If there is one verse in the Bible that bothers me to the depths of my heart it is Matthew 7:14. It is a sad verse and a hard verse; nevertheless they are the faithful and true words of Jesus.
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matt. 7:14 (NKJV)
Few, what an agonizing word to find in the scripture; few of the countless men who have and will walk the Earth will have eternal peace with God. It pricks my soul even now as I write. If I could just omit this verse; if I could only erase the truth behind it, that many men were not dying and going to an everlasting Hell. I cannot.
I started thinking, why is this verse true? We know that Christ paid the price for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). We know that He is not willing that men go to Hell (2 Peter 3:9). So why are there few that find the way? Why are the multitudes of people choosing damnation and Hell over salvation and Heaven? I can think of only two reasons: 1. Men love to sin and regardless of the eternal consequences, choose to live with the temporary destructive pleasures therein (John 3:19 ); and 2. Men are not being reached with the power of the Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ.
We cannot save; nor will God force man to be saved. Man’s eternal situation is based on his own freewill. However, we can take every opportunity to share with the lost the love that is in Jesus Christ. We can live our lives joyfully and abundantly so that men see God in us. We can go with them two when they ask us to go a mile (Matt. 5:41 ). We can pray, we can preach, we can teach, we can be the light of the world! Then men will be changed.
Could it be that few find it because we are not faithful to our role as Christians? Are we sounding the alarm? Are we watering down the Gospel and hiding the reality of Hell? Are we just satisfied that we are saved? Matthew 7:14 says that few will find it; it does not however say that few of your friends, family, co-workers will find it! In the big picture of men on earth: few will come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. I hate that, but I cannot change the fact.
I can however do everything in my power to share Jesus and His great gift with those around me; maybe then many of them will find it!
Will you?
