Walking on the narrow path.
MATTHEW 7 : 13 - 14 NKJV
13 “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.14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
From reading the above scripture it appears as though it is easier to live as an unbeliever than it is as a believer. Yet Jesus says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Jesus also promises abundant life to His disciples. Does abundant life equate to a difficult life? I believe that Jesus is referring to the fact that in a world full of deception and depravity that the way is harder to find. In other words the world has programmed us to believe many things which simply are not true. For example, you can now watch many documentaries that will definitively give you a date for something say 23,000,000 years old. It is simply a scientific guess which is a lie but declared to be truth. We can see that pedophile Priests have successfully been pointing people away from the narrow path. Church does not seem to be a way of life that many people would like to be a part of and there are many reasons for that.
There are other difficulties that true believers face. Some members of congregations are walking in salvation and others are not. If you really are living a Godly life then you may be persecuted by a church.
2 TIMOTHY 3 : 12 - 15 NKJV
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
In the above scripture Paul is speaking to Timothy about the church persecuting those who live a godly life. He is prophesying of the last days church. I believe that we are presently in the times which Paul was referring to. For instance it seems as though you can be seen to be "too full on for God". To me if you are not full on for God, then you are not His.
REVELATION 3 : 14 - 22 NKJV
13 “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.14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
From reading the above scripture it appears as though it is easier to live as an unbeliever than it is as a believer. Yet Jesus says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Jesus also promises abundant life to His disciples. Does abundant life equate to a difficult life? I believe that Jesus is referring to the fact that in a world full of deception and depravity that the way is harder to find. In other words the world has programmed us to believe many things which simply are not true. For example, you can now watch many documentaries that will definitively give you a date for something say 23,000,000 years old. It is simply a scientific guess which is a lie but declared to be truth. We can see that pedophile Priests have successfully been pointing people away from the narrow path. Church does not seem to be a way of life that many people would like to be a part of and there are many reasons for that.
There are other difficulties that true believers face. Some members of congregations are walking in salvation and others are not. If you really are living a Godly life then you may be persecuted by a church.
2 TIMOTHY 3 : 12 - 15 NKJV
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
In the above scripture Paul is speaking to Timothy about the church persecuting those who live a godly life. He is prophesying of the last days church. I believe that we are presently in the times which Paul was referring to. For instance it seems as though you can be seen to be "too full on for God". To me if you are not full on for God, then you are not His.
REVELATION 3 : 14 - 22 NKJV
The Lukewarm Church
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”
From verse 17 it appears as though it is easy to be complacent when we want for nothing, but it could cost a person their life. Therefore apathy and complacency also blur the way to the narrow path, as Jesus refers to anointing the eyes with eye salve so that one can see, in verse 18. In verse 19 Jesus says that He rebukes and chastens the ones that He loves. How many of us desire strong correction and punishment? Is that the time when we say something like "God would not do this to me because he loves me, The Devil is attacking me"! Correction is simply there for us as an act of God's love to put us back on the narrow path, because God does not want us to perish but to repent and be saved.
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