Choosing Between Straight and Narrow, Wide and Winding

Years ago, I returned to my boyhood hometown to attend a high school reunion. Deciding to take a trip down memory lane, I drove past the house where I grew up and visited the “grammar school” I had attended. Going into the school surprised me in several ways. 

For one thing, the demographics had changed. Many of the kids there had last names like Gonzales, Lopez, Torres and Martinez. The closest to my name was probably Tamayo. But what surprised me most was the size of the school. It was much smaller than I remembered.

 

I can still recall my first day of school, walking down what seemed like a long, cavernous hallway to my kindergarten classroom. When I revisited the school, however, the hallway wasn’t long at all. It was so narrow I could touch both walls with my arms extended. It was barely wide enough for two people to pass.

 

Over the years since my grade-school days I’ve learned lots of things in life are narrow. Have you ever seen one of those videos on social media of a car or bus perilously traveling a single-lane road around a mountain in some Third World country? Turning around is unthinkable. The driver of the vehicle must be praying no one’s approaching from the opposite direction.

 

We’ve all encountered a narrow bridge where only one vehicle can cross at a time. If you arrive and several cars are coming from the other direction, you have no choice but to wait until they’ve gone by. Sometimes the same is true for tunnels carved through mountains. They’re either one-way, or you have to wait your turn when another vehicle is coming through going the other way. 

 

Traveling in Europe, I saw many narrow stairways in old parts of towns. In the walled city of Sopran, Hungary the entrance is a narrow tunnel that centuries ago was intentionally designed to repel the advance of enemy soldiers. Even Rock City on Lookout Mountain has its “Fat Man’s Squeeze” through which only slender people can pass – one at a time. Narrow can be so annoying.

 

We frequently hear complaints that Christianity is “too narrow,” that its teachings are too restrictive, too exclusionary. Jesus Christ offered no apologies for the ‘narrowness’ of following Him. Speaking to a large crowd during what is commonly known as His “sermon on the mount,” Jesus admonished, “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 is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

 

On another occasion, while Jesus was teaching in some towns and villages someone asked, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He responded, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able…” (Luke 13:23-24).

 

Some might argue, ‘But isn’t this narrow-minded? Aren’t there many ways to God? As long as you’re sincere?’ Jesus’ answer to this is simple, yet sobering. Speaking to His disciples just before the Passover Feast, He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Yes, this sounds narrow, even dogmatic. But Jesus was declaring, “There’s no other way.”

 

While other religions and belief systems urge their adherents to seek God’s acceptance through good works or by keeping various rituals, Christianity is unique in asserting there’s no way we can merit His approval or assurance of eternal life. Ephesians 2:8-9 states categorically, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 

The “faith” it talks about is Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross, shedding His blood to make the once and for all payment for our sins: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).

 

If that seems too narrow for some, it’s because we don’t – and can’t – fully comprehend the holiness and righteousness of God. It’s not a matter of good outweighing bad, or of “cleaning ourselves up” to become acceptable. In the Lord’s eyes, “good enough” can never be good enough: “…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6). Hence Jesus being the one and only way to God.

 

It’s not just the New Testament that teaches just one path to God. In the Old Testament the prophet wrote, “And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it – only those who walk in the Way – and fools will not stray onto it” (Isaiah 35:8). Similarly Psalm 1:6 warns, “For the Lord guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” 

 

Narrow might not be our preferred course for travel, but it’s the only way of avoiding the temptation to defy or ignore the precepts and principles God has provided through His Word. King Solomon, who suffered firsthand the consequences of choosing the wide road, offered a “Beware – Danger Ahead” caution among his many proverbs. In fact, Solomon felt it was so important he repeated it: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25). 

 

The question we each must ask ourselves today – and every day – is, “Which way am I going to take? The narrow one – or the wider one that seems so enticing?” In the annals of rock music, there’s a “Highway to Hell” but a “Stairway to Heaven.” Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.

