Enter Through the Narrow Gate
Matthew 7:13–14 NIV
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
The road to Heaven is extremely small and most people will not find it even many people who call themselves Christians. Many people say they love Christ, but their actions show that they truly hate Him. Just because you go to church doesn’t mean you’re going to Heaven. If you ask people what will you say to God if He asks you “why should I let you into Heaven,” most people are going to say, “because I’m good. I go to church and I love God.”
The world is filled with fake Christians. Jesus Christ alone is the only way into Heaven, but true acceptance of Him always results in a change of life. Repentance is not taught in pulpits anymore. Many people who call themselves Christians use the “I’m a sinner excuse” to purposely and deliberately rebel against the Word of God. No one who rebels against His Word will enter.
Characteristics of the two opposing pathways — One Leading To Life and One Leading To Destruction (Matthew 7:13–14)
The Wide Pathway
“Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.”
1. The wide pathway is the road all begin on.
2. The wide pathway is spacious and easy to follow.
3. The wide pathway is popular.
4. The wide pathway leads to destruction.
The Narrow Pathway
“Enter through the narrow gate…But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
1. The narrow pathway is hard to find.
2. The narrow pathway is unpopular.
3. The narrow pathway must be entered by one’s deliberate and calculated choice.
4. The narrow pathway is restricted because of biblical revelation.
5. The narrow pathway requires believers to leave many precious things.
6. The narrow pathway is difficult.
7. The narrow pathway leads to life.
How can we enter the kingdom of heaven?
The goal of the narrow gate is to live a life that glorifies God. It may seem counterproductive to fight through the narrow gate of persecution and hardship by resting in Jesus. His burden is light. He promises. Putting it down all that entangles us is difficult! However, the possibility of missing our chance at eternity is extremely plausible if we clutch onto the desires and pursuits of the wide gate.
The Narrow Pathway — One Leading To Life (Matthew 7:13–14)
Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught about the character of those in his kingdom.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost but unfortunately, not all of the lost want to be found. The unfortunate reality of the narrow and wide gates Jesus spoke of is not all of us will choose correctly. Many will follow the mainstream and miss out on eternal life in heaven. The brief narrative on the Narrow and Wide Gate is the first of four warnings Jesus gave in regard to applying the Sermon of the Mount. The first being “a caution to the lost about where they are headed.” God is patient, not wanting any of us to perish. All are welcome to walk with Jesus. For narrow is the gate.
Jesus came so we would live life to the full. A full life is found in following Christ, alone. “The gate that leads into the kingdom of heaven is synonymous with ‘life,’ the NIV Study Bible explains, “destruction, separation from God in hell.” No one comes to the Father but through Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. The way Jesus made for us through the cross requires a response, and our response determines our eternal destination. “The narrow gate, small gate, and narrow way are harder to find than the wide ones and must be sought deliberately, or people will not escape destruction,”
Gate represents an entrance into the wall of a city, to a palace, a town, the temple, a prison, and at the time James penned these words also referred to the gates of hell like a prison or a metaphorical reference to an entrance. Interestingly, the original Greek word for narrow can be defined as straight. The gate is narrow but assured. Whereas the broad and wide way is simple to find but confusing to navigate.
Entrance through the narrow gate is granted through believing in who Jesus is and what He came to earth to do for us. He is the Son of God and walked the earth fully God and fully man; not just a good person who performed miracles.
God made a way for us to escape the punishment of death for sin, and belief in Christ Jesus is the only way to enter through the narrow gate. Salvation cannot be earned by anything we do on earth; it is a gift freely given by a Savior who willingly left heaven to come to earth and die a ferociously unjust death on our accord. It’s the greatest love story of all time. Yet many, as Jesus warns, will sadly choose not to believe.
When we walk through the narrow gate, we become part of the family of God. All are welcome. All are invited, but not all will enter. Those who choose to walk through the narrow gate, which signifies the beginning of life-long discipleship, become members of the church, Christ’s bride, which will never be overcome by evil.
Christ-followers enter the narrow gate by belief in who Christ is and what He came to do on the cross. Salvation is a gift we are all welcome to freely accept.
There are only two pathways — one leading to destruction, and the other leading to life. One is readily found; the other must be searched for. One is popular; the other is unpopular. One is easy; the other is difficult. Choose wisely, for our eternal destiny depends on this choice. Which will you choose?
