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Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 7 - Two Highways

by Paul George  
4/14/2008 / Bible Studies

Matthew 7:13-14

All men and women enter life through the same door. We all begin life's journey on the same highway. On this highway we begin learning the skills needed to live a productive life. We travel this highway together, from birth to the age of accountability. When we reach the age of accountability there is a stop sign. At this stop sign we must make a decision. If we make a right turn we enter an unpaved dusty narrow road. If we make a left turn we enter a wide four lanes paved road. The four lanes paved road is well traveled.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus compared His kingdom with the kingdom Israel was expecting to come. He compares the attitudes of the citizens of His kingdom and the attitudes of the scribes and Pharisees. He compares the precepts of His kingdom and the scribe's interpretations of the Law of Moses. He compares the habits and customs of the citizens of His kingdom and the habits and customs of the scribes and Pharisees.

The multitude and disciples who were following Jesus has come to the stop sign. If they continue to follow Jesus they must enter the narrow road. However, there is situation those who enter the narrow way will encounter. Those who take the narrow road will come under heavy attack by the enemy. They will be persecuted, insulted, and the enemy will falsely say all kinds of evil against them. Jesus told the multitude and disciples only a few take the narrow road.

At the end of these two roads there are two gates. When the travelers of the roads come to the end of the roads they must enter a gate. We could compare the two roads to a toll road. When you come to the end of the toll road you pay the toll fee and a gate opens permitting you to exit the road and continue on to your destiny.

So there will be no misunderstanding Jesus told the multitude and His disciples if they entered the narrow road they will enter a gate that leads to eternal life. He also told them if they took the wide road they would enter a gate that leads to destruction.

The question that needs answering is why do the majority choose the wide way over the narrow way when they have been warned the wide way leads to the wide gate that leads to destruction. The answer is the majority choose the wide way because there are no restrictions or requirements for admittance into the broad way. Everyone is admitted; atheists, agnostics, evil doers, even preachers, priests, rabbis, and church members.

The majority do not enter the narrow way because there are restrictions or requirements for admittance. Isaiah said, "A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called The Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Holy Way. Wicked fools will not go there. No lion will be there, nor will any ravenous animal go up on it. They will not be found there; but the redeemed will walk there" (Isaiah 35:8-9) WEB). The way into the kingdom is restricted because men must be saved by a personal act of faith.


A second question that needs answering is what is the reason why the majority knowing the wide way leads to destruction enter the wide way. The answer is the majority that enters the wide way have believed the lie "all roads lead to heaven." The words of Jesus are ignored. He clearly states there is only one way that leads to eternal life and that way is the narrow road. Regardless of what the deceived believe they are on the way to destruction, eternal separation from God, headed to the eternal dwelling place prepared for Satan and his followers, the lake of fire.
The third question that needs answered is how we enter the path that leads to eternal life.

We can answer the question using a toll road. There are some toll roads you are given a ticket when you enter the gate and when you exit the toll road you give the ticket to the person in the toll booth and that persons tells you what you must pay for using the road. There are also some toll roads where you are not given a ticket and at the end of the toll road you pay a flat rate for using the toll road. There are some toll roads where you pay a flat rate before entering the toll road.

Let's use the example where you are given a ticket before entering the toll road. When you enter the narrow way you receive a ticket. When you come to the exit gate you give the ticket to the person in the toll booth and the person in the toll booth tells you no charge and opens the gate and you exit the road and continue on to your journey to eternal life.

Why didn't the toll booth person charge you for using the road? When the collector of the toll looked at your ticket he saw it was stamped paid in full. Who paid the toll? Jesus paid the toll when He shed His blood on Calvary as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

If you want to enter the kingdom of heaven, do not follow the crowds, but trust in the Son of God who died for your sins and who offers to give you His righteousness. Do not attempt to add to or take away His means of salvation, for in this God is rigid and unbending. He will not tolerate or accept any other means of salvation, for He must receive all the glory and the praise.

Now this is precisely what really irritates unbelievers, "Why do you Christians think you have the only way?" The answer, God has declared in His word that there is no other way of salvation than through faith in His Son. While Christians may wrongly convey an exclusive and superior attitude, God has declared that there is only one way to heaven. Men would gladly choose any other way than God's way because all other ways allow men to keep their pride, their possessions, and their preferences. God will have none of that. The way of our Lord is not that of the majority.

Your eternal destiny hangs upon your choice between two alternatives. You may go the tolerant and accommodating way which is well traveled and on which you will have a great deal of company. However, in the final analysis you will find this is the way of destruction. On the other hand, you may take the narrow and restrictive way of faith in Jesus Christ. This is the way that leads to life. You will never walk alone, but neither will you be with the majority. Your path may be narrow, but your destiny is sure. Jesus Christ confronts every man with this choice.

May I ask you, my friend, what gate you have chosen? You must choose one and your choices are limited to the narrow gate of salvation through faith in Christ or the wide gate which leads to destruction by trusting in whatever you choose.

Retired pastor,Church of the Nazarene

Author of web site Exploring God's Word

www.thewordofgodonline.net

New American Standard Bible

King James Version

The World English Bible

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