Like It or Not, There’s Only One Way to Get In

Back in 2005, the Real ID Act was enacted to require that driver’s licenses and identification cards issued by states and U.S. territories comply with federal standards. It was to enhance security after the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Here we are, two decades later, and it seems the plan will finally be implemented and enforced. Apparently, “soon” in governmental terms has broad interpretation.

Although it appears the actual enforcement may still be delayed, the Real ID eventually will be necessary for boarding domestic airline flights and gaining access to certain federal facilities. Once it goes into full force, if you don’t have a Real ID, your plans to fly somewhere literally won’t get off the ground. 

 

We have the same principle in use when traveling to many foreign countries. Without a passport you can’t get in – and often, without a passport you can’t get out. Kind of like Monopoly, unless you have a passport, you can’t pass ‘Go.’

 

What would you think about someone who strongly objected, telling a boarding agent at an airport or a passport officer, “How intolerant! How narrow-minded! Why must I produce a Real ID (or a passport)?” You might not say it aloud but would probably think to yourself, ‘Hey, buddy, rules are rules. It’s not like this was something that just happened yesterday. These regulations have been in effect for a long time.’

 

I’ve had the privilege of traveling to about a dozen countries; each time I had to present my passport to enter them – and to exit. Not once did I feel a need to dispute the requirements. And I obtained my Real ID well in advance; sooner or later I’ll need it, so why not beat the rush at the DMV?

 

Interestingly, people have a very different reaction to the biblical guidelines for going to Heaven. “There are many ways to God,” some say. Others opine, “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you are sincere.” But getting back to the Real ID or passport analogies, the ticket agent or passport officer would disagree. There’s only one way to get onto a commercial jet, and it’s to produce the proper ID. And no matter how sincere you might be, without a passport, you can’t move from one country to another.

 

In terms of our ultimate destination, once our tenure on Earth has ended, we need to look at what God’s Word has to say about it. And the Scriptures have much to say.

 

One time, maybe while glancing at a flock of sheep grazing in a nearby field, Jesus Christ told His followers, along with a crowd of curious onlookers and religious leaders, “I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture…. I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me…there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:9-16).

 

Speaking to Martha, one of Jesus’ devoted followers whose brother Lazarus had just died, He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).

 

Perhaps the most direct statement was when He was alone with His 12 disciples. In response to Thomas’s question, “how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:5-6).

 

This claim is affirmed repeatedly in the New Testament. Addressing the Sanhedrin, the assembly of the highest-ranking Jewish leaders, the apostle Paul declared, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men [Jesus of Nazareth] by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

 

Writing to his young protégé Timothy, the apostle Paul asserted, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men…” (1 Timothy 2:3-6).

 

We could consider numerous other passages, but 1 John 5:11-13 sums it up: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

 

With the proper ticket and Real ID, we know we can board an airplane for our chosen destination. And with a passport, we enter a foreign land whether for business or leisure – and then leave when we wish to do so. Doesn’t it make sense to ensure that when we’ve taken our last breath on Earth, we’ll have the proper ‘credentials’ to enter Heaven?

Faith: What’s It All About Anyway?

We hear a lot about faith these days, especially statements like “You gotta have faith.” Sounds good, especially in times of uncertainty. And we have many of those times, don’t we? But faith in what?

 

Answers to that question run the gamut. There are those who rely on “the universe,” the idea that unseen forces are at work to make things happen as they should. A corollary to this is faith in fate, that everything is predestined – some prefer the terms serendipity, kismet, or even karma. 

 

We could take our pick of myriad religions, various forms of rituals, practices and faith traditions. Then there are some who simply have faith in faith, a nebulous notion that somehow things manage to work themselves out spontaneously.

 

Some folks don’t think about faith much at all, even though each day of our lives amounts to an ongoing act of faith. We make plans for the coming day, trusting we’ll awaken after the sun rises. We board airplanes trusting in the skill and experience of the crew as well as the soundness of the aircraft. We go to work and carry out our responsibilities, confident we’ll be compensated for our time and effort. We step into our cars and drive down the road, believing other drivers will stay in their own lanes and yield the right of way.

