born again AND building with a "material" that survives the fire so that we are rewarded, like in verses 13 and 14 above?

 

[Dave L]

I think that thinking of it this way overcomplicates something that should be very simple.

Matthew 7:14 "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (King James Version).

And the password analogy was just that: an analogy. Calm down. It was an analogy for expressing that Christ is the only way to heaven.

It depends. Do you trust in your self-righteousness in meeting conditions to save yourself? Or simply look beyond self and trust in Christ to save you?

 

[Kevin Snow]

I think that thinking of it this way overcomplicates something that should be very simple.

Matthew 7:14 "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (King James Version).

And the password analogy was just that: an analogy. Calm down. It was an analogy for expressing that Christ is the only way to heaven.

I looked it up in the Greek and it says "compressed" so I see why different versions interpret that "hard" or "narrow."

In the consideration of pressure that occurs through compression I believe that it is legitimate to understand there to be an associated difficulty with the narrow road.

As it stands I say "Nothing good was ever easy."

But I understand what you are saying about his burden being light. I think the difficulty is associated with the fact that we are the minority in a fallen world and are put through various trials so that the tested genuineness of our faith might be seen. The fact that we don't have to work for salvation is what is easy, but once you are saved it is not easy to walk that road.

 

[Call me Nic]

It depends. Do you trust in your self-righteousness in meeting conditions to save yourself? Or simply look beyond self and trust in Christ to save you?

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us; for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.

 

[Call me Nic]

I looked it up in the Greek and it says "compressed" so I see why different versions interpret that "hard" or "narrow."

In the consideration of pressure that occurs through compression I believe that it is legitimate to understand there to be an associated difficulty with the narrow road.

As it stands I say "Nothing good was ever easy."

But I understand what you are saying about his burden being light. I think the difficulty is associated with the fact that we are the minority in a fallen world and are put through various trials so that the tested genuineness of our faith might be seen. The fact that we don't have to work for salvation is what is easy, but once you are saved it is not easy to walk that road.

Agreed completely. No one ever becomes a Christian because it's easy to be one - we become Christians because becoming one is easy.

 

[Dave L]

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us; for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.

If this is a condition for salvation, you will trust in your meeting the condition rather than trusting in Christ.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
~Matthew 7:14

You certainly spoke out of turn and the depiction of a "password" in heaven is the very kind of thinking that will get you cast out.

Kevin, while you may be correct at times, it might be helpful if you also cite which Bible version you're using so the rest of us can try to have better insight into the truth you're trying to share with us. Thanks, brother!