relationships (Matthew 7:13-14) The Impossible Made Possible

(Matthew 7:13-14)

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

The gate is "constricted" - NOT because the Lord wants to make it difficult for people to discover new life with Him for all eternity, and experience a close, personal relationship with Him!  After all, the Lord God created us so that He would have us to love, and desires that we love Him back.  But because He is love, He will never force anyone to love Him back.  He created us with a free will, with options, and the freedom to act upon them.  Therefore, it is all about our choice:  do we want a personal relationship with the Lord, or not?

Understand that the Lord God is holy and cannot have a relationship with sin.  Where there is sin, there is death:  physically and spiritually.  When Adam and Eve brought sin into the world, this separated mankind from God.  The term "sin" is used in archery, meaning to miss the mark.  The bullseye can be likened to the "constricted gate".  So, if there is any bit of sin in a person's life, we miss the mark.  The only way we can get into heaven in our own efforts is to be perfect.  Well, if we are honest with ourselves, we know that this is absolutely impossible!

Sin is in direct opposition of God and His will and His character!  And God hates sin! Even though God did not choose this sinful life for us, and God does not want to punish anyone, because He loves us, He left the comforts of heaven, and came in flesh so that He could take our place in death, to pay for all sin, and then rose again to have victory over death and sin, so that we can choose eternal life with Him.

The Lord Jesus is our gate!  He is the only way to eternal life and heaven!  And while so many people will create their own religions and beliefs and insist that there are different ways to heaven, their ways do not and cannot address the sin-issue that is in their life.  Only the Lord Jesus can!  He made the impossible - possible!  But it's our choice!  And because He desires that all come to know Him, He gives everyone fair opportunity.

(Romans 1:18:23)  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures.