Narrow Is the Gate and Difficult is the Path That Leads to Life - Matthew 7:14

Jesus says here that the proper Christian life has a narrow gate and the path that we travel on is very difficult. If you are finding the Christian life plain sailing then I might have to doubt that you are really doing anything for God.

OUR TEXT:

Matthew 7:14 (New King James Version)

14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

If I was to ask you how many out of a hundred is a few what would you say it is? Or if I was to ask you what is a broad way compared to a narrow way what would you say? I would say only 10% of the total would be the narrow way compared to the broad way.

It is said by Barna research that 35% of Americans over 30 attend church on Sunday and 15% of Americans under 30. But the facts that Jesus seems to be quoting here above seem that only a half to a third of these are actually traveling on the narrow path.

This would be best described by the church of Laodicea in the book of Revelation where Jesus says that they are lukewarm and they are going to be vomited out of His mouth. We are living in the very last days of earth and the judgments are coming and not only is God going to judge the world but He is going to judge the church. Jesus said that the Christian life will have persecution and promises that we will get through it just as He did as He overcame the world.

We as believers need to walk by faith and not by sight. When the storms and trials of life come to us, those things that make the Christian life difficult, we need to rest in the presence of Jesus and call on Him to help us get through the trials. As the Refiner, Jesus allows Satan and other forces come to bear on our life so that we mature as saints and our fruit gets better and better. James the brother of Jesus speaks of these trials and the positive effect that they have on our life.

James 1:2-4 (New King James Version)

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Paul also speaks of the life of a Christian in the will of God.

2 Corinthians 4:8-11 (New King James Version)

8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed- 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Both James and Paul point to the fact that the fruit of the Spirit of God would be manifested in out life through the hard trials. So not only do we have Jesus saying the proper Christian life, is difficult, but we have two of His apostles saying the same. So, there are many backslidden in the church, many lukewarm in the Western church and there are a lot less that are saved and going to glory after they die than we know.

We have to all make sure that we are in the FEW that are part of the elect and bride and not tares. You have to remember that wheat and tares look the same. It is vitally important that you walk in the will of God and do your very best to rid yourself of sin through true repentance.

If you have enjoyed my article you can read the book "The parables of Jesus made simple" for free here in its entirety or just selected parables in chapters at http://www.parables-of-jesus-christ.net/ The book will be published in book form in January 2011