Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. – Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. – John 14:6 NKJV
Only 1 of the 7 pathways below leads to heaven…
…the rest all lead to eternal judgment in Hell, if you don’t turn in “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” – Acts 20:21, KJV
Which way are you on?
Example Person 1:
I can live whatever life I decide is right, no-one has the authority to tell me otherwise. I am a good person because I care about climate change, animal rights, and I protest against racism. I believe strongly in evolution and I think that bible-bashing right-wingers are so naive and detached from the modern world they live in. I think that science disproves God so I don’t believe in God.
Example Person 2:
We have one life, live it! Pleasure, wealth, and security are good; pain and insecurity are bad. I don’t care about climate change, after all it won’t cause any problems during my lifetime. I do care about my favourite sports team though, and if they lose, it makes me feel sad for a while, but I then have a good drink with some friends and forget about it. I am a cultural Christian, meaning that I support Christian values like honesty, but I don’t go to church. I think we should shut the borders and kick out all the non-Christians foreigners, and make the UK a great nation again.
Example Person 3:
If God exists, he is not kind and just like the Christians say. I’ve hardly done anything wrong in my life, and the only things I do wrong were because of what other people did to me, so they’re not really wrong, for example I steal off rich people when I get the chance because I don’t get paid enough by my stingy boss. And in spite of that, God has been unfair to me – he’s not given me enough money to make ends meet, my dad was violent with me until my parents divorced and then my mum couldn’t look after me properly. Some of my friends do a lot worse things than I do yet they seem to be well off and weren’t abused when they were kids.
Example Person 4:
I’m a decent person, and I try to do what’s right. I give money to charity and help with local good causes from time to time. I guess I am Christian because I go to a church every Sunday, know nearly all of the Bible, and I basically don’t cause anyone any problems. I’m proud of being British as this country has such a good heritage, but I do sometimes worry about the way the country seems to be going. Yes, I’ve done a few things wrong in my time, but they are mild compared with what young people get up to nowadays.
Example Person 5:
I know I will be saved if I obey my God. I think that Christians are deluded because they believe in Jesus, and Jesus was weak because he died, and he was just a man, or maybe a prophet at the most. But my God is powerful, and he can help me get what I want if I am obedient to him and do enough good works. I pray to God daily, fast twice a year, and I go to church twice a week.
Example Person 6:
I belong to the only right Christian church and it’s leader claims to be following Jesus/Jehovah/God, and I am following the church leader, which is leading me to God, so I am safe here. Some people outside are church are probably saved as well, but I don’t dare to talk to them much, because they don’t have the true light that we have in our church, so they might cause me to doubt my trust in the church I belong to. We have a strong sense of community and can trust each other because we all keep to the same rules. The leaders of our church get special light from God, and they are God’s representatives here on earth today. Our church leadership understands the bible better than anyone else, and we use the best translation. We also have our own additional writings that are as important as the bible or maybe more so. Our community is better than anything else on earth, and we pity the poor people out there in the wider world who don’t have the light we do.
Example Person 7:
I am a sinner. I was once sunk in sin, and I still sometimes sin when I forget to pray to God for help. I am repentant, meaning I understand my past pathway was wrong, and I try to do what is right. I have been called to follow Jesus, working out His unique plan for me in my daily life. As I follow Jesus, I don’t even want to sin, and I’m filled with joy and power by the Holy Spirit. I link on with anyone else who is ‘born again’ and striving to walk a new and repentant pathway through the power that comes from Christ alone. I compassionately and urgently try to help anyone who doesn’t know salvation in Jesus. I am not focussed on enjoying my short life here on earth, I am focussed on my eternal life in heaven, and I know that any suffering or difficulties that God helps me to overcome during my life on earth will be rewarded in heaven “there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV
Which 1 of the above 7 paths do you think leads to heaven?
Beware of wrong teachers
Beware of the modern gospel that focussed on God’s love and forgiveness, but disregards His law and his judgment. Just like you won’t take medicine unless you think you are ill, you won’t repent unless you understand how you fall short of God’s standard, as set out in Jesus, and as set out in The 10 Commandments (which Jesus quoted and upheld).
See this helpful resource: True and False Conversion, by Ray Comfort from Living Waters. Or Meet Mr Nice Guy:
But beware also of those who would like to bring you into the bondage of man-made religion:
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ – Galatians 1:6-10, NKJV
If you are on the wrong road today, there is still time to get on the right one:
- Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts – Hebrews 3:7-8
- now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation – 2 Corinthians 6:2
- Jesus Himself warns, “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish – Luke 13:3
- The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. – Mark 1:15
- Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth – Proverbs 27:1
- if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin – 1 John 1:7 NKJV
It only takes moments to turn from darkness to light
to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me – Acts 26:18, NKJV
If you are unsure of the right road, read your bible daily, pray throughout the day, and God will lead you into the right pathway.
He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him – Hebrews 11:6, NKJV
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart – Jeremiah 29:13, NKJV
The narrow way is so narrow you can only walk it with Jesus holding your hand every step of the way. Without Jesus, we quickly turn aside to the right or the left, no matter how hard we try. But we have a guide who is only ever a silent prayer away from us.
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left – Isaiah 30:21, KJV
The enemy of our souls will always try to present a false binary choice between manmade religion and godlessness, but the reality is that there is a 3rd choice, that’s open to you right now: the salvation that’s in Jesus. See our article on Religious Controls vs Self Serving vs Submission to Christ.
O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord – Romans 7:24-25 KJV
If you feel the need of some help from a fellow sinner who has now found Jesus, please contact us and we will be very glad to discuss.
