“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
Jesus speaks about two divergent courses that a person can choose to follow in life: a wide gate leading to a broad pathway, and the other, a strait gate leading to a narrow and difficult path. The latter is symbolic of the Christian experience and way of life which the Lord Jesus Christ beckons us to follow.
This gate is a constricting entrance, an exclusive pathway from the very start, and a personal one. In its narrowness, certain things are to be left behind in order for one to pass on through.
The Christian is to leave behind the ways of the world, the outlook that ignores God, living a life based upon the whims and demands of this life alone. In leaving the worldly principle, the Christian finds himself as a unique, responsible being before God, confronting the issues of his life and his eternal destiny.
The Christian is to leave the old “self” outside the gate. He is to put off the old man and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).
This gate is narrow because it is a difficult experience. The Christian life is not easy because it is too glorious and wonderful, in contrast to how effortlessly the ordinary can be attained. There are few who find and enter the exalted Christian life simply because it is a hard life.
The gate is strait because if truly lived, it involves suffering and persecution. The world has always been inclined to persecute the person who follows God. Jesus Christ Himself was rejected and persecuted by the world, hence the Christian must be ready to be misunderstood, because he has been set apart to follow Christ.
This gate leads to a path that continues to be narrow. The Christian life keeps on being difficult; it is a continuous “fight of faith” right to the very end.
But the narrow pathway leads to life, rescuing us from the path of destruction. It is the road trodden by Christ Himself, and it is our privilege to walk out of this world and enter into this life, following Him every step of the way.
** Reference: David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “Studies in the Sermon on the Mount”, Martino Publishing, CT, 2011, pp. 217-228.
** Photograph: Gate in the Poppies by Evgeni Dinev
lilies, sparrows and grass 
Nice post. And what a beautiful picture! Committing to stick with Jesus isn’t always the easiest choice but even if there were no eternal rewards I’d still do it. Just having Him around makes the tough times of today a little more bearable and the joys of life more joyful. He had much to teach us about how to live life to the full if we will not let the daunting idea of following Him through a narrow gate, not quite knowing what’s on the other side, or anything else, stop us from clinging to Him. God bless.
Thank you so much for your beautiful thoughts. Surely there is no real joy that can be felt apart from the Lord, and the way that He has asked us to follow, the narrow way, is indeed not burdensome with Jesus by our side.
Agreed, sister 🙂
Hi Dee,
Another wonderful post…walking the strait path is indeed a daily choice – even a moment-by-moment choice that we can only accomplish by yielding to our Shepherd and Helper. And if our Shepherd, the Head of the Household, was persecuted and had to go through the struggles, then we of the Household might as well get it through our heads that we must stand against the same things – and that we can get through all these things victoriously through Christ who strengthens us! Thanks again, Dee
Lester
Hi Lester,
Thank you for your insightful comments, and for illuminating the fact that through Christ, we can get through life’s difficulties because in Him all things consist, all power has been granted unto Him, in Him is everything we need and beyond what we could even imagine. Such are the incomprehensible riches of Christ, and it is indeed a privilege to be identified with our Savior.
Dee