The Narrow Gate

Enter by the narrow gate;

for wide is the gate and broad is the way

that leads to destruction,

and there are many who go in by it.

Because narrow is the gate

and difficult is the way

which leads to life,

and there are few who find it.

- Matthew 7:13, 14

In this post, I want to share some of my thoughts on the claims of Jesus Christ as being the only way to heaven.

"For anyone who takes the time to actually read Jesus' own words, the truth is abundantly evident: Jesus is unequivocally exclusive, narrow, and intolerant about the way to eternal life." (Pastor Ray Noah)

One of such narrow and intolerant claims is found in John 14:6,

I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Another is found in Matthew 7:13, 14, quoted above, and I quote it again here,

Enter by the narrow gate...

because narrow is the gate

and difficult is the way which leads to life,

and there are few who find it.

When it comes to truth, it has to be unequivocally and absolutely true, for it to be dependable and trustworthy.

If it can be interpreted another way, or misunderstood, then truth serves no good purpose, in very much the same way that a chair... or an airplane... must be true to its claims for it to be reliable, dependable and trustworthy.

If I may say so, the problem confronting the world today is its willingness to settle for relative, watered-down truth.

In the words of a song by the Monkees that I loved to sing in my teenage years, "Today there is no black or white, only shades of grey."

But relative truth is not truth at all.

The enemy of our souls has tricked us into buying the horrible lie that we need to be able to fend for ourselves, and not to be so dependent on a higher power for everything.

That is one outright twist to a truth that we desperately need to believe.

God is God alone. And we are creatures designed to be dependent on Him for our every breath.

This is not a bad thing at all. In fact, it is our salvation; our very existence depends on this truth.

If we really knew God, we would know that He is a benevolent Creator, One who is all wise, and who wants nothing but the best for the people He created. 

The best thing that can ever happen to us is to live life the way He planned it: dependent on Him.

He will give us what is best for us, what will best fulfill us, what will best satisfy us.

So when Jesus says we are to enter life through the Narrow Gate, it is in truth the best way to go through life.

And when Jesus says, narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way that leads to life... only a few find it, He knows what He is talking about.

Jesus makes it clear -- there are only two kinds of gates to choose from - the narrow gate, and the wide gate.

It is not true that "all roads lead to heaven."

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

One of the best realizations I have ever had was when I understood that the kingdom of heaven is precisely that, a kingdom.

A kingdom is ruled by a king who is sovereign. He is not elected into office by a vote of the majority. He reigns supreme, and His kingdom knows no end... because He is God who will never die.

When it comes to spiritual truths, it is best understood in terms of kingdom principles.

The difficulty begins when we look at Bible truths in terms of democratic principles. A democracy is a form of government in which the supreme political authority rests with the people.

Vox populi - the voice and opinion of the majority - is what best defines a democracy.

In a democracy, the will of the majority is considered the correct way. 

The kingdom of heaven is not a democracy.

Jesus clearly says that the road that the majority will take is the broad way... but that is the wrong way! It leads to eternal destruction.

We can go through life believing what we want to believe... but ultimately, if what we have believed as truth is not absolute truth, then sadly, we have no eternal security.

Believing in Jesus as the only Truth, and as the only Way, and as the only Life... and believing in Jesus as the Narrow Gate that leads to life... is the only way by which we will make it to heaven when the time comes for us to leave this earth.

I have no problem believing that. After all, it will spell the difference where I spend the rest of my life... forever.

Augustine of Hippo wrote these famous words:

Yes, of course.

The law of gravity is truth. Whether we believe in it or not.

So is the law of seedtime and harvest.

And the law of sowing and reaping.

And so is the unequivocal claim of Jesus Christ being the Only Way to Heaven.

It just needs a paradigm shift on our part, from a democratic mindset, which is founded on our individual rights, to a kingdom mindset which is founded on the principle of trusting and obeying the sovereign King of the universe...

And regarding a kingdom mindset, Jesus has this to say:

I tell you the truth, 

no one can see the kingdom of heaven 

unless he is born again. 

- John 3:3

Another unequivocal claim.

I love how Pastor Ray Noah puts it in perspective. He says that if the claims of Jesus sound narrow and intolerant, 

it most definitely is--but so is a runway, and landing exclusively on it is the only way to get the airplane you are on safely to its destination. 

A runway has to be reserved for airplanes alone, no other kind of transportation can run on it. If cars and trucks were allowed on runways, the result would be pure chaos and disaster.

Jesus made unequivocal claims, and He so believed in His claims as being the only Way to the Father's heart that He was willing to die for the salvation of the world, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

I am passionate about what I believe in, but I have a deep love for my friends who do not believe in God the way I do. I respect them, and honor them, and I never try to impose my faith on them. My only prayer is that someday they will also come to know Jesus as their Redeemer and Lord.

A week ago, my third grandson Jeremiah David, Joyful One, turned nine months old.

Each month of his first year I pray a special blessing based on the names of God, and this month, the name of God I have chosen is Narrow Gate. 

Jesus calls Himself "the Door." 

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved,

and will go in and out and find pasture.

The thief does not come except to steal,

and to kill, and to destroy.

I have come they they may have life,

and that they may have it more abundantly.

- John 10:9,10

This is the wider context for how Jesus concludes his Sermon on the Mount... that to reach eternal life, we are to enter through the Narrow Gate... which is Jesus Himself, being the only Way to the Father.

Here is my blessing for my dear grandson:

I bless you today with a kingdom mindset, dear Joyful One.

May your heart be soft to accept and believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that you may become a true citizen of that heavenly kingdom.

May you understand and believe the unequivocal claims of Jesus being the Narrow Gate and the narrow road that leads to eternal life.

Stand up for what is true... absolutely true, dear grandson.

Never settle for half-truths... only hold on to the truth that can be depended on, the truth that will never change, and will stand the test of time and culture.

You have a good heritage of faith, hold on to it... never let anyone steal it from you.

Love always,

Nana