The Narrow Gate OR the Broad Gate

Matthew 7:13-14

New American Standard Bible

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

The gate leading to our pasture has a latch on it to keep the barnyard animals in.  The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, as they say, and given their own devices, the cows, goats and chickens would be roaming outside and getting into all sorts of mischief and causing beaucoup mayhem.

Many years ago, after thinking about it, I painted the first part of Matthew 7:13 on the latch.  I just repainted it as it had faded with time.  It is there as a constant visual reminder.  Funny thing, one time we had a cow that needed veterinary services so our vet and a helper came out for a farm call.  The vet's helper was about to go through the gate and then looked at it and wondered where the narrow gate was that he should go through.  He thought that it was the wrong gate he was about to go through.  The veterinarian explained to him that it was a Bible verse, and he was the right gate after all. 

It's a very important one passage in Scripture.  In America, we pride ourselves on being free.  In God's Kingdom, we also have freedom to choose.  We have free will.  We can believe in Christ for salvation OR tragically, we can reject Him and do our own thing.  The thing is, there are two gates.  Jesus explains that the narrow gate leads to (eternal) life and the wide gate leads to destruction.  It is interesting that the gate/path leading to destruction is wide and many populate that path.  Conversely, the gate/path leading to life is narrow and only trod by a few.

As I think about it, only 8 people got on the Ark and it was only Noah's family.  There were only four that left Sodom and Gomorrah and only three of those made it.  The reminder painted on our gate I see everyday tells me all I need to know.  Salvation is not hard.  However, most times it doesn't mean following the crowd.  Trust in Jesus' finished work on the cross, and not my good works, not church attendance, not trying to be a "good person" and so on. Christ's Blood paid my sin debt and my belief in the sinless Son's sacrifice provides reconciliation with a Holy God.  

Enter by the Narrow Gate!