The Narrow Way

Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. – Matthew 7:13-14

Billy Graham commonly uses an analogy regarding this narrow path.  He considers that when we are on an airplane, we want the pilot to use a very specific and narrow approach to his landing.  We don’t want all the pilots just coming into the airport however they want and whenever they want because it would be chaos.  People would get killed.  We want our pilot to follow the guidelines of the flight controller and the guidelines for the runway’s approach to be at the right altitude and speed at the right marker so the plane is in the safest and best position to not hit another plane and to land safely.  Those landing approaches are very specific and very narrow.

Julie and I started a series by Andy Stanley yesterday entitled Right in the Eye.  The messages can be seen HERE.  This message series addresses the concept being pushed by our society that people can and even should do what they want, when they want, to whom they want as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.  It is absolutely mind-blowing at how relevant this message is to every single thing we battle against in our lives today. 

I spoke to an older man the other day whom I have been friends with for decades.  I truly respect this man from the perspective of how he immediately is able to take his heart desire of loving someone and transform it into an action.  He is able to quickly in most cases perform an action that reflects his heart.  I seem to be so unable or insensitive to do this.  However, this man has had serious sin problems in his life as well.  I asked him, what is today’s biggest problem with Christians?  He answered that too many Christians are worldly Christians.  They live too deep into the society and not committed to holiness above everything else.  He confessed that this is his problem as well.

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. – Judges 17:6 & 21:25.

Today, at least in my world, society is bowing long and low to living to do what is right in its own eyes with no defined or accepted moral compass.  God is no longer the king.  The religions supposedly based on God’s Word and designed to educate in knowledge, wisdom, and in action the holiness of God - are instead turning worldly.   They trade the narrow path for society’s wide path because they are unwilling to be rejected.  The religions seek acceptance from a society who does what is right in their eyes and rejects the Words of God that specifically indicate the narrow way we are to find eternity and to live. 

People are going to be hurt.  A society, or even a single person, cannot do what they want, when they want, to whom they want without hurting someone.  The Nazis proved this in a very extensive way.  Many thought that everything they were doing was right and many people were killed.  I do not see how, as a society, we think we can do the same and expect a different result. 

However, in such a society the church should stand apart and proclaim the truth, the life, and the way.  It must be intolerant.  Jesus Himself said the path is narrow.  He is the ONLY way.  God does not tolerate an alternate path to Him.  Follow the Messiah today and determine to walk on His narrow path.