In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus said, Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. These verses are the origin of the phrase straight and narrow, though the changing of the word strait in the King James Version to straight in the common vernacular may be a bit misleading. The original word meant narrow, as in the nautical use of term. An instance of this is the Strait of Gibraltar, which indicates a narrow passage. It is intended in the usage of our Lord to indicate a contrast between the way that leads to destruction, which is broad or wide. Some Christians see the phrase straight and narrow and believe that the way of a Christian is simple, when it may, in fact, be very difficult, as the English Standard Version translates the last phrase of this passage. Bunyan may have illustrated this truth better than anyone else. He pictured the path that Christian was to take as one that was very narrow, with dangers on either side of the way. It was anything but straight. Rather, it was a path that took him down through valleys and over heights, a path that was continually fraught with difficulty. That is the true nature of the Christian life. The way into it is extremely narrow: there is only one gate, and His name is Jesus Christ! The path we must follow is difficult, not easy as so many would like to portray it. Does this mean that there is no joy? Absolutely not! The Christian life is filled with joys. While there are many difficulties associated with it, there are also many victories along the way. We have, as well, the comfort of knowing that our Savior has walked this path ahead of us, showing us the way. There are many saints surrounding us, cheering us onward. At the end of every valley, there is an ascent to new heights. All of these give us encouragement to keep going forward, assured of our final victory. But beware. The path is narrow. We cannot afford to step even one step to the right or to the left, lest we fall into the snare of the evil one. And the snares abound, especially because we live in a darkened world where it is so easy to get distracted and lose sight of the path. That is why we must depend on the Word of God, which is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path. So, let us watch at our feet, all the while looking ahead in the road to see the path before us. Let us determine to remain on the narrow path, though it may twist and turn through many a difficulty, knowing that the end is eternal victory and bliss in the presence of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 15:20:03 +0000
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