Jesus himself was indisputably clear that there was one, and only one way, to forgiveness of sin and life forever with the Father. Does that sound narrow? It most definitely is — but so is a runway, and landing exclusively on it is the only way to get the airplane you are on safely to its destination. When it is the only way, thank God for narrowness and intolerance!
The Journey: Luke 13:24
Someone asked Jesus, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”
Christianity is often accused these days of being a narrow and intolerant religion. Guilty as charged! You can come up with no other verdict. After all, just look at the overwhelming verbal evidence offered by its founder, Jesus Christ. Here are just a few of his outrageous claims from the Gospel of John:
For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:40, NLT)
Only insofar as you eat and drink flesh and blood, the flesh and blood of the Son of Man, do you have life within you. The one who brings a hearty appetite to this eating and drinking has eternal life and will be fit and ready for the Final Day. (John 6:53-54, The Message)
I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. (John 10:7-9, NLT)
I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. And everyone who lives because of faith in me will never really die. (John 11:25-26, CEV)
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:16, NLT)
We could fill page after page with Jesus’ claims about himself and the exclusive authority he possessed to grant eternal life to only those who solely follow him. For anyone who takes the time to actually read Jesus’ own words, the truth is abundantly evident: Jesus is unequivocally exclusive, narrow and intolerant about the way to eternal life.
Of course, he loves and died for the whole world: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).
And, of course, he didn’t stand on a street corner condemning those who refused to believe in him: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17)
And, for sure, Jesus steadfast resists closing the door on anyone’s eternal salvation: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise [of returning in judgment], as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Yet the indisputable truth about Jesus is that he was very clear that there was one, and only one way, to forgiveness of sin and life forever with the Father.
Does that sound narrow? It most definitely is — but so is a runway, and landing exclusively on it is the only way to get the airplane you are on safely to its destination. When it is the only way, thank God for narrowness and intolerance!
Have you ever taken the time to pray the most important prayer—really, the one prayer that empowers all other prayers—to acknowledge that Jesus is both Lord and Savior, to confess your sins and ask him to forgive you, to invite him into your life as your one and only Master and Commander, then to commit to walk the straight and narrow path that he has set before you? If not, I hope you will do that right now!
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