Hard is the way that leads to life!

(Matthew 7:13-14) “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

It is one thing to always encourage one another and we must always look to err on the side of encouragement but there must be a time and a place for serious self-evaluation, especially when there are obvious considerations to consider.

It is one thing to understand doctrine in conjunction to what the bible teachers but to be free of being a hypocrite seems almost impossible. How many times have I purposed to do something and then gone and done the complete opposite? More times than I wish to remember! Why, why and why?

It would be easier to sit back, not make a stand and remain silent in some corner minding my own business. This ongoing disqualification that eats away at my soul is a great hindrance. But to now justify my actions as acceptable is unacceptable and by God’s grace I will not afford myself this lying luxury. I will consider none other than myself, myself I judge and I long for more resolve in these areas of my life. There are many areas where I lack but there is one that specifically hinders my prayer life.

Hypocrites God will judge! I would much sooner be expose here whilst on earth than when it is too late and the doors of repentance have been shut.

Having said that it would be wonderful to be more consistent as a Christian, Paul a very good example to what we should look like as believers. Can you say what he said about himself? I can’t but I will continue to strive toward his example by the grace of God. This then is what he had to say; “For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1Corinthians 4:4)

Where I have been taken this morning is once again a place of self-examination with soberness to it. I am once again reminded on this verse; “How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.” (Luke 6:42)

Yet having openly confessed my heart on this matter, I am not without hope and neither should you be if you have similar sentiments. Our great Saviour has overcome and He will get us home. We may stumble at times, far more often than we would like, at least more than I would like, so it would seem. Nevertheless our faith is in our Kings achievements and not our own failures. If we stay focused on our miscarriages we will be overcome with the “slough of despond”.

This then is the instruction wherever we find ourselves, whether it be in song, trial, tribulation, sorrow, depression or a need to find forgiveness. The cry must always be the same; Jesus, Jesus! He alone has overcome, He alone has risen from the dead with a glorified body and He alone has the power to forgive as well as condemn. The Lord Jesus Christ, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, not only to the universe but in our lives and on a personal level. May we never forget it! It must begin with Him as it shall surely end with Him. We must always find refuge in Him. It would do us no good when we trip to remain moping in the dirt, cast our eyes heavenward and call upon the name of the Lord and before long we will be dusting the dirt from our knees with new hope and vigour, with these word on our lips; “our God reigns”! It may even take us a life time of constant repentance, in fact I am certain it will and must, but to whom else can we go? “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:40): - Therefore wherever we find ourselves along the celestial road we must will all diligence seek out our Saviour's face.   

It is our hope that must fuel our failures, we have a great hope and one day we shall be like Him in reality. With new glorified bodies as our reward, to ever be with God the Father addressing Him as such, eyeball to eyeball. If we lose sight of our hope, the chance of us perishing along the way is a real one. But when we remain fixed on our Saviour’s complete work, wherever we find ourselves there will be a place of rescue.

But let us not be hypocrites in practice without seeking out forgiveness if and when we fall; hypocrites God will judge!

Here is a sobering reminder; "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)   

 1. The account that is given of the bad way of sin, and the good way of holiness. There are but two ways, right and wrong, good and evil; the way to heaven, and the way to hell; in the one of which we are all of us walking: no middle place hereafter, no middle way now: the distinction of the children of men into saints and sinners, godly and ungodly, will swallow up all to eternity.

Here is, (1.) An account given us of the way of sin and sinners; both what is the best, and what is the worst of it.

[1.] That which allures multitudes into it, and keeps them in it; the gate is wide, and the way broad, and there are many travellers in that way. First, “You will have abundance of liberty in that way; the gate is wide, and stands wide open to tempt those that go right on their way. You may go in at this gate with all your lusts about you; it gives no check to your appetites, to your passions: you may walk in the way of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; that gives room enough.” It is a broad way, for there is nothing to hedge in those that walk in it, but they wander endlessly; a broad way, for there are many paths in it; there is choice of sinful ways, contrary to each other, but all paths in this broad way. Secondly, “You will have abundance of company in that way: many there be that go in at this gate, and walk in this way.” If we follow the multitude, it will be to do evil: if we go with the crowd, it will be the wrong way. It is natural for us to incline to go down the stream, and do as the most do; but it is too great a compliment, to be willing to be damned for company, and to go to hell with them, because they will not go to heaven with us: if many perish, we should be the more cautious.

[2.] That which should affright us all from it is, that it leads to destruction. Death, eternal death, is at the end of it (and the way of sin tends to it), - everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. Whether it be the high way of open profaneness, or the back way of close hypocrisy, if it be a way of sin, it will be our ruin, if we repent not. (Matthew Henry)

God help us we pray to take sin seriously, whatever it may be that seems to want to lead us astray. We call out unto you our great redeeming King, save us from it, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone