vælger du den smalle vej?

 

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Prisen ved at gå ind af den snævre port

Så hvad er forudsætningerne for at komme ind af den snævre port? Jesus selv understreger betingelserne for at følge i de fodspor han efterlod på den smalle vej: “Sådan kan ingen af jer være min discipel uden at give afkald på alt sit eget.” Lukasevangeliet 14:33. Enkelt sagt koster det bogstaveligt talt en person alt. Og epicentrum af dette “alt” er det store ego som skal aflægges ved døren, eller porten i dette tilfælde, for altid. Jesus kalder dette at “hade dit eget liv” (Lukasevangeliet 14:26).

At adlyde disse “ikke-til-forhandling” betingelser af discipelskab er den eneste måde at holde forholdet til Jesus intakt. Dette vil sige ethvert nag – ligemeget hvor berettiget – skal overvindes. Jordiske ambitioner eller forventninger om “hvordan mit liv skal ende ud” skal også ofres. Sammenlign-ligt krav om, hvordan vi vil behandles af andre. Ganske enkelt ligemeget hvad det kræves at holde hjertet rent og bevare den brændende kærlighed til Kristus – selvom det betyder at blive misforstået af venner eller familie.

Dette er, hvor den brede port begynder at ligne et ganske godt alternativ, sammenlignet med kriterierne for at komme igennem den smalle port. Dog er konsekvenserne for at tage den brede port mange.

Prisen ved ikke at gå igennem den snævre port

Med et kristent udgangspunkt intakt efter omvendelsen kan man gå igennem den brede port uden at indse, at den skinnende facade uundgåeligt er på kollisionskurs med de kraftige kræfter af synd og dens konsekvenser. Hvorfor? Fordi ingen form for selvkontrol kan forhindre det “gamle menneske med dets lyster” i at vokse sig mere korrupt som tiden går (Efeserne 4:22). Uden at være korsfæstet med Kristus, kan man ikke gøre noget med syndens rod, og denne lovløshed fører til mere lovløshed (Romerne 6:19).

At følge den brede vej kan kun føre til fortabelse – fortabelsen af et liv som, ved at opgive alt for at følge Jesus, da han kom forbi, i udgangspunktet havde det utrolige potentiale til en investering i evigheden.

Kun døde fisk svømmer med strømmen, levende går mod strømmen, ad de smalle vej.

Gå igennem den snævre port – du vil ikke fortryde det

På den anden side, for de som har en ægte hunger og tørst efter retfærdighed, som er træt af at komme til kort, er invitationen til at gå igennem den smalle port dit livs chance – en chance til en gang for alle at bryde fri fra syndens lænker og al elendigheden som følger med den. Selvfølgelig betyder dette, at nag som tidligere nævnt ikke kan næres længere. Men den lidelse der kommer ved at korsfæste det gamle liv vil altid være midlertidig, mens Kristi dyder som fylder dets tomrum er evig. Hvad har det at klinge sig til bitterhed og vrede nogensinde bragt nogen vedvarende lykke uanset?

Dette korsfæstede liv med Kristus er fuldtid. Hver dag kræver en hård indre kamp med at benægte enhver form for synd. Bibelen kalder dette troens gode strid. Et aspekt som er vanskeligt for en discipel med en ren samvittighed, er at koncentrere sig om selverkendelse = fremgang. At erkende at lysten til ære dybt nede, stod bag dagens mest ædle gerninger, kan være smertefuldt, men at kalde synden for det, det er, og at døde disser legemets gerninger ved ånden er nøglen til at få fremgang på den smalle vej.

Der er noget ekstraordinært attraktivt over mennesker som har kastet enhver byrde på Herren, som ikke har et omdømme at forsvare og som er blevet tapre krigere for Gud i kampen mod deres iboende synd. De elsker Jesus af hele deres hjerte, og det er ikke svært at se at den smalle vej virkelig har gjort dem lykkelige. Hvis du har læst helt hertil, hvorfor så ikke opgive alt, gå ind af den smalle port og slutte dig til dem på den vej som fører til livet?

Vælger du den snævre eller den brede vej?

Dit valg har evigheds konsekvenser, som du vælger bliver dit liv.

Amen

Do you choose the narrow or the broad road?

Have you calculated the costs?

Do you choose the narrow or the broad road?

“Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many are the ones going in through it. How narrow is the gate and how difficult is the road that leads to life, and few are the ones finding it!” Matthew 7:13-14.

These verses make it clear that the majority do not think much beyond a life here on earth. In the verses above, there are two possible outcomes, which are opposites – life and destruction – and yet, because one path seems easier than the other, most people choose the path of least resistance! This would be understandable if one considered effort for pay in a more trivial context, such as education and career goals. But Jesus was talking about something of utmost importance—the way we choose now and how they affect eternity.

In Romans 9:18, the apostle Paul writes, “So then he has mercy on whom he will, and he hardens whom he will.” God’s mercy and goodness are what awaken an individual and lead them to repentance. The only reason this is possible is because Jesus paid the ultimate price for every sinner when he died on the cross.

God manifested this in an almighty demonstration of power when Jesus took his last breath, with the solar eclipse phenomenon combined with a loud, rock-splitting earthquake. At this precise moment, the veil in the temple was also torn from top to bottom. The significance of this was monumental—not only could humanity now be reunited with God through Jesus’ death on the cross, but the tearing of the veil symbolized that the new and living way was now open for people to be saved through his life! (Romans 5:10; Hebrews 10:20). This is the “narrow road to life” that Jesus invites his disciples to follow in Matthew 7, and the only way to do so is to enter through the narrow gate.

The Cost of Entering Through the Narrow Gate
So what are the requirements for entering through the narrow gate? Jesus himself emphasizes the conditions for following in the footsteps he left on the narrow road: “None of you can be my disciple unless you give up all that you have.” Luke 14:33. Simply put, it literally costs a person everything. And the epicenter of this “everything” is the great ego that must be laid down at the door, or gate in this case, forever. Jesus calls this “hating your own life” (Luke 14:26).

Obeying these “non-negotiable” conditions of discipleship is the only way to keep a relationship with Jesus intact. This means that any grudges – no matter how justified – must be overcome. Worldly ambitions or expectations about “how my life will end” must also be sacrificed. Comparable demands on how we want to be treated by others. Quite simply, whatever it takes to keep our hearts pure and our love for Christ burning – even if it means being misunderstood by friends or family.

This is where the wide gate begins to look like a pretty good alternative, compared to the criteria for entering through the narrow gate. However, the consequences of taking the wide gate are many.

The Cost of Not Going Through the Narrow Gate
With a Christian foundation intact after conversion, one can go through the wide gate without realizing that the shiny facade is inevitably on a collision course with the powerful forces of sin and its consequences. Why? Because no amount of self-control can prevent the “old man with his lusts” from growing more corrupt as time goes on (Ephesians 4:22). Without being crucified with Christ, there is nothing you can do about the root of sin, and this lawlessness leads to more lawlessness (Romans 6:19).

Following the broad road can only lead to perdition—the perdition of a life that, by giving up everything to follow Jesus when He came along, had the incredible potential for an investment in eternity.

Only dead fish swim with the current, the living go against the current, on the narrow road.

Go through the narrow gate—you won’t regret it
On the other hand, for those who have a genuine hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are tired of falling short, the invitation to go through the narrow gate is the opportunity of a lifetime—a chance to break free once and for all from the chains of sin and all the misery that comes with it. Of course, this means that grudges, as mentioned earlier, cannot be held any longer. But the suffering that comes from crucifying the old life will always be temporary, while the virtues of Christ that fill its void are eternal. What lasting happiness has clinging to bitterness and anger ever brought?

This crucified life with Christ is full-time. Every day requires a hard inner struggle to deny every form of sin. The Bible calls this the good fight of faith. One aspect that is difficult for a disciple with a clean conscience is to concentrate It is about self-knowledge = progress. To recognize that deep down, the desire for glory was behind the most noble deeds of the day may be painful, but calling sin for what it is and putting to death these deeds of the body by the spirit is the key to progress on the narrow path.

There is something extraordinarily attractive about people who have cast every burden on the Lord, who have no reputation to defend, and who have become valiant warriors for God in the battle against their indwelling sin. They love Jesus with all their hearts, and it is not hard to see that the narrow path has truly made them happy. If you have read this far, why not give up everything, enter the narrow gate, and join them on the path that leads to life?

Do you choose the narrow or the broad path?

Your choice has eternal consequences; what you choose will be your life.

Amen