How Narrow is Narrow? How Few is Few?
By Jack Jackson

What is a Christian to do when faced with scriptures that describe a narrow way that leads to life and that only few shall find? How is a Christians to reconcile the teachings of many, if not most of the churches, which teach you don't have to hold on or work at faith, or else you really don't understand grace? The Bible, God's Word, teaches over and over again to hold fast and stay in His goodness (1 John 3:7-8; 2 John 9; 3 John 11; Hebrew 2:1, 4:1, 3:12, 10:23; 1 Cor 6:9-11, 10:13, 15:2; 1 Tim 1:19, 4:1, 5:11-12, 6:11-12, 6:20-21; 2 Tim 2:1-13, 4:7; Titus 1:8; James 1:12-16; Romans 11:17-23, 12:2, 12:21; Jude 3-4) to avoid falling away; to strengthen and add to your own faith (2 Peter 1:3-10); strive (agonize) to enter in (Luke 13:24); and to not defile your garment (Rev 3:4).

Are holiness and obedience essential in regards to salvation? Are they the genuine out flowing of true faith, a saving faith? Yes, we never deserve grace, so no one can ever lay claim to deserve heaven no matter how much they try and keep the law and do good works. God's word says He offers grace "through faith". I hear many teach it is "grace upon grace", yet I have never been shown, nor have ever found that phrase anywhere in scripture, so have come to realize it is a "saying of men", not part of the Word of God. God's Word on the other hand states we are saved "by grace through faith", which is "grace upon faith", not "grace upon grace". If then you remove "faith" you have no more avenue for grace. In fact, God's Word confirms how important it is to God that you have faith in Him in Hebrews 11:1-6, where God ends those verses with "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Can you see how clearly God explains it is not "grace upon grace", but "grace upon faith"?

Depending on whether you believe God's Word, or popular teaching of men will immediately be seen in the emphasis you place in conforming to an obedient life in Christ and a desire for holiness (thirsting after righteousness); or place your emphasis on your claim to live as you want as you cling tightly to grace as if you plan to show it as your pass to enter heaven, like a ticket to a ball game. I heard a story about a man who was always welcomed home by his family rushing to hug him at the door. The man loved his family and so he decided to reward their love with a new TV set. The next day when he came home, no one met him at the door. He walked into the living room and found his loving family more devoted to his gift than him. He walked in front of the TV, turned it off, and said "I love you family and wanted to give you a good gift, but if my gift takes the place of your love for me, I will not stand for it, and will remove the gift which became more important to you than me."

Does your faith reflect that your love for Jesus is more important to you than the grace He offers? Are you being taught by men that seem to always be promising liberty (2 Peter 2, Jude), rather than calling God's people to love Jesus and esteem the sacrifice enough to depart from sin? Are we willfully living like we would so easily place Jesus again on the cross, to die again for the sins, so many seem unwilling to give up, even for the love of Christ? Many say they have tried and can't give up their willful sins (pornography, and watching fornication of others for example); however, the truth is that no one is making them push buttons which takes them to this material. No one forces them to turn on TV, or search the cable for something to excite the eyes. It takes a conscious deliberate decision while resisting the conviction of the Holy Spirit, for a person who claims to be Christian to commit this sexual immorality. It is done in the direct sight of God who they know sees all. They could place adult controls over their internet, get rid of unwanted cable channels (or TV al together). But, I fear too many love their sin, more than Jesus; and are unwilling to change, because they have so seared their conscience, believing in some strange way, through poor teaching, that God doesn't care anymore about the sins of a Christian. They have believed God has two sets of rules: one for His Children; and another all together set for the children of Satan. Since the Word of God says the one you follow is your Father, a Christian who claims to be a Christian, and follows their own selfish fleshly whims is self deceived (1 John 3:7-8) and is still, or has again become, a child of the devil (1 Tim. 5:11-15 are real examples Paul saw).

