Matthew 7:13-14
What exactly is the little gate and the narrow path?
Well, what would you say is one of the toughest things to do? Would you agree that it is awfully difficult to admit defeat and seek to end your personal war with society, your family or whatever you think you've been fighting? Isn't tossing in the towel awfully tough to take?13 Go through the tight gate. A lot of people use the big gate and take the broad road that goes to Destruction.
14 Only a few people find the little gate to the narrow path that goes to Life.
Having the humility to throw yourself on God's mercy for you making a wreck of your life and doing much harm to others -- that's the tight squeeze. Jesus is the "little gate" that not many people notice. When you follow him, you are treading the narrow path.
In other words, taking the little gate and the narrow way means becoming meek and lowly enough to:
¶ Heed Christ's call to come to him, turning your will and your life over to his care.
¶ Continue heeding God's guidance, which, despite the trouble it takes to follow it, will be far more tolerable than the insane guidance provided by your old self.
We must still aim for the goal of following Jesus without flaw. That ideal of conduct is indeed a narrow way that few truly pursue. Really, it makes sense. What is the sin that offends God? Answer: Any plan or action that places self first at the expense of others and that shows disrespect of God. In other words: any plan or action lacking the quality of compassionate love for another person.
That summarizes well what God's high law is all about and why prophets were sent to pass God's word to the people.
Why would a true Christian want to violate that law of love? She doesn't want to sin that way. So when she does so, it is her old nature trying to take over from her reborn self, which that old nature does not recognize, just as it can have no true spiritual connection to God.
Let us reflect on Jacob's wrestling match with God, in which Jacob prevails (Genesis 32:24-30). This story shows that Jacob had become conformed to God's image, thus the new name Israel, which, according to Genesis, means something like God prevails, [SaN.1] which I take as similar to the idea of the Christian becoming more conformed to the image of God as he wrestles with him during his walk with God.
But to be truly like God, humility is necessary. Thus, the gift of the limp: to keep God's servant right-sized. Not being able to order a motorized wheelchair from Amazon, Izzy would have to lean heavily on God as he walked along. So it is for the Christian, who has a spark of the divine fire, but who must not presume herself more than a "junior" bit of that big fire.
Paul, who fought all attempts to weigh down Christians with rules and regulations, nevertheless took the narrow path as he reached toward "the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).
"I'm no Paul!" you say. "How can I possibly really take the narrow way?"
Just believe that "with God, all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). Why squander your chance to go for the gold? Change is necessary. Who better to help you change than Jesus, his Father and God's Spirit?
One commentator notes that in one spot the word narrow is related to a Greek word that connotes persecution. Doubtless another inspired pun was intended, which doesn't show up in English. Yet elsewhere Jesus warns that that is what his servants are to endure. If everybody speaks well of you, something is wrong.
Luke 6:26
In other words, the true disciple is willing to endure
privation (nothing but Jesus is necessary) and harsh harassment (the
world will hate her with a passion, no matter how "objective" the
masks). But remember, great is that her reward!
Woe to you, when everyone speaks well of you! That's how your forebears spoke about the false prophets. [SaN.2]
That narrow path will yield a better person, a person who has learned to lovingly rely on Jesus.
For further discussion on this topic, go HERE.
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Mt. 7:15-23. Workers of iniquity
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