Stay on the Narrow Road
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.
Matthew 7:13-14
Why do you think only a few find the narrow road that leads to life? A lot of people have a Bible but rarely read it to find the God’s truth. Many think the Christian life appears difficult, and people think the Bible is too long and too difficult to understand. And many follow the broad road that leads to destruction, because it is easy to believe Satan’s lies.?
Religions other than Christianity are based on works, achieving false hope of eternal life. Christianity is based on a relationship with God through Christ, as he molds us to be Christ-like, which changes the heart. This relationship renews the mind and changes the desires of our heart, where serving Christ is our desire and reward. Satan’s lies cause people to reject walking on the narrow road, mostly because they refuse to give up their worldly life for the Godly life. The find it much easier to accept a false religion based on works as compared to Christianity, which is based on developing a new heart through our personal relationship with the Lord.
God looks at our heart, which is reflected by our thoughts. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (Samuel 16:7 How do we have a relationship with the Lord if we are sinful and God is sinless? We all have sinful thoughts that sometimes lead to sinful words and sinful actions. Can our works cleanse our soul, is there anything we can do to cleanse our diseased soul? The answer is no, only Christ can cleanse our soul. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) The only way to cleanse our soul is to accept Christ, who paid the price for our sins on the cross and he sends the Holy Spirit to live in the believer.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10) This verse might seem confusing, because it says we are not saved by works, but we are created in Christ Jesus to do good works. If you love me, keep my commands (John 14:15). Seeking to be saved by works can be like a checklist we go through every day, and not motivated by God’s love in our heart., but Christians are motivated by love, which is now our desire and will. Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law. Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-40) Our connection to God is love.
Today makes sure you are travelling the narrow road, because Satan is trying to get you on the broad road, and beware of attempts that Satan will use against you.
Prayer: Lord, keep me on the narrow road to eternal life. Guide me to live in your truth and never yield to Satan’s lies even though they appeal to my flesh. In Jesus name, Amen