Many who read this might be offended right now. Many might even be seeking commentaries and teachers who will tickle their ears, and tell them why God's word really doesn't mean what it says, if you really understand it properly.

Please remember that we are told to consider both the goodness and severity of God (Romans 11:19-22). His severity is always for those who depart Him. You might say, I did not depart from Him, I still believe in Jesus as Savior. Yes, you might, but in thoughts and deed have you denied Him? Have you departed from Him, in seeking after your own pleasure and in fact made your self god, which is idolatry? If Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not really Lord at all!

Come to your self, like the prodigal son did (Luke 15:11-32) and realize that his father (who represents God the Father) saw his son, as lost and dead. He loved the son, but did not stop him from leaving because he respected his free will. Our Father likewise respects our right to leave His hand of protection, and quit hearing Him and following Him (see John 10:27-28), if we so desire, yet when we choose to we leave the protection of His hand, meant to protect us. Remember that once this young man "came to himself" and started back, willing to be a slave in his father's house (attitude of submission) his father, who never quit looking for him to return, came running to clean him up, and welcome him back as a son again. In fact, he said, my son was dead and lost, but now is found, and alive again! Don't miss this very import statement. In the Father's mind, those who go astray to willful sinful behavior, even though they be sons, are both lost and dead in His eyes. However, if those sons will repent and come back even if to be slaves in his household, He will restore them to full heirs and in His eyes are no longer lost and dead, but are found and made alive again!

Have you been deceived! Have you been taught and believe that you could ask the Father for your inheritance (His grace) and then depart from Him and seek after your own pleasures without Him considering you lost and dead? Have you squandered that inheritance (wasted your substance with riotous living)? Disobedience to God is riotous living, which sows to the flesh and reaps death (Gal 6:7-9), so don't faint in your striving through the narrow gate! Don't you know that while your Father awaits your return, and will welcome you home, He will not go and force you home? Don't you know that He loves you enough not to be a co-conspirator in your sinful living and allows you to distance yourself from Him? Can't you see that your sins separate you still from your Father, and results in you again becoming a child of the devil, and because of that He wants you to come to yourself (your senses) and repent? That means He wants you to awake from the self deception that allows you to think you are fine (see Laodicean Church in Rev 3 to know it can happen) and think you are alive, when you in fact have placed Jesus on the outside looking in, and He is prepared to spit you out, unless you repent? Remember, He who does not have the Son, has not the life (1 John 5:12). The life is in His Son, who is everlasting life. Jesus was outside the door at Laodicean, clearly indicating that they did not have the Son anymore.

Please realize that God is not a respecter of persons. His word is clear and concise and easy to understand, but not as easily accepted. Many read scripture with "prejudice" for what they want to see. We know false doctrines had even entered the church from the time the New Testament was being written. Sadly, we know as we approach the last days, which many agree we are in already, we will enter a time called the "Great Apostasy". If we are likely there now, the Bible warns that evil will be called good and good will be called evil. I have been accused of being a heretic because I try and live godly as God commands, and encourage others to do the same. Isn't this good being called evil? I have never negated the absolute necessity of grace; yet, have faced strong opposition when I mention obedience and holiness as necessary works that will be present in the life of one truly faithful in Christ Jesus. James says it clearly though when God inspired him to right that "faith without works is dead".

Isn't this the same manner in which the prodigals Father saw him lost and dead as a son? He may have claimed his inheritance, but was lost and dead.

The same God that doesn't change, that cannot lie, also commands any watchmen to do two things. Watchman are people who are to look for the enemy coming and warns the people. As Christians we are all called to watch out for the roaring lion that seeks to devour us and others. In Chapters 3, 18, and 33 of the Prophet Ezekiel, God commanded him to watch and warn two groups of people: the wicked to turn from their wickedness; and the righteous who had turned from their righteousness. Many teach today in Christianity that we should merely warn (or witness to) the lost person who has never become a Christian because they believe that a person can never turn away from Christ, and as some teach, that even if they turn to other gods (like self) and become Apostate, they can't undo the seal of the Holy Spirit. Hopefully, based on what has already been written above, it is time to read what God says, not read what someone tells you He said, or tell you what God really meant when you can plainly see what He said.

