God’s Word tells us about two gates (Luke 13:24):
1. The Straight, Narrow Gate- Few find it, but it leads to eternal life.
2. The Wide Gate - that appeals to many because it is easily entered and traversed. It is broad instead of narrow, but it leads to destruction.
The Straight and Narrow Gate allows us to become a new creation in Christ, and to shed the confines of a depraved lifestyle that robs us of eternal life and makes us slaves of sin. On this path, we enter into God’s rest and develop an intimate union with His Trinity. If we put off the chance to enter this gate, we gamble with our eternal destination.
Jesus is the gate to this road (Matthew 7:14), the door, the source of our salvation, and our resurrection life (John 3:18, 8:24,10:9, 11:25; 1 John 5:11-12). He is also our good shepherd (John 19:14), our way, truth, and life (John 14:6), our bread of life (John 6:35-51), and our light in this dark world (John 8:12). He is our life-giving Vine, and we are His branches on which He bears much fruit (John 15:1-5).
However, the Narrow Road is restrictive by size and not very wide. There is plenty of room for multitudes of people, but there is no room for sin on this road. We must submit to the sanctifying work of God’s Spirit that keeps us walking according to God’s perfection and righteousness (Matthew 5:20). Our pride and rebellion are the only aspects keeping us from this road.
The Good News is that we are not expected to earn our path on this narrow way, but to receive it as a free gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). We work out our own salvation, but we can only accomplish this because God gives us the desire and ability to walk on this narrow way (Philippians 2:12-13).
Prayer:
Father God, Your salvation for us on the straight and narrow road is a miracle to experience. The tests and trials of life diminish in importance when we see them through Your eyes and experience them by Your grace (2 Corinthians 12:9). That is how we can rejoice in You in every experience we encounter (Philippians 4:4-8). Many people want proof for Your existence, yet they accept other things in life that are merely hypothesis and theories rather than facts and truths.
They prefer the broad road and vain pursuits, and they accept lies as facts and consider Your certainties as lies (2 Timothy 4:4; Romans 16:17-18; Colossians 2:8). The lies and fables of the world draw them away from Your truth. They realize there is an eternity, but they have no real concern for the eternal destiny of their soul and spirit. We pray, as You desire, that all men will humble themselves and be drawn to the saving knowledge of Jesus’ sacrifice for our salvation (1 Timothy 2:4).
Thoughts for the Day:
Jesus did not enter the world as lofty royalty in a palace of ease, but in a stable with swaddling clothes in a hard feed-trough rather than a soft bed. Only as we daily die to the desires of our flesh, and we accept responsibility and blame for our unbelief (John 3:18) will we find the straight and narrow road that leads to eternal life.
