The small gate and the narrow way are unrelated to what I am or what I do. They have to do with who God is and what he has done. Today I will limit this to say that Jesus is the gate, the way, and the final destination.
However, the wide gate and the broad way are very much related to what I am and what I do. First, I am a sinner and second, I do sin. In other words, I can go to Hell all by myself without any help from anyone else. In order to take the other way, I need help. I cannot find the gate or walk the way without help from God.
This help from God came to Earth in the person of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. This help came as a gift. Like all gifts, He is free. He is not earned or deserved, nor is He cheap.
The broad way that leads to destruction is a toll road. We pay our way.
For the wages of sin is death…
The narrow way is a free way:
…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NIV)
The gift of life was paid for by death.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8 NIV)
Recommended reading for this week: The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.
You can contact me by calling (208) 883-0997 or by sending an email to ccm@moscow.com. Our website address is http://ccmbooks.org/.
(From Good News/Bad News)
However, the wide gate and the broad way are very much related to what I am and what I do. First, I am a sinner and second, I do sin. In other words, I can go to Hell all by myself without any help from anyone else. In order to take the other way, I need help. I cannot find the gate or walk the way without help from God.
This help from God came to Earth in the person of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. This help came as a gift. Like all gifts, He is free. He is not earned or deserved, nor is He cheap.
The broad way that leads to destruction is a toll road. We pay our way.
For the wages of sin is death…
The narrow way is a free way:
…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NIV)
The gift of life was paid for by death.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8 NIV)
Recommended reading for this week: The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.
You can contact me by calling (208) 883-0997 or by sending an email to ccm@moscow.com. Our website address is http://ccmbooks.org/.
(From Good News/Bad News)
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