(Matthew 7:13,14) "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." If you go out and visit someone and ask them if they've been born again, you would be amazed at the number of different answers you would receive. Some would say they are trying to get to Heaven, others would say they hope so, and others would say if person "x" makes it into Heaven, they surely hope they would enter into Heaven themselves. There's so much confusion when it comes to the Bible doctrine of salvation. Satan has this whole world deceived when it comes to the doctrine of Biblical salvation. Even in the land of plenty where the Gospel has been shed abroad, there's a surprising ignorance a number of Americans have today about Bible truths. Many people haven't heard a clear-cut presentation of the Gospel. I say that in spite of the number of Baptist, Methodist, Assembly of God, and all other kinds of denominations in which you would think they would preach the unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even some of the people during Jesus time upon earth didn't know how to be saved. Jesus told Nicodemus that except a man be born again, he can't enter into the kingdom of God.(John 3:3) Nicodemus was surprised and didn't even understand the concept of being born again.
Jesus made it plain that ye must enter at the straight gate. In other words, you will enter into Heaven only God's way: Ye must be born again. There's not twenty, ten, or even four paths to salvation. There's only one way to Heaven and that's to repent of your sins and trust in the shed blood of Jesus to save you. Nobody's saved any other way. There's nothing a man can do to earn salvation. It's totally a work of God. Jesus paid the debt on Calvary's cross. No man can be good or sufficient enough to earn entrance into Heaven. It's all what Jesus did. The Devil doesn't like that and he does everything possible to deceive people. You see that throughout the world with all these man-made religions. The Catholic Church teachers you can earn your way into Heaven. They also teach a man can enter Purgatory when they die and the saints can pray them out of Purgatory into Heaven! That's nonsense! I heard an old Baptist preacher say one time years ago he believes in PURGATORY--Only you must experience Purgatory this side of Heaven. You must be cleansed and PURGED from your sins on this side of the grave. There have been people that have been deceived and led to believe that if you practice certain rituals or if you're good to people that in the end the Lord will allow you into Heaven. No!
I was looking up the words "straight" and "gate" in Webster's Dictionary. Websters defines straight as having the same direction througout its length: not crooked, bent. The word "gate" means Controlling the flow of water; as in a canal. A gateway. A moveable structure controlling passage through an opening in a fence or wall. Jesus said that you must enter at the strait gate. It's a gate which doesn't deviate at all. God's plan for salvation is the same today as it was when he died on Calvary's cross 2000 years ago. There's only one path to Heaven. It's straight. Everybody from the rich and the famous and the humble and the poor must be born again the same way. God doesn't deviate and allow some people to enter into Heaven more than one way. I've heard the question posed concerning those in heathen nations that have never heard the Gospel proclaimed. Wouldn't God allow some people into Heaven that have never had the chance to hear the Gospel once? Wouldn't God be merciful to allow those that have never had the privilege of hearing the blessed Gospel to enter into Heaven? That would be fair wouldn't it? If that be the case, then what's the purpose in Jesus' commandment in Mark 16:15 to go into all the world and preach the Gospel? If some men could enter into Heaven due to ignorance of the Gospel, then there wouldn't be any point in the local churches sending missionaries around the world to preach the Gospel. Also, how could Jesus say to enter in at the straight gate if some people could enter into Heaven another way besides the cross? The truth is no matter what the circumstances might be, nothing short of repenting of your sins and accepting God's free gift will suffice. That's why Jesus placed such a premium on world evangelization. All mankind must be saved and that's only through Jesus' blood. No exceptions! If any man could deviate from the sacrifice that Jesus paid on Calvary's cross, his death would've been in vain. What would have been the purpose in Jesus dying on the cross if some men could be save another way? God shares his glory with no man.
Jesus was abundantly plain about entering in at the strait gate. Either you enter into Heaven through the strait gate or you don't enter into Heaven at all. However, once a man has been born again and redeemed there's a straight path for a Christian to follow. II Corinthians 5:17 says that if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. In other words, he has a new nature. The old worldly, fleshly desires he once possessed he no longer craves. He has a desire to serve the Lord. The Holy Ghost takes abode in his heart. The Holy Ghost leads and guides us into all truth. Also I John 2:15 tells us to love not the world. We aren't to love the world's system. We are to be separated and sanctified. We are a peculiar people. God's paths for the Christian are straight and narrow. In saying that, I'm not insinuating that works saves you or maintains your salvation. A person that's saved is sealed until the day of redemption. You can't merit nor maintain your salvation through works. However, when God changes your life, he also changes your desires and your paths. God says that a saved person is a new creature. The whole purpose of their life is to serve and glorify the Lord. God will lead you into paths of righteousness. The days of wild and reckless living in the flesh are over with. The days of partying and becoming drunk are over with. The days of spewing profanity with your lips are over with. God will lead a Christian on a straight path. The purpose of that straight path is so the Christian can be conformed to the image of Christ and bring glory to God. We can't bring glory to God with sin in our life. We can't be a witness to this lost and dying world if we're filled with carnality. God's people are to be uniquely and distinctly different.
God's path towards salvation is on the straight and narrow path. You must be born again. You must repent of your sins and trust in the shed blood of Jesus to save you. Nobody can deviate from that path. All people regardless of race, religion, creed, level of education, economic background, type of vocation, etc. must be saved through Jesus' shed blood. Once a person is saved, God has a plan for their life. God has a straight path for the child of God to walk. Walking the straight path doesn't save a person nor maintain a Christian's salvation. However, God desires for us to bring glory to Him. That can only be done when we walk the straight path and keep God's commandments.
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