JESUS IS THE GATE TO LIFE EVERLASTING
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“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 –
Jesus is our Guide along the one road that leads to heaven and eternal life with Him. He tells us that the gate to enter is narrow and few choose to enter in. Yet many choose the broad and easy road that leads away from Him.
The worldly believe there are many ways to God. They search the world’s religions and philosophies to discover the way that appeals to them and their lifestyle. They wonder why Christianity is so limiting… so exclusive.
“Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way.” – A.W. Tozer
Jesus is anything but exclusive. He laid down His life for all of humanity. He gave His life so that all may live. Through Him, death is conquered. The gate to heaven is open wide for all who choose to believe. No one is denied entrance who chooses to follow Him.
The broad road is the way followed by those who ignore or reject God… who rebel against HIs ways… who choose to alienate themselves from Him. They are the sheep apart from their Shepherd… wandering in the wilderness… lost and unprotected.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
Jesus bridged the chasm between sinful man and a holy God. Only the perfect Lamb of God… a lamb without blemish… a Man without sin could be the ideal sacrifice. Only He could die for all the sins of mankind. He took our place upon the cross. His death gave us new life.
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” – John 14:6
The Gate is Jesus Christ (John 10:7). He is the Shepherd who leads His own to eternal salvation. The narrow road is the only way to heaven. There is no other path to God.
Jesus laid down His perfect life to give us life everlasting. When we place our faith in Him, death has no hold on us for we are united to Him. His resurrection becomes our resurrection. His life becomes our life. We are forever His.
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done’, and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done’. All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell.” – C.S. Lewis
God created us to live forever. The Creator of the universe has set eternity into the hearts of all those He created (Ecclesiastes 3:11). When our time comes to leave this earth, we will live eternally somewhere. Where that will be is our choice.
When we choose to trust Jesus… to believe that His way is the only way to be saved, our life will be spent forever with Him. Eternal life begins when we come to believe in Christ. We cross over from death to life everlasting at the moment of our salvation (John 5:24).
When we reject the love of God drawing us to Himself over the course of our lives… when we choose to follow our own will rather than His, He will give us what we desire — an eternity separated from Him. If we refuse to believe in the salvation that only Jesus can give… if our desire is to live apart from Christ in this life, we will live forever apart from Him.
“We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.” – A.W. Tozer
Jesus is the One who gives us spiritual life. Apart from Him, we are dead in our sins. Our sins alienate us from a holy God. We are reborn spiritually when we accept Christ as our Savior. Our sins are washed away in the goodness of His grace. We are new creations, spiritually alive for all eternity.
Anyone living alienated from God is spiritually dead and will remain so forever. Yet it only takes a personal encounter with Jesus Christ to bring life to the dead. The criminal on the cross next to Jesus placed his faith in the only One who could save him. He was promised life eternal that day from his Savior (Luke 23:43).
We need only believe to be saved… believe in the Name that is above all names, Jesus Christ. All who put their trust in Him are promised salvation and new life. It is not enough to just be a good person. For all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We all are in need of a Savior.
Is the God of all Creation lovingly drawing you to Himself? He longs for you to discover the one path that leads to Him… the one road to eternal salvation. His desire is for you to receive the freedom and victory that can only come through His Son, the Savior of the world. Will you choose the way of Jesus Christ?
Heavenly Father, I come into Your holy presence recognizing that I am lost in my sin. I am in need of a Savior. I accept the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for me. This day I choose to believe in Him and be completely forgiven. I allow Jesus to reign as Lord of my life forever. I follow His narrow road and enter the Gate to eternal life which is Jesus Himself. Thank You for drawing me to Your kingdom. Thank You that I am now and forever Your child. Amen.
