What and Where is the "narrow gate"?
Jesus often used contrasts or opposites in his illustrations….and the one in Matt 7:13-14 is a good example.
There are two alternative paths presented to mankind…one leads to everlasting life, and the other to everlasting death. (destruction)
One road is easy, and the other is difficult to travel. Both have a gate….one is wide…the other is narrow.
Now we have a mental picture of what Jesus was teaching. We all have the same choices…..we choose the path that appeals to us. Given that choice, who would take the difficult road if there was an easy way to arrive at the same destination?….right?
That is the pivotal question…..because those traveling the easy road have been convinced that it doesn’t lead to death at all….the devil has posted a sign on the wide gate, saying in effect…. “enter here…this is the road to life”.…sniggering all the while because he knows how to manipulate the thinking of the human race, so flawed now, that he knows they will easily fall for his lies.
This is called “perception management” and it is used by governments and large corporations all over the world to manipulate the thinking of their target audience…..promoting their own agenda or products whilst at the same time denigrating their competitors. There are no new tricks….these are time tested.
For each individual, a choice will be made at some point in their lives to either alter their course, or stay with the comfortable status quo. We saw this clearly with the Jews of the first century…..they had a choice to enter the narrow gate and change course entirely by following Jesus Christ, or to stay on the path that they entered at birth, as a nation dedicated to their God Yahweh. Who did they believe? Who misled them?
What is satan notorious for? Deception and lies….so according to Jesus, in another one of his illustrations, he spoke of a time when the devil would sow seeds of counterfeit Christianity (Matt 13:24-30; 36-43)…..subverting the true faith and using his misinformed minions to lead people down a wrong path.
So this would result in more choices…..so many choices in fact that people are now overwhelmed by them. When Christendom was born in the fourth century, it was just the beginning of the devil’s plan to lead mankind astray. Today, the choices that people are faced with, are ridiculous!….so many are confused, and it’s no wonder that many have ditched religion altogether.
But those who choose a faith
unwisely, based on what appeals to them, are telling God who they are and what they want to do with regard to their worship. To choose the right path once exposed to the truth, shows God that we are willing, like Job, to tough it out with the devil constantly standing in our way throughout the journey. That choice would incur the world’s hatred. (John 15:18-21)
But we see that others just want to be called “Christians” (label wearers) without putting in much effort to really learn more than the basics, and who care too much about what others think. Imagine what it was like in a devout Jewish family when a member decided that following Jesus was going to be their choice, and in full knowledge of what that would mean…..
Jesus addressed this situation in Matt 10:34-39…..
”Do not think I came to bring peace to the earth; I came to bring, not peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 Indeed, a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and whoever has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his soul will lose it, and whoever loses his soul for my sake will find it.”
Under the threat of persecution and even death, the cramped road to life was chosen, and the gate was narrow because entering this course didn’t allow anyone to bring in a lot of baggage…..like when Jesus told the Christians to flee Jerusalem when they saw the enemy forces surrounding the city….he told them not to take their belongings, just themselves. Robbers would no doubt steal their possessions along the way, and do them harm…..and it would slow them down unnecessarily. They had to have faith to leave their old lives, possessions and livelihood behind, and start again in a new place. How much faith would that have required?
The choice to enter the narrow gate was a choice to accept Christ as Messiah…..but the devil was to create another gate…a false one deceptively sign posted….promising that this was the way to life, but it will end in a way the travelers never imagined.
Just a few verses later, Jesus predicted the outcome for the majority who chose the wrong road.
Matt 7:21-23….
”Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. 22 Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’”
No one wants to be on the receiving end of that rejection, but the receivers are shocked by it, offering their excuses because they thought that they were serving God through faith in their “Lord”.….but their excuses will not be accepted.….because of failing to do the will of Jesus’ Father.
In order to do God’s will…we first have to know what it is that he requires of us……most Christians on these boards, concentrate on what God will do for them. Not much thought is given as to what God wants from us.
First and foremost we have to “know the only true God AND the one he sent” (John 17:3) If we do not know the true God but instead worship a substitute, everlasting life will be lost. Who has the devil got the majority worshipping? One who is not Yahweh…a breach of the first Commandment. (Exodus 20: 3)