The Narrow Track 

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14).

     In drawing, the word “perspective” refers to the ability to convey, on a two-dimensional surface, a correct impression of height, width, depth and position between two objects when viewed from a particular point.  It also means: A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something - a point of view.

     Everyone these days seems to have their own point of view on everything and society is saying that these individual differing views are somehow all correct.  There are groups promoting pro-abortion while there are those promoting pro-life.  There are pro-LGBT while there are those who oppose that lifestyle.  There are groups promoting pro-open borders as others support the pro-border security agenda.  In one major city, a former Mayor once promoted strict police standards while a new Mayor has vastly different ideas regarding police enforcement.  Many school districts are allowing sex education of the most graphic content to be taught to very young children without any parental consent or knowledge - all the while religious groups are opposing these policies.  Gender is no longer based upon the obvious genetic physical characteristics of an individual but solely upon how that person feels.  Who is right?  Is there an actual black and white, right or wrong regarding anything?  Is it all just anyone’s own point of view?

     From the encyclopedia’s description of the word perspective, stated above, one might believe that it is subjective.  Yet, when the definition is studied a little closer, one can definitely see the absoluteness in the meaning.  The two objects are what is in question and when viewed from any particular point, a person can correctly discern the height, width, depth and position between the two. 

     Picture yourself standing on railroad tracks.  When looking in both directions you can see two points far in the distance at either ends of the railway.  You can discern that there is a great distance between the two and that these two points are very diametrically opposed to one another as the two can never meet.  Now picture unsaved people who are travelling at a fixed rate of speed in one of the directions.  Travelling in the other direction are those that are saved.  Either way, the speed of life is constant and never slows down until we reach the end – a death that results in meeting Jesus or a death that ends in the pits of Hell.  These are the only two directional options and outcomes in life – a reward for faith in God or judgment for sin and unrepentance.

     Unfortunately, many view this picture of life and then decide that God’s judgment of sinners to be harsh and unjust.  Yet, God, being completely pure and free from sin cannot tolerate sin in His midst.  Sinners cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.  Heaven and Hell are diametrically opposed to one another.  What sets a person on a course in the direction toward Hell was their transgression of God’s Law.  In fact, every person has been, at one time or another, guilty of sin, and all, at one point or another, have been found blazing down those tracks in the direction of Hell and judgment. 

     So, what changed in the lives of many that were able to change their direction, having completed a one-eighty about face, towards Heaven?  Faith in Jesus and Repentance – a turning away from what God calls sin and placing their lives by faith into His hands as Savior of their lives.  God, in the book of Romans, explains the entire scenario of mankind’s sin/faith/repentance – of how to reverse your eternal heading:

...for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.  As the Scriptures say,

No one is righteous - not even one.
No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.
All have turned away; all have become useless.
No one does good, not a single one.

Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.
Snake venom drips from their lips.
Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.
They rush to commit murder.
Destruction and misery always follow them.
They don’t know where to find peace.
They have no fear of God at all.

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.  For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

But God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.  We are made right with god by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.  And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.  For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.  So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is.  There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.  Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law (Romans 3:9-31).

     A person’s eternal destination becomes permanently fixed in the direction of Heaven when one admits that they are a sinner and believes, by faith, that Jesus died on the cross for their sins.  The Law of God no longer holds that person in condemnation but as a child of God the Law becomes a light that helps him realize that he was never able to keep those Laws in the first place.  He was never able to be righteous (right) enough to turn himself around on those tracks toward God.  Jesus, being innocent and free from sin, was able to completely take upon Himself all of mankind’s condemnation when he was sacrificed on that cross 2000 years ago.  All anyone needs to do in order to be saved is to repent and believe in His finished work on that cross, calling upon Him as Lord and Savior of their lives.  For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).

     Once a person has been saved and is soundly, and permanently, moving in the direction of God and Heaven, what then causes so much distress in the lives of many born-again Christians?  Unfortunately, some find themselves giving into temptations that seem to be impossible to reject.  As a result, their guilt-ridden lives become turned upside down from trying to live both a worldly life and a Godly life at the same time.  It just doesn’t work and instead of peace we find ourselves feeling as if we are being bludgeoned into a bloody mess having been blown off the center of the tracks and onto the rocky banks.  “Why won’t God take this temptation away from me?  Why, why, why?  It’s all His fault for making me like this.” 

