Are There Many Ways to God?

 

Bible Study ESV

Are There Many Ways to God?

    In Matthew 7:13, Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” 

    Jesus said to “Enter by the narrow gate.” This states that there is one gate, but it also implies that there are other gates. The gate is “narrow,” which is restrictive. The other gate is “wide” and “easy” because there are no restrictions, which makes it appealing and acceptable to the “many” who enter through it. This “wide” gate is “easy” and leads to “destruction” because the “way” of the “wide” gate is of the “many.” Since the “narrow gate” implies there are other gates, these other gates are the “wide” gate, and that one should avoid them because they all lead to “destruction.”

    In Matthew 7:14, Jesus said, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

    The way of the “narrow” gate is “hard” and few “find” this gate. The “narrow” gate is “hard” because the “way” of the “narrow” gate is not the way of the “many.” The “narrow” gate is “hard” because it’s the gate that the “many” will reject. The “narrow” gate is “hard” because one has to see and believe that there is only one gate or only one way to eternal life, which goes against the belief that there are other gates or many ways that lead to life. To go against the more acceptable “wide” and “easy” gate of the “many,” but to accept the “narrow” gate that the “few” enter, will lead to hardship. It will not be easy to follow Jesus according to his teachings and way of life and go against what the “many” believe. The “way” of the “narrow” gate is “hard” because one has to be humble enough to see that the “easy” way that they are following will lead them to “destruction.” That one has to “find” the “narrow” gate also suggests that there are other gates to avoid. And to “find” the “narrow” gate implies that the gate is not ours, but that the gate belongs to God.

    In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

    Jesus clearly calls himself the “narrow gate.” He is the “way” and the “truth” and the “life.” Notice that these are all singular. There are not ways or truths or many life. Jesus is the “way” to live and the “truth” to believe and the “life” to receive here and now and in eternal life. Even more restrictive is that Jesus said, “no one” will have life “except through me.” Jesus is the “narrow gate.”

    Then in Matthew 7:15-16, Jesus warns, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.”

    Jesus said to “Enter by the narrow gate,” and avoid the “wide” gate, and then the next thing he warns of is of “false prophets.” There is a relationship between those who enter the “wide” gate and “false prophets.” This is a critical reason why few “find” the “narrow” gate. Since “many” enter the wide gate, then there are many false prophets who will lead “many” to “destruction.” The “false prophets” will be recognizable by their “fruits,” that is what they teach. That is what comes out of their mouths that differs from what Jesus and his apostles and disciples taught. The words they use will sound good and acceptable. Pleasing to the ears and reasonable. Intellectually stimulating and elevating. They will rewrite the bible. They will change the nature of God. They will change the nature of the Father. They will change the nature of Jesus. They will change the nature of the Holy Spirit. Their changes will be subtle and difficult. They will create doctrines that you will love. They will create traditions that you will love. They will claim new revelations. They will mix the beliefs of the many into something that is appealing and acceptable. They will deny God. They will deny truth. They will elevate you as god. They will look and sound so right and so good that you will not see the “ravenous” wolf.