“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 NASB1995)

There are two paths in this life to choose from. One of them leads to salvation (deliverance) from bondage (addiction) to sin, and to eternal life with God. But the other one leads to continuance in addiction to sin and the guarantee of hell everlasting. And we cannot be on both paths at the same time. We can’t go left and right at the same time, for the two are in opposition to the other. Either obedience to God is our practice, or it isn’t. And if it isn’t, we do not have eternal life with God and salvation from sin.

And this is not saying that we must be absolutely perfect in every respect, and that we will never sin again ever, and that we will never fail to live up to what God commands of us, as his followers (see 1 John 2:1-2). For we are still human beings who still live in flesh bodies, and so we are still vulnerable to temptation to sin. But the Scriptures make it clear to us that God has “drawn a line in the sand” over which we must not cross. Sin must no longer be our practice, and obedience to God must be what we put into practice.

So, entering through the narrow gate, and walking in the way that is narrow, that leads to life in Christ, our Lord, is the way of righteousness and holiness, and of obedience to our Lord and to his commands. It is the way that is restricted, regulated, limited, and controlled by God and by his word. And it teaches us that we must die with Christ to sin and be raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as servants of God and of his righteousness, in obedience to his commands.

But the gate that is wide, and the way that is broad, and which leads to destruction, and not to eternal life with God, is filled with all kinds of moral compromises and rejections of the truth of the gospel. And it appears to be the way which is most popular today among those professing faith in Jesus Christ. For so many have adopted this easy way to heaven which makes no requirements of them for biblical repentance and obedience to God’s commands, and so it sends its adherents to hell, and not to heaven.

The easy way says that you can just profess faith in Jesus Christ and now you are saved from all sins, and you are on your way to heaven, regardless of how you live and what you do. But the narrow way, which is the true way of salvation and eternal life with God, is not the easy way. It is the hard way, for it demands that we obey God, in practice, and that we live holy lives, pleasing to God, and that we cease with deliberate and habitual sin if we want to have salvation and eternal life with God. And few follow this way.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

A Believer’s Prayer

An Original Work / July 31, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray
To be Yours, and Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride, I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.

The Hard Way or The Easy Way?
An Original Work / January 19, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love