The narrowness of the Gospel

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13,14

Few things make Christians more uncomfortable than the charge of being too narrow. Most Christians find it hard to defend what are the exclusive claims of Christianity. Indeed, it is more likely that they will try to avoid talking about them altogether. No doubt, if the truth be known, when it is put to them directly many Christians find it embarrassing to insist that Jesus alone is the only way to God and into heaven.

Of course, there is a sense in which that is a good and healthy reaction. Christians should never want to be seen as narrow in the same way as the pharisees of Jesus’ day. God forbid that we should reduce the glorious gospel of liberty to a list of prohibitions, restraints, and regulations. But I do not believe that is much of a danger among many Christians today. In fact, it is more likely that we, in our fear of being thought of as narrow, should swing so far to the opposite extreme, that we essentially become quite ordinary and unremarkable, even indistinguishable from the world about us.

There has been a tendency in the last century, to those both in and out of the Church, to give more regard to the scientist or the psychologist than to the Word of God. They have become the authority on nearly every question. Indeed, the Church has gone to great lengths trying to accommodate them. She has been willing to not stress certain doctrines and to explain away other portions of Scripture that make Christians uncomfortable. As a result, the Church has wandered far from the example of Jesus. Indeed, when we look at Jesus you never find Him changing His gospel in order to suit His listeners.

There is, however, one thing that we can be certain of we will never see true revival, the one thing most Christians agree upon and are praying for today, while we seek to proclaim a gospel that is unoffensive and non-threatening. Moreover, only when we proclaim the gospel that Jesus preached, which excludes any hope of salvation apart from Him and His crucifixion for sin, that we can hope to see God bless us with true revival.

Men will always want their ears tickled, so whether we like it or not, it is our business as

those who know Christ to proclaim the narrow Gospel, which was “once for all committed to the saints,” (Jude 3). And that, of course, though simple, is always going to seem uncomfortable to those who proclaim it and offensive to many who hear it.

The real danger for Christians then is that out of fear of being too narrow, we become timid, fearful, and guarded men-pleasers. And as we proclaim a safe, comfortable gospel, we only fail our commission to “make disciples of all the nations,” (Mt.28:19), and thus, make ship-wreck of the gospel that is supposed to save the lost.

However, if as Christians we want to hear those words “Well done good and faithful servant,

enter into the joy ofyour Master,” (Matthew 25:21), we must still call sinners to repent and to enter in

by the narrow gate. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no comes to the Father accept through Me,” (John 14:6).

Pastor Rick McLeod ministers at Southside Community Church in Cocolalla.