The Ever-Narrowing Gate

Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate that leads to life, and only a few find it."

In Acts 15 the Judaizers came to Antioch and tried to force another condition upon salvation. They wanted the Gentile believers to be circumcised and to follow the law of Moses. They made a preferential issue a theological one - a condition of salvation.

We fight tooth and nail against those who try to make the gate broader. But there are those who try to narrow it down - and they are just as dangerous. They try to turn personal issues into principles of the faith. Usually it is an issue that they themselves have struggled over or have put themselves under the slavery of - therefore they can't imagine it not being a necessary part of the faith.

I think of an older Christian friend of mine, who has passed away. Before he was saved, he was caught deep into a destructive alcoholism. After he was saved, he spent much of his time trying to convince others that drinking was not a choice - that anyone who drank alcohol couldn't possibly be a Christian. He was saved - I believe that with all my heart - but he was making the mistake of narrowing the gate to include a yoke that he couldn't bear.

Don't make the Gate narrower than Christ made it. In doing so, you have taken His grace and mercy and put restrictions on it. This is just as dangerous as those who try to broaden His grace and say that everyone gets in. Be very careful about taking a personal issue - one that may have tremendous value in your own life - and making it a theological one. You have every right to have convictions on things such as drinking and music and styles, etc. Just don't make them conditions and yokes upon everyone else.

As Peter said to these Judaizers: "Why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe that it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." (Acts 15:10,11)

I like other people. If it were up to me - MORE would get in. I don't want to see anyone perish. But the Way is what the Way is. According to Jesus, only a few are finding the Narrow Gate anyway - do you dislike your fellow humans so much that you want to cut even more out?