NewStats: 3,263,422 , 8,180,067 topics. Date: Thursday, 05 June 2025 at 08:31 PM 16475

QUESTION - . In Matthew 7:13-14 it says that wide is the gate that leads to destruction, but it says that narrow is the way and some translations say hard is the path that leads to eternal life. Why is it hard if believing on the Lord’s death as payment for our sins is the only thing we have to do? What makes the narrow path hard?

ANSWER -. I think it’s a combination of two things. First there’s a lot of false teaching promoting the idea that it takes some combination of grace and works to accomplish our salvation. There are two variations on this theme. Some say we’re initially saved by grace but have to keep ourselves saved by our works, while others say God’s grace only comes into play after we’ve done everything possible to save ourselves. But the outcome is the same. Our works have to be part of the equation. Since God’s grace is constant, our salvation ultimately depends on what we do, not on what Jesus has done.

People who don’t study the Bible for themselves but accept this teaching at face value can be deceived into believing the concept of grace plus work because it’s appealing to our human nature. In fact, one definition of religion is that it’s sinful man’s attempt to justify himself before a Holy God. It allows us to feel good about ourselves, like we’re helping God save us. We’ve been taught that nobody should get something for nothing, so believing that we’re earning what we’re receiving is important to our self esteem.

The problem is that because of our fallen nature this can only bring us to one of two conclusions. We’ll either develop an unhealthy sense of spiritual pride, or we’ll become a slave to fear. (Spiritual pride is the feeling that our behavior is pleasing to God and is earning us a favored position in His sight. Being enslaved to fear means we’re afraid that what we’re doing is not good enough and we’ll be rejected by Him.) Either one of these outcomes can put us on the wide road, because the underlying belief in any grace plus work theology is that by itself the Lord’s death was not sufficient to save us or keep us.

Second, the grace alone position requires us to it that we have nothing to offer God, and had He not done everything, we would be lost forever. This is a blow to our human nature because it requires us to it that when it comes to our salvation we’re hopeless, helpless, worthless, and useless to God. Some people’s pride will not permit them to accept this opinion of themselves and that’s what leads them to embrace the grace plus works position.

Of the two, our human nature is by far the most critical factor. The only way the grace plus works teaching can thrive is due to the appeal it has to those who won’t accept the reality that we have nothing God needs, in spite of the Bible’s clear teaching on the subject.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by His grace , we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7 )

https://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/what-makes-the-narrow-path-hard/

Noted

jiggaz:
Jack Kelley is a gifted American man of God, whom God is using mightily in the area of Bible Study. He answers tough questions about the Christian life from all over the world.


QUESTION- . In Matthew 7:13-14 it says that wide is the gate that leads to destruction, but it says that narrow is the way and some translations say hard is the path that leads to eternal life. Why is it hard if believing on the Lord’s death as payment for our sins is the only thing we have to do? What makes the narrow path hard?

ANSWER-. I think it’s a combination of two things. First there’s a lot of false teaching promoti.......

You have not andwered the question you asked o.
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This is wrong. So so many people have recounted their NDE about how they went to hell and back and they always emphasize on Holiness and righteousness. Its not by our power tho, but by the Grace of God through dwelling, feeding and acting on the word of God.

Jesus said that neither murderers, nor thieves, nor fornicators, nor adulterers, nor prostitutes, nor LovePeddler mongers will inherit his kingdom.

I see grace

jiggaz:
I see grace

And what happened to the remaining five virgins? Grace no see dem fa!

Paulscholari:
And what happened to the remaining five virgins? Grace no see dem fa!

Read this >>>>> https://nairaland.unblockandhide.com/3663611/parable-ten-virgins-jack-kelley It answers your question.

Lord Jesus

Lord JESUS...

God bless you op nice work

solite3:
God bless you op nice work

Thank you bro... The Gospel of Christ is the food for the soul and the spirit.

Lord Jesus. The altogether lovely one.

Lord Jesus.....

I see grace

Grace and Truth came from our Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus the Messiah

Lord Jesus

Lord....

Yes Lord

Yes

The only path way to HEAVEN is holiness and righteousness. You cannot be holy unless you are transformed in Christ through grace and faith in the atoning blood of Christ on the cross of Calvary. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Who shall ascend unto the hills of the Almighty, he that has a clean hands and a pure heart. Live peaceably with all men and holiness without which no eyes shall see the Lord.
Be ye holy for I am holy says the Lord. i beseech therefore brethren that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.

There is no other path way to heaven. Every other thing you do as a christian must revolve around holiness and righteousness. He who does the right is righteous.

The grace is sufficient to carry and see us through.

The presence of Evil, man's love for Evil, the doing of Evil. All of which was unlocked when man ate the fruit.

So now heaven and earth is impure and praise be to God that He chose the good way to solve this problem,which is rather than destroy the whole plantation because it is covered with weeds (evil), which is what Satan would like, He rather chose to suffer the pain of going through the weeds to get at those trees which bear fruits. Matthew 13:24 and Isaiah 5:1-7 Note verses 3,4.5

It is a filtration system to separate the good from the bad (the sheep from the goat). And we all know what is going to happen to the bad.

Yes Lord

Lord Jesus

Thank you Lord Jesus

Great great

Great

Evening

Thank you Lord Jesus...