 

Each of the above, whether we admit it or not, is a step of faith. Because sometimes folks go to bed and fail to wake up the next morning. We’ve all shuddered at tragic news of commercial jets crashing. There have been instances of businesses and companies closing their doors unannounced, leaving employees without jobs and paychecks. And traffic accidents occur every day when drivers disregard traffic lights or stop signs. (That happened to me weeks ago, resulting in terminal damage to my 14-year-old sedan.)

 

So, what is faith, anyway? Regardless of which belief system you follow, it can be boiled down to a simple equation:

      Faith = Belief + Trust (or Commitment)

 

We believe certain things to be true and then we act upon those beliefs, whether it’s believing a chair will hold us up and then sitting on it; believing an intended spouse truly loves us and then proceeding to get married, or whatever. Those who believe in astrology, tarot cards, or tea leaves consult those sources and then align their plans for the day accordingly.

 

However, belief and faith aren’t synonymous. Belief is merely mental assent unless we put it into action. It’s like believing a jet can take us from our city to another but refusing to get on board – because we’re too scared to do so. Someone might believe they could win the lottery, but without buying a ticket that belief isn’t worth a small handful of sand.

 

If you’ve been reading my posts for any length of time, you know my conviction is that there’s only one legitimate object of faith – Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Bible. This isn’t just a mental conclusion because there have been countless times I’ve believed what the Scriptures said and what Jesus promised, acted upon that in faith – belief plus trust – and had my faith confirmed.

 

Sometimes people bristle when they hear Jesus Christ’s pronouncement that “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). ‘How narrow-minded!’ some claim, or ‘I believe in a God who’s inclusive, who accepts people as they are, no matter what they believe. All that matters is that you’re sincere.’

 

With all due respect, many people have been very sincere when they tragically drove the wrong way on an interstate or continued on a road unaware that a bridge had washed out. We could cite many similar types of examples. Sincerely believing something doesn’t guarantee that it’s true.

 

I would contend that Jesus’ claim to being the one and only way isn’t narrow or exclusive at all. Because as John 1:12 tells us, “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” It says all who have believed (acted in faith). Similarly, Jesus declared, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). He said whoever – everyone who would believe and trust in Him.

 

The fact that Jesus claimed to be the only way to God isn’t bad news. It’s actually great news.  Because the holy, righteous Lord didn’t have to provide even one way. His love is demonstrated in that He indeed provided a way – the one way that satisfied not only His love, but also His divine judgment and justice. As we read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made Him [Jesus Christ] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

 

Getting back to our original question, what do you have faith in? If we truly believe and trust what the Scriptures proclaim, trusting in anything other than Jesus is tantamount to sitting down on a two-legged chair, or trying to take a long trip on a motorcycle that’s missing one wheel. It won’t work.

The apostle Paul understood this. He might have been almost giddy when he wrote, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). That’s the Gospel – the Good News! His faith was in Christ alone – and it’s wise that we do the same. 

Truly, Truly I Say to You: The Bible Is True

If you’re a parent, you probably know the drill. You ask your child to do something, but he or she pays no heed. They seem to have become hard of hearing. Or your child is engaged in unacceptable behavior, and you want their attention immediately. What do you typically do? 

You might figuratively pull out their birth certificate and with a loud voice, recite their complete given name: “Joseph Thomas Smith!” or “Heather Elizabeth Williams!” During non-stressful moments they answer to “Joe” or “Beth,” but when they hear their full name, ears perk up because they know you’re saying, “Hey, listen up. Right now!”

 

In especially teachable moments, Jesus Christ utilized a similar strategy. Except His go-to phrase was, “Truly, truly I say to you….” If you’re most accustomed to the original King James Version wording, it reads, “Verily, verily….” Some modern translations put it this way: “I tell you the truth….” Whichever way you prefer, Jesus was emphasizing the veracity of what He was about to say.

 

Not to suggest that He wasn’t speaking truthfully at other times, because the One who declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6) always spoke the truth. But there were times when Jesus wanted to be certain His hearers were paying close attention, that they knew what He was preparing to say was crucial.

