The Narrow Way That Leads To Life - what is it?

"But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Matthew 7:14 (New International Version, ©2010)
www.biblegateway.com...:14&version=NIV

What does this mean?

I have some ideas, or sense something percolating regarding this idea, and may add as the spirit leads.

But what is your view on this?

I would like to fully explore this passage, and what it really means and signifies, and how this might be realized in a person's lifetime.

What a wonderful opportunity, even to begin to discuss such a thing!

It sounds like taking the narrow road and entering the smaller gate will not lead you to destruction. What they are getting at though I do not have a clue yet...

Jesus is the road. We must unite all individual with the Father through Jesus Christ. So are you born a child of God in the kingdom of Heaven. Your life will then automatically forward. It is possible that you are a slave to God. When your heart is pure, you will get what you desire for what you desire is purely what is right in the eye of God. You'll love. God created us in his image. Because of this narrow road, the original sin will be destroyed, your personality changes because your love is, the intention is also to sin no more. You will judge the evil way. It is intended by that narrow way that you can not make the evil choice. Following that path you are like the image of God, Love. You get the Holy Spirit for protection and gets a strong personality.

This is how I would explain what happens.

I must warn there being obstacles on the road but you will live to get the life you own in heaven and judge them evil ways.. What you think will be right

Trickery and such may come upon your road but happy those who are tested.

I still feel there is something I missed here. People should pray for everyone to become ourselves and support them on their way. Believe anything to be possible, make an open mind and even miracles may occur. You'll learn a lot. Their is a lot taught on the way. We find it nice to learn as some who are on this board. hmn.. I love you as you are, not whom you seem to be.

I used a translator for the first paragraph, I sounds quite understanding. As long as I can be understood..

reply to post by NewAgeMan


Jesus is the narrow road and the single gate.

Just for making things clear, Jesus can be angry, so can you.

?

reply to post by NewAgeMan


I always took that verse to mean.... Salvation isn't as easy as simply saying and believing, "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior." In my opinion, this is a perversion taught by church leaders.

I always understood this verse to mean one must live an upright moral life. One must be pure as a child at heart, and righteous by deeds. Character is more important than doctrine or dogma.

Originally posted by Sahabi
reply to post by NewAgeMan

 

I always took that verse to mean.... Salvation isn't as easy as simply saying and believing, "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior." In my opinion, this is a perversion taught by church leaders.

I always understood this verse to mean one must live an upright moral life. One must be pure as a child at heart, and righteous by deeds. Character is more important than doctrine or dogma.

Absolutely not. Romans 10:9 in my sig explains how easy salvation is. It's a free gift of grace from the Father via the sacrificial death of the Son. "Grace" means unmerited favor. Unconditional love means that if there was a single condition for meriting God's grace it would cease to be "unconditional".

"Sanctification" is an altogether different thing, that takes righteous living and rewards can be won or lost for how a person lives their life. Very often people mix the verses about salvation and sanctification.

EDIT to add:

Also I almost forgot. Salvation is also spoken of in the Bible in 3 tenses. A person can say "I have been saved, am currently being saved, and will be saved." The 3 "P's" of salvation. We have been saved from the Penatly of sin with Jesus's death and resurrection. We are currently being saved from the Power of sin in our lives by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. And we will be saved from the Presence of sin in our bodies when we are given glorified resurrected ones upon Christ's return.

reply to post by NOTurTypical


When discussing and debating Christianity, I do not accept any writings from St. Paul. Every other book from the Bible is acceptable to me, but I take no ear or heed to the writings of Paul.
According to my understanding, St. Paul is an antichrist. I am in the midst of a thread on this topic, but I wish not to debate that in this thread.
You are free to believe, discuss, and debate as you wish. But if you want to engage me seriously, please reference any Biblical verse except the writings of Paul.


If only a few find the small gate and narrow path leading to life... how is it that Christianity is such a large religion? How is it so easy to profess Jesus as Lord and Savior? Just believe and that's it? Jesus said few find it... it's easy to make people believe in something but hard to get people to live morally upright.

So... few find life... but Christianity is the largest or second largest global religion... hmmm....
I do believe it takes more than "Jesus is my Lord and Savior."

reply to post by Sahabi

When discussing and debating Christianity, I do not accept any writings from St. Paul. Every other book from the Bible is acceptable to me, but I take no ear or heed to the writings of Paul.

