Anchor My Faith

The Two Gates

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

In this section we will have a series of lessons on the fruit of disciples, but first we need to learn about the disciple. Jesus continues his teaching by saying: ^{Mt 7:13} “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Visualize in your mind that you are driving along this scenic country road and you come to a fork in the road, requiring you to make a decision. The right lane bears to the right, while the remaining lanes bear to the left. You must choose because if you continue straight ahead you will run off the road and your travel will end. A short distance up each road you will find a gate. The one on the one lane road is narrow and only a few are passing through, but on the other road the gate is wide and many are passing through.

As you journeyed toward this fork in the road, you are passing road signs that encouraged you to take the fork on the right even though the way will be found difficult. There are also road signs that encourage you to take fork on the left because up that road you will find many pleasures and attractive things to enjoy. On all the signs, at the very bottom, in small print, you will find important information that should not be ignored. On the signs advertising taking the right fork, it says, the way to eternal life, but on the right fork signs it says, the way to eternal destruction.

As you draw closer and closer to the fork in the road and as you read the road signs, what choice will you make? The left fork is attractive and its way is easy and many will go that way, not willing to believe the warnings that it is the way to destruction. The right fork is less appealing and only a few choose to go that way, but those who do find eternal life and are disciples of God; his children.

The way to eternal life is narrow because it is through the person of Jesus Christ: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 ESV).

The way to eternal life is hard, but those who take the easy way (by seeking approval from others and not from God) will find their destination to be eternal punishment and separation from God and the kindness of his grace.

Prayer

Father, so many people ignore the fine print or do not believe it and choose the easy and attractive way. Today in the west many believers compromise their faith, not to lose their salvation, but to face the loss they will experience as their life’s work is tried in the fires before the judgment seat of Christ. Father, I pray for people to make the right choices; choices that lead to salvation and then choices that lead to spiritual growth.