 

This particularly occurs in the gospel of John. One example concerns when Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to Jesus at night to ask some very pressing questions. Pastor J.D. Greear refers to this visitation as “Nic at Nite.” Jesus had the religious leader’s full attention right away when He said, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3).

 

We can imagine Nicodemus’s jaw dropping before he responded, “How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” To which Jesus replied, again with emphasis, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:4-5).

 

Several other times during the evening conversation, Jesus began His statements with “Truly, truly” to assure the inquiring Pharisee that He was speaking in utmost seriousness, making assertions that were certain to shake him to his ecclesiastical core.

 

However, it wasn’t with Nicodemus only that the Lord found it necessary to be so emphatic. Earlier, the first time He encountered Nathanael, who would become one of His followers, the skeptic-turned-believer had said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” To which Jesus replied, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that. Truly, truly (I tell you the truth), you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (John 1:49-51). As if to say to Nathanael, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”

 

In the gospel’s fifth chapter, Jesus again was interacting with religious leaders who challenged His credentials to say what He was saying and to perform the miracles He was doing. Jesus’ response was, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; He can do only what He sees His father doing…whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned” (John 5:19,24). 

 

Jesus Christ used this phrase repeatedly, His way of putting a stamp of authenticity on His declarations, many of which astounded His hearers. To those who, like Pontius Pilate, would ask, “What is truth?” (John 18:38), Jesus stalwartly stood, stared straight at them and declared, “I am Truth.”

 

These days, everyone seems eager to espouse “my truth,” but few are actively and openly seeking The Truth. The greatest source for this, I’m convinced, is the Bible. As it asserts in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 

 

And to those who would argue the Scriptures are at best archaic and irrelevant for today, we have this rebuttal from Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and matter; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

I think Jesus would plainly state to us today, “Truly, truly, I say to you – the Bible is true!”

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

How do you feel when your favorite entertainer wins an award, like an Emmy or Grammy? Or when your favorite team or a star athlete you admire wins an honor – like a National Championship or Heisman Trophy?

Even if we’ve never met that person or players, and probably never will, we thrill to watch them being honored and swell with a vicarious sense of pride in their accomplishments. We even speak of our teams’ successes in terms of “we.”

This time of year, Nativity
scenes are everywhere.

I feel kind of like that at Christmas, only much more so. Amidst – and perhaps, despite – all the holiday glitz, the sappy and Santa movies, focus on gifts and gift giving and other holiday revelry, Jesus Christ sometimes gets the credit for this time of year that He so absolutely deserves.

Recently I watched one of those annual celebrity Christmas specials, the kind where people you’ve heard of – and some you haven’t – show up and belt out happy holidays tunes. At least sort of; not all singers are created equal. For most of the show, “Frosty the Snowman” was as spiritual as the Christmas selections got. But then a country music artist, wouldn’t you know it, got up and sang “The First Noel.” Acapella, no less. Hooray, Jesus! Warmed the cockles of my still busily beating heart.

And even better than sharing the joys of favored celebrities and athletes we only know from afar, people we truly don’t know at all – just know about – we can truly KNOW the Jesus of Christmas.

Not long before the events leading up to His mock trial and crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and he life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:6-7).

Later in the Scriptures, we read the apostle John's assurance for followers of Christ, “I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the father…. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you…” (1 John 2:13-14).

This is where we get the phrase, “personal relationship with Jesus.” The term can’t be found in the Scriptures, but it’s affirmed that we can know Jesus just as well – perhaps even better – than we know a spouse, child or family member, or best friend. When the birth of the Christ Child is celebrated, whether in a sanctuary, a TV special, on a billboard or a Christmas card, we can rightfully rejoice inwardly. Because that’s our Savior, our Lord, our King!

It's been said so often that it’s become a cliché, but indeed, Jesus truly is “the reason for the season.” And as His followers, it’s our awesome privilege to be a part of it as members of God’s divine and eternal family. As my friend Gib used to say before God called him home last year before Christmas, “That’s my Jesus!”

Best of all, as we’re told, the knowing is going to get even better: "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).