Yesterday, in Sunday School class we were finishing our section on the Sermon on the Mount. We ended with discussion of contrasts and false prophets from Matthew 7. Most people have heard portions of this sermon. Usually “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..." is what seems to be quoted a lot.
Ok, so the gist of this is that you need to go through the narrow gate. Ahh, but few are actually going to go through the narrow gate. Which I'm sure many people will be very upset about. This of course leads to the false prophet portion. Many preachers are out there and are talking about all the fuzzy feelings that you get from the love of God and yet few will actually mention that the only way is through Jesus. Oh they will talk about the ten commandments and they will mention all of the miracles and even the parables. But when it comes down to it they don't mention that narrow gate or the actual path that needs to be taken. Why? Because they want you to come back. It's a business and you can't scare off your customers.
The funny thing is that they (the preachers) may not even know that they are false prophets. Which of course sounds very strong. But that is what they are. "...You will know them by their fruits..." This doesn't mean - is the church that they are at a big church? and do they have many members? This means - is there conversion going on, are they helping others because they should or because it looks good for their church, do they follow the true path?. I can think of several churches and several radio churches that fall into the latter. Of course there are people that attend these churches that are true Christians and are helping because it is what they should do. Even a tree that is dying can still have some good fruit. That of course is because the Lord chooses to use them even in that atmosphere. But what about the whole? Sooner or later that tree is going to die. Hopefully the seeds that bear the good fruit have left and started a new tree, otherwise they will die along with the other tree. Which is very sad.
How few is few? A small number, a limited number of people. Ok. But how do you get to be in that few? How do you truly know that you are in that few? Self-awareness. Self-examination. Go through your thoughts, your feelings, your heart. You must give yourself totally, heart and soul to the Lord. You must believe that not only did he exist, not only did he do miracles, but he died for you to live. All of his pain and suffering is because of you, because he loves you. If you are truly changed after giving yourself to him and you truly love him with all of your heart and soul. Then you are considered in the few. But if you think you are in control, and that your way is better or that you are not a sinner then you are walking a very wide path. I think it has to be wide because of all of the ego's that travel down it. I traveled it. Everyone has or is traveling it.
What gate are you going to go through?
