IS SALVATION EASY?

Matthew has it: “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. (Matt. 7:13-14)

And, Luke has it: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. (Luke 13:24)

Strive? Narrow? Difficult? I thought salvation was easy? The American church has bought a pig in a poke. It’s time to see what’s in the bag!

The gate -- some translations have it “door” -- is narrow... restricted, with access controlled by Christ who is The Gate. Only those who believe in Him, who cling to, rely upon and trust in Him, will have the mark of the Holy Spirit gaining them access to Life. The Way is difficult – some translations have it “hard”: “Difficult” is from the Greek word thlibo, which is also translated trouble, affliction, adversity and tribulation. The meaning of thlibo has its origins in the pressure used to cruse the juice out of grapes: Thlibo literally means the pressures of earth-life… In a word… Bad. God purposefully and very intentionally made “The Way” hard, constantly confronting the complacency, weak faith, independence, disobedience, and misplaced love of our Self nature. The corrosiveness of the world dims the radiant brilliance of our Lord’s indwelling life. So God compels us along The Way with difficulties which compel us to Him.

There is absolute certainty in God’s commitment to our transformation into “children of light.” So we must strive... struggle vigorously, to enter and walk the narrow gated difficult way to Life... eternal Life. As scripture puts it: “And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the Kingdom of Heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force as a precious prize -- a share in the heavenly Kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion.” (Matt. 11:12, Amp. Bible) The Kingdom of God must be earnestly sought, pressed into with ardent zeal and intense exertion befitting the precious prize it truely is.

“And there are few who find it.” Few! We need to be reminded that many... possibly most, of the people around us at any given moment are on the wrong road: “For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” Juxtaposed here is the broad popular easy way – the way that gratifies our Self’s desires for the pleasures of this life – and the narrow unpopular difficult way – the way of the Cross -- submission to the lordship of Christ and death to Self’s rule and desires. “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) The wrong road leads to death… eternal separation from God in hell’s eternal flames!

SALVATION IS NOT EASY

BUT…

“HE IS NO FOOL

WHO GIVES WHAT HE CANNOT KEEP

TO GAIN WHAT HE CANNOT LOSE”

(JIM ELLIOT)