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Bible Question: When
you mention THE DOOR leads to the road of suffering,
I am not clear which suffering you mean. There is also
suffering on the wide road. I personally believe that
the narrow way expresses our battle (helped of course
by the Holy Spirit) of dying off to self, whether in
the battle against temptations from Satan, or in the
pains we feel when we hear and read about the false prophets
in the Body. Jesus taught us (His disciples) to heal
and deliver and give comfort and share the Good News
of a life more abundantly, even on earth. Therefore,
I assume that you mean with suffering, that suffering
which is in our soul and spirit for the sake of Jesus,
our Lord.
Bible Answer: I
assume you are referring to the 27th
study in the Sermon on the Mount. In Jesus' illustration
of the two ways, one is wide and the other is narrow.
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Enter
by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide,
and the way is broad that leads to destruction,
and many are those who enter by it. For the
gate is small, and the way is narrow that
leads to life, and few are those who find
it.
(NASB) Matthew 7:13-14 |
The
wide open way is comfortable and spacious. There is suffering
on both the wide road and the narrow road. Suffering
on the wide road is the result of sin. Suffering on the
narrow road occurs for several reasons. First, one must
deny himself or herself to come to Jesus (Luke 9:23).
This involves humbling ourselves.
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And
He was saying to them all, "If anyone
wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
(NASB) Luke 9:23 |
It also means that suffering is coming our way. Not only
will the Father of heaven discipline Christians who continue
in a pattern of sin (Hebrews 12:4-17), but real suffering
will come to real Christians.
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And indeed, all who desire to live godly
in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
(NASB) 2 Timothy 3:12
But
whenever they persecute you in this city,
flee to the next; for truly I say to you,
you shall not finish going through the cities
of Israel, until the Son of Man comes. A
disciple is not above his teacher, nor a
slave above his master. It is enough for
the disciple that he become as his teacher
. . . (NASB) Matthew 10:23-25 |
In Matthew 10:23-25, Jesus warned His disciples that
they were not greater than He was. If He suffered, they
would too! There was not an easy road for them. The same
message applies to us (Matt. 5:11-12). Real Christians
will suffer. The narrow way includes suffering. The two
Greek words Jesus used for the narrow way mean restricted
and afflicted. Yes, God does have a wonderful plan for
our life - the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus may not
heal your marriage, fix your job, or give you wealth,
but He will comfort us and cause us to grow spiritually.
Conclusion: The
narrow way leads to Jesus, our salvation, and the wide
way leads to the hell and the Lake of Fire. The narrow
way requires complete trust
in Jesus and results in more suffering in this life
than the wide way. The wide way in this life is spacious
and comfortable but leads its travelers to eternal destruction.
That is the meaning of the wide and narrow way. |
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