Since we know, no one can be righteous in God's eyes that has sinned, and all have sinned, no person will be in heaven whether before Christ on this earth, or after His death and resurrection, without having righteousness through Christ who was the only one sinless. Our sins must still soil our garment, even after we have received Christ, otherwise Jesus would not have been making sense when He discussed that there were a few names even in Sardis who had not defiled their garment. That He knew of names, indicates He was referring to real living people, like us, who He said were worthy, because they had not defiled their garment. Many are taught by men that even their future sins have already been covered and can't be seen by God. It seems obsurd to come to that conclusion when we can plainly read that Jesus can still them in that passage from Rev 3:4 and discusses the consequences of it, by telling those that overcome this "stain" problem that they will not be blotted out of the Book of Life. What do you suppose happens to the ones that have defiled their garments? Now look at Luke 13:3 and 1 John 1:9 in light of what Jesus says to fellow believers in Sardis, and see if repenting and confessing your sin, as you stumble doesn't take on a whole new urgency to ensure your garment remains white (undefiled). Thank God we have an advocate when we stumble, and as we confess our sin, is not only able to forgive, but cleanse us of all iniquity that we commit. But what should we expect if we don't hold fast our profession of faith (Hebrews 10:23-31), and commit willful sin, even despite the conviction of the Spirit of Grace to not do so? God Word clearly can be read that that one nullifies his sacrifice for sins, which he at one time was sanctified by, and can look forward to the judgment that Satan will face, who also turned his back in defiance of Jesus as Lord as he choose to his own ways, rather than those of God.

It is certainly reasonable, and just, that what was fair for Satan, is also fair for anyone else who has the knowledge of the truth, and still decides to forsake God to make themselves gods. Even though you might have believed or been taught otherwise, your own conscience never condemned God for Satan's choice. Sadly, many who never condemned God for Satan's choice, think Christians don't have to obey, and God has no penalty other than a lose of rewards for those who do disobey. In light of what we learned directly from God's Word through scripture after scripture, it becomes clear that a man can even be deceived into believing something that he hopes is true, in the face of clear warning of the contrary, exactly as Satan was counting on. You see if you think you really can't be drawn away by your own lusts and desires to the second death, and have the support of men's teaching which tickle those ears, and ignore scriptures trying to warn you like James 1:12-16, you won't hold fast and watch. In fact, if you believe much of the teaching, you will be taught holding on is sin, doesn't trust in grace, and is a work that you might be able to boast about, therefore, is something to be avoided, lest you have something to boast about. They might even try and convince you that those who read God's word directly like this truly do not understand grace and are trying to cheapen it. Maybe it is they that should examine themselves to see why it is so hard for them to accept holiness and true faith are a necessary part of "grace through faith".

