Matthew 7:13-14 KJV
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.
I was thinking today of how strait this gate must be....
Of the world's total population, less than two percent claim any kind of relationship to Christianity.
Of those who claim some sort of relationship, many of them only claim Christianity as opposed to Islam. It is not that they are Christians in either faith or practice, but if the choices are Christian or Muslim, they prefer Christian.
Of those who are practicing some sort of Christianity many of them are involved in a works-based religious system which has little to do with trusting Christ and most of all is interested in building the system.
Of those who have made a profession of saving faith in Jesus Christ, many are very casual about their faith in Christ and have no real testimony of walking with Christ.
The strait gate has much less to do with Christian versus non-Christian and much more to do with how you express and practice the Christianity you profess to possess. Truly this gate is strait and very few ever find it.
January 30, 2009
I had the opportunity to meditate upon this thought further and I came to realize that the most deceptive of Satan's devices to keep people from Christ is religion. He has a style to fit any personality and disposition.
He has a non-Christian style
He has a non-Christian peace style
He has a non-Christian militant style
He has a Christian style
He has a Christian liberal style
He has a Christian conservative style
He has a Christian legalistic style
He has a Christian casual style
He has a Christian evangelistic style
He has a Christian social style
He has a fundamentalist style
He even has an independent Baptist style
The common thread in each of these styles, however, is that they distract a person from Jesus Christ.
It might be people focus of the accomplishments
It might be people focus on the good works
It might be people focus on the evils of the world
It might be people focus on a charismatic pastor
It might be people focus on a network of churches that appears to do worldwide good
It might be people focus on spiritual zeal
But they never focus on Jesus Christ. Or if they do, it is a shallow and insignificant focus and then back to their style's real focus.
God help us to come to Christ!
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.
I was thinking today of how strait this gate must be....
Of the world's total population, less than two percent claim any kind of relationship to Christianity.
Of those who claim some sort of relationship, many of them only claim Christianity as opposed to Islam. It is not that they are Christians in either faith or practice, but if the choices are Christian or Muslim, they prefer Christian.
Of those who are practicing some sort of Christianity many of them are involved in a works-based religious system which has little to do with trusting Christ and most of all is interested in building the system.
Of those who have made a profession of saving faith in Jesus Christ, many are very casual about their faith in Christ and have no real testimony of walking with Christ.
The strait gate has much less to do with Christian versus non-Christian and much more to do with how you express and practice the Christianity you profess to possess. Truly this gate is strait and very few ever find it.
January 30, 2009
I had the opportunity to meditate upon this thought further and I came to realize that the most deceptive of Satan's devices to keep people from Christ is religion. He has a style to fit any personality and disposition.
He has a non-Christian style
He has a non-Christian peace style
He has a non-Christian militant style
He has a Christian style
He has a Christian liberal style
He has a Christian conservative style
He has a Christian legalistic style
He has a Christian casual style
He has a Christian evangelistic style
He has a Christian social style
He has a fundamentalist style
He even has an independent Baptist style
The common thread in each of these styles, however, is that they distract a person from Jesus Christ.
It might be people focus of the accomplishments
It might be people focus on the good works
It might be people focus on the evils of the world
It might be people focus on a charismatic pastor
It might be people focus on a network of churches that appears to do worldwide good
It might be people focus on spiritual zeal
But they never focus on Jesus Christ. Or if they do, it is a shallow and insignificant focus and then back to their style's real focus.
God help us to come to Christ!
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