The windows of the temple of truth: the narrow path

Beloved, I am glad to share with you today on the next window of said temple, namely the narrow path. The Lord Jesus indicates the dimension of the path to clearly show the size of the efforts to be made continuously to obtain eternal life. This is what he tells us in Matthew 7.13-14:  “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.“

Indeed, we notice the choice of the Lord’s term when he said :”wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it; but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” And when he says to enter, he alludes to the kingdom of God, for the door that leads to perdition is a wide door, a spacious path, easily followed by the multitude, and where everyone can enter and walk with their lusts and their sins. Here he takes up the call of Wisdom launched in Proverbs 9.1-6.

This wide path is the one that leads to death, to destruction. The following verses edify you further on this:

-Philippians 3.19-20  “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, “

-Hebrews 10.39 “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”

-1 Timothy 6.9  “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.”

So there is a narrow, very narrow door, which one can only enter by becoming little, only through repentance and renunciation. It is a narrow and difficult path, which expresses the fatigue and moral suffering of the Christian life. It’s it alone that leads to eternal life.

1. SEARCH FOR THE NARROW PATH

This is why the Lord Jesus places the door before the way because it is from here on earth that we must enter his kingdom by conversion and that we must persevere until the end by constant sanctification.

• Leading the spiritual battle: Luke 13.24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”; 

1 Cor 9.25  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”; Php 1.27 “ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel”; Col 1.29 “To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.”; Heb 12.4 “ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”

• the end of the wicked: Psa 37.38 “ But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked.”; Psa 73.17 “ till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.”    Rom 6.21 “ What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!”;

2 Cor 11.15 “ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”; Php 3.19 “ Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.”; Heb 6.8 “ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.”; 1 Peter 4.17 “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

• destructive sin: Rom 7.11 “ For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.”; 

Psa 34.22 “ The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.”; Psa 140.12 “ I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.”; Pro 8.36 “ But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.”; Pro 11.3 “ The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”; Isa 3.9 “ The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.”; Hosea 13.9 :“You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your helper.”

• General texts on the path of sin: Pro 2.15 :“whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.”; 

Pro 13.15 “ Good judgment wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.”; 

Pro 14.12 “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”; 

Pro 15.9 “  The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads”; 

Isa 59.8 “ The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads;“-; 

Matt 7.13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”

2. EVIL DECREASES THE NUMBER OF SAVED

In other words, the prophet Isaiah tells us in Isa 28:17: “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.”

• straight path: Luke 1.79 “ to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”; 

Jer 42.3 “ Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”; Matt 7.14 “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”;

• few saved : Matt 22.14 :“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”;

-the number of rescued is minimal: Matt 7.14 “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”;

Matt 22.14 ““But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”;

Luke 13.24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”; 1 Peter 3.20 “ to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,”; 

Rev 3.4 “ Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me,  dressed in white, for they are worthy. 

• Conditions for receiving eternal life:

– denouncement to the world: Luke 18.28-30 :“Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”   

-faith in Christ: John 3.14-15 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” ; 

John 3.36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

-spiritual work: John 4.35-36 “ Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.”

-abnegation: John 12.25 ” Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  “

-Knowledge of God: John 17.3 “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

-sow for the Spirit: Gal 6.8 “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

From all of the above, we note that there is a narrow, very narrow door, which one can only enter by becoming little, only through repentance and renunciation. It’s a narrow and difficult path, which expresses the fatigue and moral suffering of the Christian life. And it’s it alone which leads to eternal life. This is why the Lord Jesus places the door before the way because it’s from here on earth that one should enter his kingdom by conversion and therefore one should persevere until the end by constant sanctification. Our prayers accompany you all towards this eternal life.

PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS ​​CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR

I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me as follows :

Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my Lord and personal Savior. I acknowledge that you died on the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.

I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me each day to eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal to me and strengthen my heart and my faith so that your light may shine in my life right now.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me in your divine family so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.

I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

To you all worship, power, and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!

I would be glad to respond to your queries and comments as necessary, before sharing with you next week on the next window of the temple of truth, namely the fruit, key test of life.

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you profusely.

David Feze, Servant of the Lord Almighty.