Most of us are only too familiar with freeways. We like them. They take us were we want to go and in a hurry. We appreciate the limited access and lack of stoplights. We do not have to slow down for schools or stop for trains. In the matchless Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus referred to the freeways of His day as a "broad way" (Matthew 7:13-14), sometimes translated road or highway. Some modern speech translations use "highway to hell."
In His closing remarks Jesus admonishes us to "13 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" (Matthew 7:13-14). Each of us makes a choice in life as to which road we will travel. Those that obey the Gospel and live the Christian life will enter the gates of Heaven at the end of our journey. Those that make no choice will find themselves with the multitudes on the broad way that leads to the final destruction, come the Judgment Day. Someone has said, "Following the course of least resistance makes both rivers and men crooked."
To enter the Kingdom of God, we must enter by the narrow gate. Oddly enough, this way is a toll road. It costs you to enter and you must continue to pay the rest of your journey. We begin our journey by being born again (John 3:1-12). Jesus proclaimed, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (verse 5). The cost of discipleship is not cheap, but the reward is invaluable. Jesus stated "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 10:34-39).
When we find ourselves cruising down life's highway towards Hell, we must leave at the nearest exit, repent of service in Satan's cause, and become a Christian by obedience to the Gospel. To receive the crown of life we must then remain faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10).The "narrow way" or road is not always the easy way. There are often bumps along the way. Sometimes the way is difficult and perhaps seems impassable. However, with God's help and guidance we can reach the desired destination at the end of Life's journey. The hymn, "Safe in the Arms of Jesus," has real meaning to those who have fought the good fight and are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37) through our faith in Him who died for us!
Dale I. Royal, Elk City OK