     The problem is, we are not battling against flesh and blood in this life but against dark spiritual forces whose only desire is to throw us off track.  The devil may not be able to now own our souls as before our conversions but he can definitely make our lives miserable if we give into his temptations.  As we are travelling down that narrow track toward Heaven, temptations will still be hitting us from all directions, excepting from directly in front of us, and these temptations will attempt to turn our hearts and minds around.  When Bubbles or Beau passes seductively across our view, do we turn and follow that view or do we immediately avert our eyes back straight ahead?  Do we also consciously turn our thoughts away from that temptation, back toward the straight and narrow path ahead? 

     Too often, people claim that they have no choice but to sin, that somehow God made them that way.  It is true that we will all sin, even after being saved, but it is definitely not God’s fault when it happens.  And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.  Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.  These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death (James 1:13-15).  Also, when a person victoriously overcomes those temptations by keeping themselves fixed upon the narrow road ahead, the Bible says that - God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12).

     We, as Christians, sin by giving in to our own desires.  We can become so entrenched in sin that we actually turn ourselves around and fall from the side of the tracks.  We are still travelling in the direction of Heaven but our fellowship with God has suffered.  By our own desires and subsequent actions, we deliberately step off of the smooth and narrow tracks and place ourselves onto the rocky bank beside of the tracks.  At first it may seem exciting but over time it becomes painfully obvious that it is a much more difficult path to follow.  Imagine running backwards on those rocks without being able to stop.  All that happens is that we stumble and fall, being dragged through the rocks while becoming bloody, broken messes.  

     I have actually heard a person in that condition attempt to use the “Get behind me Satan” scripture and then become angry when the temptations continue.  The problem with this strategy is that the person is still looking in the wrong direction.  Satan would be delighted to get behind him at that point for he can continue to tempt him with ease since his mind is still actively and deliberately entrenched in the desires of the flesh.  It is only when the person recognizes his sin and what Jesus paid to redeem him from it that he can decide to turn around.  As he does, Satan is also turned to his behind, where he should be.  He cannot push or redirect you from that position anymore for if he does, he could only push you more toward the direction of God – and he wouldn’t do that. 

     So why is that narrow track so important and why should we keep our eyes entirely fixated upon it and its end?  How is it able to usher us into Heaven?  How, by diligently following it, can it keep you from being blown off track by every temptation?  It is simple.  The narrow path is the Word of God.  When we follow and walk by the Word of God, we can no longer be ruled by our own feelings.  We discover that there are absolutes in life, that there is a right and wrong to every issue and it is not up to man to decide what that is.  It is not even up to individuals to privately interpret for themselves the meaning of scripture – twisting and turning upside down God’s intended meaning.  When faced with the various social issues of the day, we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.  Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church (Ephesians 4:14-15).

     We are currently living in a time of great deception where we are constantly bombarded with temptations, false teachings as well as whatever social issues that are trending at any given point, such as Pro-abortion, the LGBQ and gender issues as well as a myriad of other politically correct subjects.  God says that - For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.   They will reject the truth and chase after myths (2 Timothy 4:1-2).  We are living in those times and the only way to overcome is to follow Him.  How do we do that?  We need to become very familiar with Him – to get so intimately acquainted with God that we subsequently acquire the faith to believe that His way is the only way?  How is that possible?  So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word Of God (Romans 10:17).  Faith comes by knowing God, and to know God you must hear what He is speaking to you through His Word.  That is the path we are to walk - the straight and narrow track which leads us to an eternity with Him in Heaven.

     When we walk firmly and steadily in that saving faith of God’s Word, we will then develop the courage to lovingly confront and correct those that are still walking in sin and those that are being easily swayed to believe the lies of any given day.  I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching (2 Timothy 4:1-2).

     The Bible says that we are going to face temptations, sicknesses and loss of loved ones in this life.  However, if we are walking His narrow path, the journey through these trials will be much smoother than any other road we could ever follow.  Temptations will come but they can be easily deflected as we grow in our faith and walk with God.  So, work diligently to keep an actual true and correct perspective of your life’s journey.  Keep your point of view fixed on God’s point of view by only walking on the narrowly defined path that is His Word.  Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14).

© 2020 G. R. Workman  

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