THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY

"Enter in ye at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at. Because STRAIT IS THE GATE and NARROW THE WAY which leadeth unto life and FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT" Matthew 7:13-14 KJV

i like the King James because it makes me think and look into the meaning of words. Jesus spoke like no other man on earth and deserves all my attention. When Jesus speaks, now as then, lives are changed forever

"The officers answered, Never man spake like this man." John 7:46

These officers were sent to bring Jesus to the chief priests and Pharisees. But Jesus Words held in them the power of life, yesterday, today and forever. The power of God to penetrate deep into and change mans heart. The officers did not lay a hand on Jesus.

Christ came not only to teach us what we need to believe and know, but what we need to do. How we are to walk.

Many will enter the wide gate and travel the broad way, because the allure of it is that anything goes, anything is ok. There is abounding liberty in that way, the gate is wide, and stands wide open to tempt those that go to keep right on their self filled way. They may go in at this gate with all their lusts filling their hearts. Hearts serving Satan and not God.

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world." 1 John 1:16

There is no check to a mans appetites or passions at this gate. They may walk in the way of their evil heart, and in the sight of their eyes. It is a broad way, for there is nothing to hedge in those that walk in it, but they wander endlessly on a broad way, for there are many paths in it, there is variety of choice of sinful ways, contrary to each other, but all are paths in this broad way. And, there will be abundance of company in the broad way, many there be that go in at this wide gate, and walk in this way. If we follow the multitude, it will be to do evil, if we go with the crowd, it will be the wrong way. It is natural for us to go with the flow, and do as most do. Are we willing to be damned for the company we keep, and to go to hell with them, because they will not go to heaven with us. if many perish, we should be all the more cautious.

What needs to give us pause, make us fear, is that it leads to destruction. Death, eternal death, is at the end of it (and the way of sin makes sure of it), everlasting destruction and separation from the presence of the Lord. Whether it be the high way of open profaneness, or the back way of close hypocrisy, if it be a way of sin, it will be our ruin, if we repent not.

THE STRAIT GATE. There is conversion and regeneration at this gate as we enter on the narrow way. We begin a life of faith and serious godliness, out of a state of sin into a state of grace we must pass, by the new birth. Salvation. It is a walk of holiness and righteousness.

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily i say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 (also see John 3:5).

This is the strait gate, hard to find, and hard to get through, like a passage between two rocks.

"And between the passages by which Johnathan sought to go over unto the Philistines garrison there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side and the name of one was Bozez and the name of the other Seneh." 1 Samuel 14:4

There must be a new heart, and a new spirit, and old things must pass away. The whole of the soul must be changed, corrupt habits and customs broken off. What we have been doing all our days must be undone again. We must go against the flow. Much opposition must be struggled with, and broken through, from without, and from within. It is easier for us to stand against the whole world than face ourselves, and yet this must be done in conversion. It is the strait gate, for we must bow low, or we cannot go in at it, we must become as little children, high thoughts must be brought down, we must be stripped, must deny ourselves, put off the world, put off the old man, we must be willing to forsake all else for our love of Christ. The gate is strait to all, but to some straiter than others, as to the rich, or some that have been long prejudiced by religion. The gate is strait, blessed be God, it is not shut up, nor locked against us, nor kept with a flaming sword, as it will be shortly,

THE NARROW WAY. We are not in heaven as soon as we go through the strait gate, like the Israelites were not in Canaan as soon as they passed through the Red Sea. No, we must go through a wilderness, must travel a narrow way, guided by divine law that makes the way narrow. Self must be denied, the body kept under control, corruptions mortified. Daily temptations must be resisted, duties must be done that are against our natural man tendencies. We must endure hardness, must wrestle and be in an agony, must watch in all things, and walk with care and circumspection. We must go through much tribulation. It is an afflicted way, a way hedged about with thorns, but blessed be God. The natural bodies we carry about with us, and the corruptions remaining in us, make the way of our salvation difficult. But as the understanding and will grow more and more sound, the vision becomes eternal, it will open and enlarge, and grow more and more joyful.

The gate being so strait and the way so narrow, it is not strange that there are but FEW THAT FIND IT, and choose it. Many pass it by, through carelessness, spiritual blindness, they will not be at pains to find it, they are fine as they are, and see no need to change their way. Others look upon it, but shun it; they do not want to be so limited and restrained. Those that are going to heaven are but few, compared to those that are going to hell, a remnant, a little flock, like the grape gleanings of the vintage, as the eight that were saved in the ark.

Men urge each other onward in sin every day. How shall any one be restored to the narrow way when thrust forward by the multitude, without any godly influence?

It comes down to life and death, good and evil being set before us. Both the ways, and both the ends. Choose you this day which you will walk in, whom you will serve. There is no debate. No one with any sense would choose to go to the gallows because it is a smooth, pleasant way, or refuse the offer of a palace and a throne, because it is a rough, dirty way. Yet this is the silliness men are guilty of in the matter of their souls. Do not Delay, procrastinate no longer, enter ye in at the strait gate, knock at it by sincere and constant prayers and fasting, and it shall be opened. OR, a wide gate shall be opened and welcome you on the broad way.

God's grace and mercy is available to all who seek it...seek it while it can be found..

There are may scriptures on preaching the Cross, the Gospel of Christ. i go because there are so many on the broad way, there are so many that they push and shove each other off and into hell each day. Not my words but God's. God chose the preaching of the Gospel and sent us all to spread the word. God chose the means of salvation. It is His son penetrating the hard hearts of man, made open by the grace of God. It is only by God's Son man will be saved. Those of us who know and do not go and share are sinning.

"For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For after that in in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." 1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 21

Those who are perishing need the power of the Word of God preached so the grace of God can penetrate their hearts and they can be saved. Gods word spread abroad, saves men's souls. Wherever you are, whatever you do, if you are a Christian, you need to be sharing the Word of God with the lost every day. The time for excuses is past.