Within Christianity, the topic of the gate of salvation is spoken of quite frequently. Those outside of Christianity believe the teachings of salvation from the perspective of Christians is “too narrow.” These individuals believe the Bible is too strict and doesn’t accept all religions and faith systems.
The Bible does tell us the gate of salvation is narrow, yet all individuals can enter through if they place faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
The Two Gates
The Lord taught His disciples, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
From Jesus’ words, we are told that the gate of salvation is small. While many would believe this is a literal, physical gate of salvation, it is not.
This is allegorical to the gift of salvation. The gate of salvation is small and narrow because it is hard for many of us to turn to the Lord and accept His free gift of salvation.
Due to our sinful, prideful flesh, it can be hard for us to accept the truth that we need Jesus. After all, we are brought up in the world of self-dependence, in which the only person you should rely on is yourself.
We are taught that we can be our own superhero or “savior.” The truth is that we all need Jesus. Each of us is fallen. We are all sinful human beings.
The Apostle Paul tells us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Nobody can “earn” their salvation as it is impossible. Only by placing faith in Jesus can one be saved (Romans 10:9).
Jesus made salvation possible because He was God in the flesh, who came to die for the sins of the world.
John 3:16-17 tells us, “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
As the Lord tells us in this passage of Scripture, He came to die for the sins of the entire world. He did not come to die for a select few, rather, He came to die for the sins of all people in order for them to be redeemed of their sins.
Yes, the gate of salvation is narrow, but all people can enter through it if they accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Accepting Jesus can go against cultural norms and practices for many individuals.
As someone who grew up in the United States, I was never taught the importance of leaning on others for support, nor was I taught the importance of knowing that all of the answers are not found in myself.
As a child and a teenager, I constantly struggled with feelings of self-doubt and doom because somewhere deep inside, I knew something wasn’t right. This is because God created us to know Him, and we cannot be self-sufficient despite the world’s teaching.
Growing up in my family, I was taught the old saying, “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” Maybe you grew up with this same saying too.
This saying taught us that we had to do something ourselves if we wanted it done right. This goes against the teachings of Scripture because we have to depend on God.
We cannot do everything ourselves because we need God, and we need others in our life. The Lord created us to have a relationship with Him and others.
We cannot expect to walk through this life alone, nor should we expect others to do so. Knowing God and having a relationship with Him is vital for our lives.
With all of these erroneous beliefs surrounding us, it can be hard for us to accept Christ. Since we are taught from a young age to be self-sufficient, it can be hard for us to come to the truth that we need Jesus. Often through difficult trials and circumstances, we come to know Christ.
The Two Roads
Believing and following Jesus is known as the narrow road because the only way to salvation is through Jesus. The Lord tells us, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Salvation does not come in many forms or in multiple “ways.” Rather, the gate of salvation is narrow because salvation is only possible through placing faith in Jesus Christ.
Opposite the narrow road, the broad road leads to destruction, and many will travel down it (Matthew 7:13-14). The broad road consists of the desires of the flesh and living according to the world.
There is nothing positive about the broad road as it will lead us into sin and down a path away from God.
As individuals, we need to choose to follow the narrow road, which leads us to the gate of salvation. The narrow road means we accept Jesus as our Savior and choose to follow Him.
There are not “multiple” ways to salvation. Teachings, such as the “coexist” movement, deter individuals from the truth of the Bible.
Differing religions cannot coexist with one another, nor should Christians accept that all “religions” are the same.
Christianity is not a religion but rather a relationship. The Coexist movement tries to teach that all religions lead to salvation or heaven despite this is not true.
The Bible tells us the only way to salvation is by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9; John 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 3:16-17, 14:6).
Muhammad, Allah, Buddha, Shiva, or anyone else cannot offer true salvation. Only Jesus, who is God in the flesh, can offer salvation to all who will accept Him.
Thus, the gate of salvation is narrow because there is only one way to salvation — through Jesus Christ. This may seem “rigid” to many, yet Jesus is the only One who can offer us true forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.
What Does This Mean?
Apart from Jesus, there is no salvation. God knew from the beginning of time that He was going to have to make a way of salvation for sinful mankind as it would be the only way to have a restored relationship with Him.
This was completed through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Through believing in His death, burial, and resurrection, anyone can enter the narrow gate of salvation.
God wants all people to come to know Him as He desires a relationship with each of His children. God does not choose only a select few as He has chosen all to be saved, yet we have to freely come to accept Him.
If you are on the broad road of destruction today, you can make the change to the narrow road that leads to the gate of salvation. The gate is narrow, yet God eagerly wants all of His children to accept Him and follow His teachings.
The gate of salvation is narrow, yet once one goes through the gate, they will forever be saved, redeemed, and forgiven of their sins, as the Bible tells us there is no condemnation for those who have accepted Christ (Romans 8:1).
For further reading:
What Does it Mean That the Gate Is Narrow in Matthew 7?
10 Reasons Why This Is a Wonderful Time to Be Alive
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