Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way
that leads to destruction (#684), and there are many who go in by it.
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life (#2222),
and there are few who find it.”
“destruction” (Strong’s #684) “of persons, signifying their
spiritual and eternal perdition, Matthew 7:13”
“life” (Strong’s #2222) “Eternal life …it has moral associations
which are inseparable from it, as of holiness and righteousness”
<<from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words>>
No other passage attacks today’s easy-believism with as much force as the above!
It amounts to the Savior’s own presentation of the way of salvation …
and it brings the Sermon on the Mount to a powerful climax.
2 gates -- narrow & wide
2 paths -- difficult & broad
2 destinations -- heaven & hell
2 participants -- few & many
Also in Matthew 7 …
2 trees/fruit: good & bad
2 builders: wise & foolish
2 foundations: rock & sand
“Jesus himself stands at the crux of each person’s destiny and demands
a deliberate choice of life or death, heaven or hell … the Lord requires that
each person choose between following the world on the easy, well-travelled
road, or following him on the difficult road. … The choices are clear-cut.
He demands a decision, We are all at the crossroads, and each individual
must choose which way he or she will go. … The message of Jesus cannot
be made to accommodate any kind of cheap grace or easy-believism.”
(John MacArthur, The Gospel according to Jesus, Zondervan, 1994)
Each person inevitably must make a choice … and God has always presented choices!
• “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil … I have set before you
life and death, the blessing and cursing; therefore choose life …” (Deut 30:15-19)
• “I set before you the way of life and the way of death.’ ” (Jeremiah 21:8)
Both gates are marked, “Heaven”, but one of the gates does NOT lead to heaven!
The narrow gate is like a turnstile: only one person can pass through at a time.
Another passage which annihialates today’s easy-believism …
“Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved (#4982)?’
And He said to them, ‘Strive (#75) to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’ ” (Luke 13:23-24)
“strive” (Strong’s #75) “agonizamai”: “to contend (English “agonize”), KJV “laboring fervently”
<<from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words>>
“violent men take it (the kingdom of heaven) by force” (Matthew 11:12)
“everyone is forcing his way into it (the kingdom)” (Luke 16:16)
The broad way is the natural choice, from a human point of view.
People prefer sin over righteousness.
Some believers fight the narrow road to the very death … they just refuse to acknowledge it.
Some believers are devastated by the truth of the narrow road, and fall away from the faith.
This gives a whole new meaning to “the terrible twos”.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way
that leads to destruction (#684), and there are many who go in by it.
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life (#2222),
and there are few who find it.”
“destruction” (Strong’s #684) “of persons, signifying their
spiritual and eternal perdition, Matthew 7:13”
“life” (Strong’s #2222) “Eternal life …it has moral associations
which are inseparable from it, as of holiness and righteousness”
<<from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words>>
No other passage attacks today’s easy-believism with as much force as the above!
It amounts to the Savior’s own presentation of the way of salvation …
and it brings the Sermon on the Mount to a powerful climax.
2 gates -- narrow & wide
2 paths -- difficult & broad
2 destinations -- heaven & hell
2 participants -- few & many
Also in Matthew 7 …
2 trees/fruit: good & bad
2 builders: wise & foolish
2 foundations: rock & sand
“Jesus himself stands at the crux of each person’s destiny and demands
a deliberate choice of life or death, heaven or hell … the Lord requires that
each person choose between following the world on the easy, well-travelled
road, or following him on the difficult road. … The choices are clear-cut.
He demands a decision, We are all at the crossroads, and each individual
must choose which way he or she will go. … The message of Jesus cannot
be made to accommodate any kind of cheap grace or easy-believism.”
(John MacArthur, The Gospel according to Jesus, Zondervan, 1994)
Each person inevitably must make a choice … and God has always presented choices!
• “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil … I have set before you
life and death, the blessing and cursing; therefore choose life …” (Deut 30:15-19)
• “I set before you the way of life and the way of death.’ ” (Jeremiah 21:8)
Both gates are marked, “Heaven”, but one of the gates does NOT lead to heaven!
The narrow gate is like a turnstile: only one person can pass through at a time.
Another passage which annihialates today’s easy-believism …
“Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved (#4982)?’
And He said to them, ‘Strive (#75) to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’ ” (Luke 13:23-24)
“strive” (Strong’s #75) “agonizamai”: “to contend (English “agonize”), KJV “laboring fervently”
<<from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words>>
“violent men take it (the kingdom of heaven) by force” (Matthew 11:12)
“everyone is forcing his way into it (the kingdom)” (Luke 16:16)
The broad way is the natural choice, from a human point of view.
People prefer sin over righteousness.
Some believers fight the narrow road to the very death … they just refuse to acknowledge it.
Some believers are devastated by the truth of the narrow road, and fall away from the faith.
This gives a whole new meaning to “the terrible twos”.