Now the question is what you plan to do as a result of this? Will you seek a wide path and easy path which is certainly easier and doesn't requiring any striving to enter into? Will you find someone to teach you how to ignore what your conscience clearly knows just and right, and show you how to negate all these scriptures through various arguments like: that was written to Hebrews; that was the Old Testament; or take you away from examining these to their favorites that would try and convince you otherwise. Be extra careful of ½ verses like "I will never leave you, nor forsake you" which is Hebrews 13:5b. Also be on alert for Bible commentaries that will direct you to other verses and half verses which would seem to support their case. My study Bible under Hebrews 13:5 gave me the following references for that verse (Matt 6:25,34; Phil 4:11-12; 1 Tim 6:6, 8; Gen 28:15; Deut 31:6, 8; Josh 1:5; 1 Chr 28:20; and Ps. 37:25). And if I stopped there, I might have misunderstood that verse, and not considered the condition outlined in the first half of the verse, for those He makes the promise of not forsaking. The first half of that verse states the condition for the promise: "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content such things as ye have". How do I know this is a conditional promise? God's has a track record all through scripture which we can see, if we are willing to see it. When I was curious why all the scriptures listed in my study Bible were about God not forsaking His children, I knew something was wrong, because I knew there were plenty that also show that He will forsake those who forsake Him. In a word study in the concordance I found these scriptures that need to be evaluated by anyone who is willing to accept the true that God's blessing are conditioned on His sons remaining in faith and faithful to Him or risk being forsaken: Jer 2:19, 17:13, 23:33-40; 2 Chr 7:19-20, 15:2; 1 Chr 28:9; Deut 31:7; Josh 24:20; 2 Kg 21:14; Is 1:28; Ezra 8:22; Jonah 2:8-9; Dan 11:30; Ezk 3:20-21, 18 whole chapter, 33:10-20; and all of warnings in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, which should be read after reading Chapter 1 and see how the Apostle that Jesus loved, reacted to Jesus in His glorified form, and heed to accept and do what is stated in verse 1:3.

How also will you know read scriptures like Hebrews 5:9 which say that Jesus is only the author of eternal salvation for those who obey Him? Or that the saints that persevere are those who keep his commandments, "and" have the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14:12)? Or scriptures that tell us that only overcomers shall inherit the kingdom of God, but that the fearful, and the unbeliever, and abominable, and murders, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their place in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death (Rev 21:7-8)? Remember, from earlier in this paper that if you are your own god, and following self (like Satan did), you are an idolater, and will end up where all other idolaters will end up, without exception.

Don't you understand that true faith is not a work, but a normal outcome of a trusting belief, which is faith. We can try and convince ourselves that we confess Jesus as Lord, but lack of a desire to be obedience and a lack of desire to live holy for He is Holy, only shows the true condition of the heart. Whether you have ever given yourself to Jesus, or you find you have backslidden (Proverbs 14:14) and done what those who had left their righteousness had done in Ezk. 3, 18, and 33 when they went away to follow other than the Lord, you must repent and give your whole self to the Lord or look forward to the Lake of Fire forever with Satan and everyone else who is not willing to keep on hearing and keep on following Jesus. Satan has cleverly turned evil into good, and good into evil.

I would love it if what I presented here in scripture was not so. It would certainly make our walk with the Lord a wide and easy path, and allow us to have as much fun as the world along the way. But such that would go that route are salt that has lost its savor, and is good for nothing, but to be thrown away. They are useless branches that abide not and bear no real fruit and are hewn down and thrown into the fire (John 15:6-7). Can a person think themselves OK and not be? Just ask the Laodicean church of Revelation 3:14-22, and let he who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.

When witnessing to a group of Muslims recently, we saw how hard they fought the idea that Jesus actually died on the cross and rose again, because it would force them to have to both accept Jesus was the Messiah, and cause them to have to admit they had been deceived and were wrong and in fact need to repent for leading many others astray. Pride is like a cancer that unchecked kills you, and sadly, can help you kill others.

Sadly, many churches and Pastor's who have for years been teaching that you can't fall away, are now in so deep, and have told this to so many, they can't bear it now that they could have been deceived. Why? It is because it would cause tremendous grief at how many they might have lead astray. I believe this is why Jer. 23 starts out Woe to you Pastor who have scattered your sheep. There sheep had no fear of fall away, and drifted away, many probably already wail away in hell, wondering how their Pastor's could have taught them the lie they did. Maybe it is not intentional, but as Ezekiel is told "the blood of the unwarned that die is on the hands of the watchman who was supposed to warn them". God help us break through this terrible deception of Satan, that has deceived so many, even teachers. Jesus does mention that the end days will also be filled with "many" false teachers.