The Strait Gate and Narrow Way

The Strait Gate And Narrow Way (Matthew 7:13-14) 1. This passage shows us that all ways are NOT equally valid. A. There are essentially only two ways: the right way and the wrong way. B. All of God's ways (PSA 119:15) so harmonize as to constitute only one way. PSA 119:1, 14; JOH 14:6. C. All of the various ways of error are so many versions of the wrong way; one may as well choose one as the other. JOS 24:14-15. 2. This passage also teaches that the right way is not popular. 3. The right way is strait and narrow. A. strait: Tight, narrow; scanty or inadequate in spatial capacity; affording little room; of a way, passage or channel: So narrow as to make transit difficult. (see ISA 49:20) B. The right way is not the easy way. C. Those in the right way will be judged narrow-minded by the world. 4. Many do not enter into the right way precisely BECAUSE it is strait and narrow. A. Most do not want a profession of religion that imposes difficulty upon them. ISA 30:9-11. B. The right way calls for self-denial which most are unwilling to do. LUK 14:26-27, 33; MAR 10:21-27. C. One cannot take the world with him into this way. JAM 4:4; 1JO 2:15-16. D. It is this cost of discipleship that turns many away. MAR 4:17-18. 5. The wrong way is broad and wide. A. This is the way of the broad-minded people whose main principle is “no principles.” B. This is the way of libertinism, ecumenism, pluralism, etc. C. This is the road of self-pleasing instead of self-denial. PRO 14:12. D. Most travel this road. 1JO 5:19. E. Many in this way are religious. (1) One may believe in God and be in this way. JAM 2:19. (2) One may believe in Jesus Christ and be in this way. MAT 7:21-22; MAR 1:24; 5:7. (3) One may be baptized and in the church and be in this way. ACT 8:13, 18-23; 15:5; JUDE 1:4, 12. (4) One may believe that the Lord is his personal Savior and yet be in this way. 2CO 10:7; MIC 3:11. 6. The way that leadeth unto life is the way of righteousness. A. Consider PRO 12:28; 21:21; ROM 2:6-7. B. Those in this way have a righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees. MAT 5:20. C. Those in this way have the character described in the beatitudes. MAT 5:3-11. D. Those in this way must be willing to be instructed and reproved. PRO 10:17; 6:23. 7. The narrow way leads to life. A. Eternal life is sometimes set forth as a present possession and sometimes as a future attainment. JOH 3:36; MAT 25:46. B. Eternal life is a gift of God by grace that is not attained by our striving. ROM 6:23. C. Christ is urging His disciples to enter into the WAY that leads to life which is the way of righteousness. It is the way of Christ’s exaltation. HEB 1:8-9. The Strait Gate and Narrow Way 5-24-20 Page 1 of 2 D. One who strives to enter into the strait gate is certainly doing righteousness which evidences that he is already born again and righteous and so assured of eternal life. 1JO 2:29; 3:7; ROM 6:22. E. Apart from striving to enter the strait gate, one has no assurance of eternal life. There is no assurance of eternal life in: (1) disobedience. MAT 7:26-27. (2) ancestry. JOH 1:12-13. (3) circumcision or any empty form of godliness. GAL 5:6; 2TI 3:5. (4) self-righteousness. ROM 3:20. (5) miracles. MAT 7:22-23. (6) common good works. MAT 7:11. F. There is also a lengthening of earthly life that comes through being in the narrow way. 1TI 4:8; EPH 6:2-3; PRO 3:1-2. 8. The broad way leads to destruction. A. This is eternal destruction for those outside of Christ. MAT 7:21-23; 2TH 1:7-9. B. Children of God who walk this way will meet with temporal destruction. 1CO 10:5-14; HEB 10:30-31. 9. Compare this passage with LUK 13:23-27. A. Compare this “few” with GEN 13:16; 15:5; 22:17; REV 7:9. B. Also consider JOS 11:4; 2CH 1:9; NAH 3:16; LUK 12:1. C. Considered by themselves, the children of God are an innumerable multitude. D. Compared to the damned, the children of God are few. DEU 1:10 c/w DEU 7:1. 10. The way of righteousness will be fraught with failures. ROM 7:22-23. A. For the wicked, unbelieving rejection of God and His ways is their most triumphant moment. B. For the righteous, those same failures are their most miserable moments, and this is their comfort. MAT 5:4 c/w PSA 32:3-7; 40:1-3. The Strait Gate and Narrow Way 5-24-20 Page 2 of 2