Enter ye in 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 thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Mat 7:13, 14) Strait as in difficult, and not straight as in going in one direction.
I have heard many jokes poking fun at Saint Peter being the gate-keeper. Peter always gets the credit in the religious world for things the bible attributes to Jesus. The same is true of the pastor or evangelist who takes credit for leading someone to Christ.
The scripture is clear to enter heaven “ye must experience the strait gate and narrow way.” What is the strait & narrow way and why are there few that find it? The “strait and narrow way” is defined by Webster as “difficult.” To some it’s an insult on their pride to humble down, cry & beg for eternal life. When the Pharisee and Publican went to the temple to pray who went away to his house justified; the one who humbled himself and cried in his prayer “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Luke 18:10.
In the Psalms and in Isaiah the, “strait & narrow way” is spelled out for us. “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” Psalm 34:18 Isaiah 57:15 “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
The old proverb says “A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit” Prov. 29:23.
The wide gate is the more popular route today in our religious world “many there be which go in thereat.” The Broad or (roman road as it is called these days) is the easy way out, a perfect picture of “walk-the-isle, smile-a-while” religion filled with lip professors (counselors) lying in wait at the altar to deceive; teaching how easy it is to “believe and accept Christ,” without demanding “fruits meet for repentance” and denying the reproving work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a sinner.
Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus the “Wonderful Counselor.” Pew or bench warmers in the church who become mourners under the reproving work of the Holy Spirit who call-out to the Wonderful Counselor (Jesus) ignoring the lip professor’s instruction to “accept Christ” which leads to soul destruction; will find peace for their troubled soul by calling on the name of the Lord, (Rom 10:13)
The psalmist, like me, found that the strait gate and narrow way was a difficult one. “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of his temple, (in heaven) and my cry came before him, even into his ears (Ps 18:6). “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me” (Ps 55:16).
Be honest with yourself did you opt for the easy way out, the wide gate and broad way?
Or as I, did you cry and humble your heart, pray to the wonderful Counselor and become one of the few who is heaven-bound who humbled him or herself down and “entered the strait gate and narrow way.” Published in the Linn County, Kansas weekly news
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