I'm sorry you feel that way, but if all of Paul's epistles were endorsed by Peter then I'll offer them the same level of support Christ's direct apostle did.

"And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

2 Peter 3:15-16

reply to post by NewAgeMan


NewAgeMan,

That is a serious question and you will get many views I'm sure. The KJV words it different somewhat and it reads like following.-

Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mt 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

"Few there be that find it" It don't say it is hard but being narrow it don't let one go through with excess baggage. Then narrow continues to be the way so no more can be added along the way. Then in Luke He asks a pertinent question.

Lu 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

That indicates the ways of the world are left behind and then none to be picked further up the way to life. He has actually made the Way easy, no gaulding to it.

The answer is to surrender all and Love Him with All Our Heart and Soul and then we meet all requirements as they have become our will also. Then we are FREE men, women in Him. He in us and we in Him.

1Jo 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Let us all stay in His Way,

Truthiron.

Cool! Very interesting responses (strangely, no flags, not that I need them, just curious).

I don't have the time right now, but I will say that this easy road salvation idea, where Jesus does everything (although I understand the unmerited gift part of his Great Work) just doesn't seem to me, to be the key to understanding this saying, which reminds me of his encouragement to "pick up your cross and follow me". Yes, Jesus blazed this trail and I understand that he is the gate, but what I'm thinking of here is the eternal life realized and experienced through this narrow way, since I know it's not a thing to be put off until a later date, or until death, or some freaky 2nd coming. Jesus wanted these things to be completed, and he indeed did all the work so that we can come into an inheritance that we did not work for. But there is still something here to DO, or to undo, at the very deepest level of ourselves, other than to simply believe and recieve, there is a Great Work here for us also to do or perform, and no I don't mean "works" in the traditional sense as in charity, but some sort of spiritual transformation leading to the realization of the life eternal, even now.

Perhaps even if it can be discovered it is best not to try to convey openly at a place like this in mere words on a screen - what are your thoughts about that, about how in trying to work such things out here, we are throwing pearls before swine (and there are swine in search of pearls to trample wherever possible)?

Pondering....

You are right! It is all about experiencing eternal life NOW. It's all about the power of resurrection NOW. You have an open mind and seem eager to learn.

I would love to discuss these things of Spirit with you.

reply to post by NewAgeMan

I don't have the time right now, but I will say that this easy road salvation idea, where Jesus does everything (although I understand the unmerited gift part of his Great Work) just doesn't seem to me, to be the key to understanding this saying,..

That's precisely what Jesus did do. Payed the penalty we owe for our sin with his sacrificial death. Paid in full. That's the very reason Christ exclaimed "it is finished!". We put our faith/trust in Him, in His completed work at Calvary. To think we can add anything to His work is a slap in the face to Him. Salvation is extremely simple, and free to anyone who asks for forgiveness. Earning rewards is quite a different story.

When Christ was speaking about picking up one's cross and following Him the context was discipleship, not salvation. It's important to remain within the context of what the verses are speaking about to stay out of false doctrine. It's equally essential to understand the fundamental difference between "Salvation" and "Sanctification".

reply to post by Myrtales Instinct

I do and I am. But maybe this isn't the best place to talk about such things, given its very sacred nature, and incaculable value. What do you think about that?
I don't want to undermine anything of such magnitude, which i call the Great Work of All Ages.
Probably 95% of the people at ATS don't seem to be ready for this type of thing.

Please give me some guidance in this regard, because I know that anything I put my mind to, and then fingers to keyboard, can be described, or pointed to, very effectively.

reply to post by NOTurTypical

Are you in heaven now, have you seen what it looks like, have you "grokked" the degree and extent to which you are already in eternity, in accordance with what was done for you?

I'm with you 100%, but at the same time, I can tell that something is missing, or Christians would be Godlike beings residing in eternity now. Something is missing from our understanding, and in the application of the Christ principal.

I think he meant that it was a NARROW way, not broad, not easy, and not something that anyone and everyone gains access to.

Originally posted by NewAgeMan
reply to post by Myrtales Instinct

 

I do and I am. But maybe this isn't the best place to talk about such things, given its very sacred nature, and incaculable value. What do you think about that?
I don't want to undermine anything of such magnitude, which i call the Great Work of All Ages.
Probably 95% of the people at ATS don't seem to be ready for this type of thing.

