The Narrow Gate

 

An excerpt from the book, Narrow is The Gate, Bill Petite

Christianity has come to a point where the culture outside the Church has been allowed to have an influence on how we think and act and react inside the Church. Now, this certainly does not apply to all Christians, but it does to far too many. We live in a country which is divided by our views on politics, abortion, the Gay lifestyle, gender transitions and a lot of other views we always seem to disagree on. Disagreement is alright if we are able to acknowledge the other person’s view and not attempt to beat them down and kick them into a corner.  

Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement over whether to take John Mark with them on their second missionary journey (Acts 15:37-40). Each man stood his ground and finally they agreed to go their separate ways. Each man felt very strong about his own ideas concerning John Mark and it was obvious neither was going to give in to the other. So, the decision was made to go their own separate ways. Years later, Paul would ask for John Mark’s company and it would appear all was well between them.

But in our society and culture today, people will separate and not speak or associate with each other for years or maybe never again. Family members will have disputes and never speak to one another again. And these situations do not exclude Christians; I have heard Christians, who were harmed in some way by another, say they would never forgive the other party. Is that what Jesus said in His word? Didn’t He tell Peter to forgive seventy times seven (MT 18:21-22)? In other words, we should always forgive the other person but in this culture, that doesn’t fly. (MT 6:14)

When I discuss anything with another Christian, I always keep in mind the person is saved and knows Jesus as their savior. The person has a relationship with Jesus. I am not referring to someone who has not been saved and might be practicing in some kind of cult or non-Christian group. The person who is saved is saved forever or for eternity; that is primary in our discussions or debates with other Christians. We can learn from each other under God’s inspiration as He guides the discussion. But when we encounter someone who is not saved or is involved with a group who believes their salvation is by any other means than Jesus, then we have a different approach with them. But again, Jesus is the main point and we are not attempting to win an argument but instead allowing Jesus to win the soul.

In life, we will encounter all kinds of different people with different lifestyles and if we engage in conversation with them, we must remember that Jesus is always the main focal point. It’s not what we think is right or wrong, it’s what the truth of Jesus is. As Christians, it’s up to us to read and study our Bible in order to know what the truth of God’s word says. The world has many ideas on their lifestyles and agendas which oppose God's word and will stand firm on each of those views. But that doesn’t mean we have to agree with them. It also doesn’t mean we should behave in the way they do but simply know and understand what God’s word tells us concerning these things.

 There are so many Christians, true born again Christians, who fall into the patterns in which the world and its culture conduct its ways of standing firm on their beliefs. They will argue in the same way, putting other Christians down in the very way the world does to each other. Christians calling each other names or harshly criticizing each other as the world does. Where is the Christian, Christ like love for one another which Jesus instructs us in His word to exercise?

 There are parts of the Church which have views that mirror that of the world and our culture. These groups, denominations and local churches have appeared to allow the culture of our day, in this world, to come right into the Church and have its way and influence on them. We simply have to look into some of these issues of our time and see what God’s word says about them. God’s word tells us in MT 7:13-14 that there are two paths which lead us to God’s Kingdom; there is a narrow gate which is the only right way and there is a wide gate which leads to destruction or hell. How many people will win the arguments but end up on the wide path? How many will refute the truth of God’s word because they firmly believe they are smarter than God or know better than Him for these cultural causes? Don’t be fooled by them; get on that narrow path which leads to the narrow gate which is too hard for so many to find and enter into God’s Kingdom.  

 -Bill Petite