Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
As I studied out this scripture I kept coming back to the verse, “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life,”. Have you ever stopped and pondered not only the depth of this individual verse, but the depth and context of the entire seventh chapter of Matthew? Reading through this chapter it is evident that the wide and narrow gates are instructions from God detailing the outcome of the choices you make on this earth. Not only does this chapter lead you in the proper way to walk with the LORD, but it provides insight into Biblically based conduct that brings peace and a victorious life overcoming the trials and tribulations of your days while avoiding conduct that leads to death and defeat typically associated with sin and earthly bondage.
I would like to pause a moment and reflect upon my inference above that the entirety of Matthew 7 relates to your life now and not after death. When studying scripture, it is important to base your understanding on the context of the verse you are studying. To better understand the context, your study should not be focused upon one verse or word, but instead should include the entire chapter(s) and surrounding verse(s) so the context of the chapter is not misinterpreted with the extraction of a single phrase or verse. We may have historically read or seen misinterpretations within sermons or writings where the author has taken liberty with a certain passage out of context to support their point or the objective they are trying to portray. I want to encourage you to be wary as many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1) and we have been instructed to test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21). If you have heard, read or are listening to something and it does not line up with your spirit, I encourage you to take it upon yourself and study out the message and scripture being referenced to ensure it is in line with the Word of God.
When we study God’s Word as written and translated within the Bible, our basis of understanding should be an unwavering belief that the Bible is a perfect document. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” Every word, sentence and phrase as documented by obedient servants within the Bible, has been written with a God inspired intent and purpose. Not one thing within the Bible can be discredited and as we continue to study God’s Truth, our minds are continually renewed, hearts transformed and His knowledge poured out within our spirits. That is the context we should take away from Matthew 7:13-14. These verses are meant to give guidance to our choices and walk with the Lord. You can see an example of this when you read the entirety of Matthew 7. All of chapter 7 outlines God’s instruction and guidance to live a holy life and then right in the middle of the chapter Jesus references the wide and narrow gates. It is interesting that throughout the New Testament there are many references to doors or gates and this scripture is not any different. The narrow gate refers to a life filled with a dedication to God’s living Word and His guidance providing believers with Biblical instruction in the proper approach to make choices that allow born again believers to be the person He has created us to be.
Along with the narrow gate, within Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus also states that wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction. Your choices dictate the gate and road you will travel. When you were created, God instilled within you a free will, a will to make your own choices and live the life your heart desires. If your heart has not been transformed in Christ, then more than likely your desire will be to choose the wide gate and broad road. An unrenewed heart not based on the Word of God could allow your choices to lead you into a life filled with the influence and bondages of this world.
How about if we do not want to enter through a gate at all? John 10:1-10 states, “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” John 10 goes on to say, “The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” God’s intimate love for you is evident in this passage. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He calls you by name and leads you through the narrow gate. The instruction and fellowship of Jesus are there to bring you through your days in victory.
That brings us to the next portion of this message, what does it mean to enter through the narrow gate and how are we sure we will recognize the voice of Jesus if we are called? Let’s start with 1 John 2:3, “And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.” To know Jesus and experience the heightened revelation of a God ordained life starts with faith. If you seek it, Faith goes beyond Romans 10:10, “For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.”
Believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth will bring you to salvation, but without a determined will to study God’s Word and walk in His path for your life, you will not be the difference He created you to be. Please note, I am not referring to salvation, your salvation comes from a belief in your heart and confession from your mouth that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and was risen from death three days later. What I am referring to are the choices you make and the life you live in your everyday walk that bring relevance to God’s will that you may live out His purpose and identify with the reason He created you for this time.
To continue building upon the foundation God has planned for you, let’s read Hebrews 11:6, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” God desires to give you life and life more abundantly when you make the choice to enter through the narrow gate and live this life in honor of Him and His love for you. How do you live in honor to God? You get to know Him, experience Him and spend time with Him in fellowship. I encourage you to make time to spend with the LORD, whether that is in prayer, on a walk, driving to work or just meditating in His Word, spend time in fellowship with the LORD, allowing Him to download His purpose, encouragement, knowledge, and revelation into your spirit. The second part of getting to know God is to live out His Word, His commandments for mankind. As human beings we have a desire to learn more about, draw closer to and emulate those individuals or actions we desire to be more like. When you spend time with the LORD, your spirit begins to desire to draw closer to His presence and obey scriptural commandments through the knowledge and revelation of His Word. That goes back to the passage 1 John 2:3, “And we can be sure that we know Him if we obey His commandments.”
As we bring this message to a close, it is easy to get lost in the do’s and don’ts of life and the religious beliefs of man’s interpretation of the Bible. In the end, what is it we desire as created beings? What is it that makes us happy, truly happy? The answer is love, an unconditional love for God and those around us through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we accept His love for you and I, we accept His forgiveness, His mercy, His compassion and His understanding and through our relationship with Him we begin to live in and embrace the Grace and favor that are part of an existence and fellowship with our Creator, God Almighty. In His unconditional love, we begin to desire to draw closer to Him and in that fellowship, that ongoing One on one relationship, we make the choice to live out His commandments, following His will for our lives and entering the narrow gate to a life of abundance and blessings.
If you have yet to experience the rest, Peace and abundance of God through your acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to believe in your heart and state the following prayer out loud (Romans 10:10).
“Dear LORD God, I humbly come before You, repenting of my sins and accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Through faith, believing without doubt that Jesus came to this earth through a virgin, walked in perfection without sin and died on the cross in atonement for my sins. I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior and believe that You, God, raised Him from the dead three days later and that He now sits at Your right hand on the throne. I love You and give you all the honor, glory and praise. In Jesus’ mighty name! Amen.”
If you repeated that prayer out loud and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ came as a sacrifice for your sins, I encourage you to be obedient and willingly meditate upon God’s Word day and night (Joshua 1:8) that your heart, soul and spirit may be strengthened and made whole in God’s everlasting love.
Be blessed and may the glory of God proceed your footsteps, the protections of His angels be about you and may His unconditional love be within your heart!
Shalom!!
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