Which Way?

Many people today believe that there are multiple paths to God. Like a labyrinth of city streets, different religions are supposedly different ways to reach an identical destination. I've been told multiple times, "All religions really believe the same thing--love people and do good. I really think that if I'm sincerely doing this, God will accept me." Though this is opinion of the majority of humanity, Christ declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is the exclusive way to God.

Others, while they agree that Christ is the only way to God, diminish the need for a decision to enter that path (particularly for the children of believers), claiming that they can be born-again (regeneration) prior to exercising faith. Still others believe that they are on the way to heaven because of their church affiliation, family heritage, adherence to religious rituals, baptism or loyalty to assent to a doctrinal confession. Let us examine what the Scripture says.
 


In Matthew 7:13,14, Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

TWO WAYS

Rather than presenting many roads leading to one destination, Jesus presents only two. One is wide, the other is narrow. One abruptly plunges over the precipice of hell; the other leads to heaven. One has many travelers, the other has few. You cannot simultaneously be traveling both roads, nor can you simply chart your own course in an attempt to reach God. Either you are on the narrow road leading to eternal delight, or you are traveling the wide way leading to eternal damnation.

Christ pictures the way to eternal hell as a wide way with many travelers, for we are all born traveling this road. Scripture teaches that every person is born with a sin nature (Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12), that is, a disposition that inexorably rebels against the dictates of God. A simple evaluation of our lives by the Ten Commandments exposes our depraved nature. All of us have told lies, harbored anger in our hearts, lusted, stolen, and loved ourselves more than God. In God's eyes we are liars, murderers, adulterers, and idolaters. Without question, this snapshot of our depravity is both disgusting and damning. Before God, every person has sinned and stands condemned.

This populated way provides a myriad of lanes to choose from. Some take the lane of pursuing the pleasures of sin; others take morality and religion.Most, if not all on this way sincerely believe that they are actually on the way to heaven, totally oblivious to the fact that they will eventually plunge into the abyss of eternal darkness.

In contrast, the way to life is narrow and difficult, entered through a Solitary Door. There are few travelers here. Although you can only be on the narrow way by entering through the narrow gate, a staggering number of people are convinced that they can be on the narrow way without passing through the Door. But the only way to be saved is to pass through the Door by faith. Jesus Christ states: "I AM THE DOOR." According to God's Word, if you have never passed through this Door, you are not on the way to heaven. You may "feel" or "hope" that you are, but the sad truth is that you are still traveling on the wide way, hurtling toward destruction.

ENTERING THE GATE

How does one pass through this gate? The text uses the word, "Enter." This speaks of a one time, decisive act of faith, not a process of religious ritual. Some genuine Christians shy away from this truth, labeling it in one broad stroke as "Decisional Regeneration." In their well-founded rejection of "easy-believism," some brethren (particularly in the Reformed tradition) shy away from calling on people to make a decision to repent and believe. While it is true that salvation is a sovereign gift of God, it is imparted only when the recipient repents and believes. Without a definite act of faith, there is not salvation. What then is true faith?

Faith is not simply acknowledging the existence of the Door, nor is it admiration and analysis of its architecture. Faith is taking the step through the door. No one is saved by simply acknowledging Christ's existence. Nor is anyone saved by reciting a prayer. Faith means fully committing your salvation to Christ alone. Jesus Christ died for our sins, paying the penalty we rightly deserved. He was buried, and rose again three days later, forever defeating death. In order to be saved, you must inwardly turn (repentance) from the way of sin and fully rely (faith) upon Christ to save you. True faith is not mere assent to the claims of Christianity. It is repentance and reliance.

Jesus Christ is the only way to God. All other paths do indeed have the same destination: eternal hell. The broad way has many lanes on it--morality, religion, hypocrisy, but being in a different lane does not change the destination. The only way to change the destination is to take the exit and enter through the narrow gate. So my question is this: Which road are you on?