The Narrow Way
The way is narrow that leads to life.
Matthew 7:14, nasb
The narrow gate to salvation leads to the correspondingly narrow way of righteous living. By contrast, the broad gate to condemnation leads to the broad way of careless, unrighteous living.
There was once a West Indian who chose Islam over Christianity because to him Islam “is a noble, broad path. There is room for a man and his sins on it. The way of Christ is too narrow.” Sadly, too many professing Christians today don’t see the issue as clearly as that unbelieving Muslim. They don’t understand or accept Jesus’ definition of the narrow way as the difficult, demanding way. It is the life of self–denial and intense effort. If you are living that life you will “fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called” (1 Tim 6:12).
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 243). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: The way to eternal life is narrow because there is only one way, by following Christ in a single-file line. If you stray from the path that Christ leads you on, you will be lost and you cannot find your way on your own. Our pride continually causes us to want to follow our own path, a wider path that allows us to bring along worldly baggage (our idols and sins), but to follow Christ on the narrow path we must shed all of that and deny ourselves and follow Him unwaveringly.
Applications: Put away the things of the world. Do not love them. The things of the world are corrupt and sinful and have no place on the path to heaven. Concentrate on denying your own sinful desires, lusts, and pride. Learn about Christ's life by reading scripture and concentrate on following His example and walking in His ways, walking behind Him on the narrow path.
Prayer Subjects: Pray for a single-minded focus on the path of Christ. Pray for a heart to study scripture and to pray. Pray for perseverance in self-denial and in staying on the true path. Do not take the easy way out (the wide path), but stay focused, overcoming all challenges to stay with Christ (on the narrow path).
Listen to this entry
Matthew 7:14, nasb
The narrow gate to salvation leads to the correspondingly narrow way of righteous living. By contrast, the broad gate to condemnation leads to the broad way of careless, unrighteous living.
There was once a West Indian who chose Islam over Christianity because to him Islam “is a noble, broad path. There is room for a man and his sins on it. The way of Christ is too narrow.” Sadly, too many professing Christians today don’t see the issue as clearly as that unbelieving Muslim. They don’t understand or accept Jesus’ definition of the narrow way as the difficult, demanding way. It is the life of self–denial and intense effort. If you are living that life you will “fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called” (1 Tim 6:12).
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 243). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: The way to eternal life is narrow because there is only one way, by following Christ in a single-file line. If you stray from the path that Christ leads you on, you will be lost and you cannot find your way on your own. Our pride continually causes us to want to follow our own path, a wider path that allows us to bring along worldly baggage (our idols and sins), but to follow Christ on the narrow path we must shed all of that and deny ourselves and follow Him unwaveringly.
Applications: Put away the things of the world. Do not love them. The things of the world are corrupt and sinful and have no place on the path to heaven. Concentrate on denying your own sinful desires, lusts, and pride. Learn about Christ's life by reading scripture and concentrate on following His example and walking in His ways, walking behind Him on the narrow path.
Prayer Subjects: Pray for a single-minded focus on the path of Christ. Pray for a heart to study scripture and to pray. Pray for perseverance in self-denial and in staying on the true path. Do not take the easy way out (the wide path), but stay focused, overcoming all challenges to stay with Christ (on the narrow path).
Listen to this entry
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