Please give me some guidance in this regard, because I know that anything I put my mind to, and then fingers to keyboard, can be described, or pointed to, very effectively.

I've been here years and only have started a handful of threads and one of them was on finding a balance between being careful who you cast your pearls to and screaming what you know from a rooftop. Taking it private is probably best.

reply to post by NewAgeMan


I don't think you're looking at "narrow" the correct way. Narrow could also mean "singular". I hear what you're saying, but caution must be made when an idea or interpretation of a verse contradicts other verses on the same subject. (Romans 10:9, John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:13).

Consider that what Christ was saying by "narrow" to be "I'm the ONLY way, there is no other way, all other paths lead to destruction."

Originally posted by NewAgeMan
Cool! Very interesting responses (strangely, no flags, not that I need them, just curious).

I don't have the time right now, but I will say that this easy road salvation idea, where Jesus does everything (although I understand the unmerited gift part of his Great Work) just doesn't seem to me, to be the key to understanding this saying, which reminds me of his encouragement to "pick up your cross and follow me". Yes, Jesus blazed this trail and I understand that he is the gate, but what I'm thinking of here is the eternal life realized and experienced through this narrow way, since I know it's not a thing to be put off until a later date, or until death, or some freaky 2nd coming. Jesus wanted these things to be completed, and he indeed did all the work so that we can come into an inheritance that we did not work for. But there is still something here to DO, or to undo, at the very deepest level of ourselves, other than to simply believe and recieve, there is a Great Work here for us also to do or perform, and no I don't mean "works" in the traditional sense as in charity, but some sort of spiritual transformation leading to the realization of the life eternal, even now.

Perhaps even if it can be discovered it is best not to try to convey openly at a place like this in mere words on a screen - what are your thoughts about that, about how in trying to work such things out here, we are throwing pearls before swine (and there are swine in search of pearls to trample wherever possible)?

Pondering....

edit on 29-12-2010 by NewAgeMan because: error fixed

In reply it involves a "cross" to bear. There are a couple songs sang that says it pretty well. "Trust and Obey" and "I Surrender All" and He has given extensive guidance and here is one.-

Lu 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

We just witness for the God of our salvation and all of it don't fall on deaf ears. We just must keep an eye single to the path to walk in and not be led off by the allurments of this world and all deceptions that continually come forth. We must not fall off the path one way to liberalism or the other extreme of legalism.

Yes it is a touchy subject but each should contemplate it. That is, think on it.

All the best.

Truthiron.

Originally posted by NOTurTypical
reply to post by NewAgeMan

 

I don't think you're looking at "narrow" the correct way. Narrow could also mean "singular". I hear what you're saying, but caution must be made when an idea or interpretation of a verse contradicts other verses on the same subject. (Romans 10:9, John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:13).

Consider that what Christ was saying by "narrow" to be "I'm the ONLY way, there is no other way, all other paths lead to destruction."

So what I'm getting from that is that we need to appropriate Christ, "grok" him, or "eat" him, and allow ourselves and our innermost spiritual being to be transformed into his likeness (of course the student could never be as great as the master), and then he is the door and we are like a pearl in formation, as a point of attraction to that door, or put another way a door man. However, once we find this narrow way that leads to life, we ourselves must enter in, and freely come and go and find pasture ie: have an increasing felt experience or realization of the eternal life, now, or else we're just kidding ourselves, and if we are unwilling to enter in, then how can we lead anyone anywhere?

So it seems to me that we're talking here about an extraordinary act of courage, and the willingness to die to self and be reborn in spirit, while allowing our own heart to be patterned after that of Jesus Christ, or a heart that is so big, and so loving, that it is able to carry any burden or any amount of sorrow and suffering, whereby we are capable of seeing any person's sorrows as if they are our own.

Narrow also implies purification, and leaving all baggage behind, and the willingness to be transformed and to become a new creation, with a purfied heart that sees God and eternity everywhere..

Originally posted by NewAgeMan
Perhaps even if it can be discovered it is best not to try to convey openly at a place like this in mere words on a screen - what are your thoughts about that, about how in trying to work such things out here, we are throwing pearls before swine (and there are swine in search of pearls to trample wherever possible)?

Pondering....

edit on 29-12-2010 by NewAgeMan because: error fixed

"But even the dogs eat scraps that fall from their masters' tables."