The bible talks about a broad way that leads to destruction and a narrow way that leads to life everlasting.

What exactly are these two ways? I would like to discuss this if anyone has time. I may be slow in responding so please bare with me.

J-bird :-D

This should be an interesting conversation. I will do some studying, and put in my two cents.

I will start with this though.

Isn't the Narrow Way to follow Christ? To do His Will, while denying our flesh? To ignore the distractions that lure us off that path and onto the Broad one?

I mean even religious duty can be on the Broad Way...

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Melissa

Some believe that the narrow way is nothing more than what Peter was speaking of when he said, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). That verse actually doesn't describe the narrow way - it describes the [b]only way[/b]. The narrow way and the broad way are discussed by the Lord in Matthew 7:13-14 and are in the context of His discussion on false prophets and many people perishing who think that they are saved. The broad way that the false prophets offered was not a gate marked Allah or Moroni or Buddha or Jehovah but it was a gate marked Jesus! They called Him [i]Lord[/i], they prophesied [i]in His name[/i], and they misled many by it!

The wide gate is a counterfeit of the narrow gate and is marked "Jesus Christ the only way." But what the wide gate does is it [i]expands[/i] to accomodate a person's love of self and love of money and love of pleasure and allows them access - so they think.

The narrow gate [i]restricts[/i] access and is the gate of death to self and money and pleasure. The narrow gate puts one to death so that he or she can be raised to walk in newness of life with Jesus as his or her Lord. The wide gate allows one to live and [i]adds[/i] Jesus to his or her life with him or her still in control. There is no newness of life (resurrection) because there has never been a death of self.

I pray that this helps and clarifies. The Lord has kept me studying in this area for some time now as He has shown me my calling as a pastor. Check out this link if you have time - it is a booklet dealing with the narrow gate and the wide gate - http://www.devcobaptist.org/templates/cla19bl/details.asp?id=31831&PID=267176

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Olan Strickland

brethren
i am led to share that also another part of this puzzle has to do with how far we go in Christ as far as death of self. many people come to Christ to get rid of a few blatantly evil things and then hold onto the things which they think are worthy of God. things such as love, patience, talents etc. the fact is even these things which we think are good are abominable in God's sight and grossly insufficient for the lofty purposes of an All-Holy God. most people don't want to give up these things, they will go so far in Christ and no further and because they are not wholly dead, they are unsaved when they think they are. as a result they end up in hell.

the word says that many will say in that day "Lord Lord" and speak of all the miracles they have done in His name and yet they will be called workers of iniquity. seems to me not many will make the cut because they are deceived that they only need to go so far, with God it's all the way or not at all, there is no inbetween.

i pray we're all the way in.AMEN

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Farai Bamu

hi, as there were two trees in the garden so there aretwo ways. the tree of the knowlege of good and evil has always been mans choice instead of the tree of life. Jesus is the way, the gate, the pathfinder, the light...no man comes to the father except THROUGH Jesus and His finished work on the cross. anything else is the wide way or the wrong way or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.intimacy with jesus is only brought about by a work of the Holy Spirit in our life and if you are not known by God it is because you are not intimate with Jesus.(i NEVEr KNEW you) jim p
IRONMAN wrote:
brethren
i am led to share that also another part of this puzzle has to do with how far we go in Christ as far as death of self. many people come to Christ to get rid of a few blatantly evil things and then hold onto the things which they think are worthy of God. things such as love, patience, talents etc. the fact is even these things which we think are good are abominable in God's sight and grossly insufficient for the lofty purposes of an All-Holy God. most people don't want to give up these things, they will go so far in Christ and no further and because they are not wholly dead, they are unsaved when they think they are. as a result they end up in hell.

the word says that many will say in that day "Lord Lord" and speak of all the miracles they have done in His name and yet they will be called workers of iniquity. seems to me not many will make the cut because they are deceived that they only need to go so far, with God it's all the way or not at all, there is no inbetween.

i pray we're all the way in.AMEN

Are you mainstream, or do people give you funny looks for living as if you're dead to self?

'Don't do that man, you might die !'

and we say...

'I'm already dead. Christ in me lives, let God be glorified in all I do.'

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Sba

'I'm already dead. Christ in me lives, let God be glorified in all I do.'

I knew you had it in you all the time. :-D

In Christ: Phillip

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Phillip

So the narrow way is either GRACE or WORKS or GRACE + WORKS = LIFE EVERLASTING.

What about losing youre life for the Lord. Is this a sure way to enter in at the narrow gate?

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Aaron Ireland

Note also that [b]Path[/b] is to be understood in relation to the [b]Gate[/b].

This would beg the question as to whether the Path can be walked if the Gate has not been "entered" through??

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Aaron Ireland