Two Gates: Choose Carefully

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] 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” (Matt. 7:13-14).

Upon reading these words in Matt. 7:13-14, do we scoff like the world and say, God really would not destroy so many in His righteous indignation, would He? Ignoring what was written aforetime for our learning (see Rom. 15:4) in the Book of Genesis regarding Noah and the Ark (see Gen. 7:1-24, Matt. 24:36-44, and I Pet. 3:18-22).

Scripture speaks of Satan masquerading as an angel of light in II Cor. 11:13-14, further expounding that Satan has ministers and we are told these things in love, so that we will not be unaware and outwitted by Satan and his evil purposes (see II Cor. 2:11). Are we somehow blinded like many who profess that the God of the Old Testament, is somehow gone and there is a new god, in the New Testament, one who is filled with mercy, love, and grace? Isaiah 45:5 empathetically destroys the notion of another god, and this is solidified in both Mal. 3:6 and Heb. 13:7-9, declaring that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Therefore, since God is Faithful (see I Cor 10:13, I John 1:9, I Cor 1:9, and a host of other verses to support that God is faithful):

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:4-8).

-- Damon Long