The Narrow Way

Articles

Derek Long
07/22/18 - Salvation

The Narrow Way
By Derek Long
Jesus teaches us about the need to walk along the
narrow way and through the narrow gate to receive eternal life. He said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find
it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Why is the path to eternal life narrow? • The path to eternal life is narrow because we can only find
eternal life through Jesus Christ. Jesus compares Himself to the door of the sheepfold saying, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9). Jesus makes a very exclusive claim when He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Peter likewise taught, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). To claim salvation and life can only be obtained through Jesus Christ seems to be a narrow-minded claim in our world today but a true one nonetheless.• The path to eternal life is narrow because only those who do the will of the Father will obtain eternal life. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23). Many people will find out too late that only those who do God’s will gain eternal life. We live in a religious climate where many people believe all you have to do is acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God to be saved. Jesus taught we must do the will of the Father to be saved. We live in a world where many think as long as we claim to do something in the Lord’s name it is approved by God. Yet Jesus speaks of those claiming to do things in the Lord’s name but in reality they are practicing lawlessness by doing things not authorized by God. Many will fail to make it to heaven because they failed to do the Father’s will. We need to constantly be reminded Jesus “became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). Jesus will not be the savior of individuals who fail to obey.
• The path to eternal life is narrow because only those in the Lord’s body or church will be saved. Ephesians 5:23 reminds us, “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.” Jesus will save His body. The body of Christ is identified as being equivalent with the church of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18). When one is saved, they are added by the Lord to the church (Acts 2:47). People
who want salvation without being part of the Lord’s church are wanting something which is impossible. We need to be impressed the Bible teaches there is only one body and thus only one church (Ephesians 4:4-6; 1:22-23). Jesus said, “I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus never promised to build His churches. People who believe good people in all the various denominations are going to be saved are badly mistaken. Jesus is only going to save those in His body or in His church.
When we teach what the Bible says about Christ being the only way to salvation, the necessity of obeying God to be saved, and the need to be part of the one true church to be saved, people may accuse us of being narrow-minded. Yet we need to remember Jesus taught a long time ago the path leading to life will be narrow. Just because the vast majority of people may reject the points we have talked about in this article does not make them right. If these points are taught in the word of God, we need to accept them no matter how many people reject them because the path to life is narrow.
We would encourage you to walk along the narrow path which leads to life. If we can be of assistance to you by studying with you further, please let us know.