The Narrow Road

June 27

2 Kings 17-18

Psalm 75:6-10

Proverbs 16:24-25

Acts 22

The Narrow Road

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” 

Proverbs 16:25 HCSB

I have thought of this verse often in the last year.  The culture around us is changing so quickly.  Things that ten years ago would have shocked the conscience are now, not only accepted, but praised. Tolerance is lauded as the ultimate goal, while right and truth are discounted as narrowminded and hateful.  Let me be clear about my position.  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8 (NIV) His standards do not change with cultural shifts.   If the Bible speaks to an issue, it is definitive.  We cannot pick and choose what we want to agree with and decide what we will follow and not follow.  The Bible is the inerrant, perfect Word of God.  It is God’s instruction book to us.  He hasn’t changed His mind.  Satan knows how to deceive.  He is a master at making things seem like they are right, when in fact they are contrary to God’s plans.  He twists it just enough so that it seems like what God would say, but it is counterfeit.  God tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, so Satan convinces us that to love others we should be tolerant and accepting of them.  In truth, the most loving thing we can do for them is to help them understand that their sin is not God’s best for their life.  Accepting their sin will only lead them to destruction.  That is the least loving thing we can do for them.   God is a loving God and does not wish for any to perish.  Instead, He has provided the way, the one and only way, for us to come to Him and that is through His Son, Jesus.  Satan has twisted that to say that God loves us too much to send anyone to Hell.  He has created many false religions to convince people that there are many ways to get to God.  He doesn’t have to convince people to follow him.  He only has to convince them to follow anything but the only true way, Jesus.  Satan is a master manipulator.  We must hold everything to the standard of God’s Word.  If it is not consistent with God’s revealed Word, then it is not from God.  He never contradicts Himself.   There are lots of teachings that seem right to man, but in the end, they lead to death.  We must be in the Word so that we will not be deceived.  “Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)