Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
I
read in
the news today that famous evangelist Ravi Zacharias (1946-2020)
died, after a brief struggle with cancer. That is sad news indeed,
because I am fully convinced that
Mr. Zacharias went to Hell forever. Ravi added a bunch
of things to the Gospel which God does not require, preaching a vague
ecumenical message so shallow that even unsaved Mormons, Roman Catholics
and other reprobate religions loved him. Luke 6:26, “Woe unto you,
when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to
the false prophets.”
Luke 13:23-24, “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” Jesus said that the gate is strait and the way is narrow for a very important reason—because very FEW people ever make it to Heaven!!!
These is perhaps the most frightening Scripture passage in the Holy Bible. Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Carefully notice that Jesus said “MANY” people will seek to enter into Heaven, but SHALL NOT BE ABLE!!! The fact that MOST PEOPLE foolishly think everyone goes to Heaven, proves the Lord's Words to be very true!
Over one billion Roman Catholics are trusting in the Seven Sacraments of their manmade church (cult) to get them into Heaven. Catholics more than anybody will someday be utterly disappointed when they hear Jesus say the horrifying words: “I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY!” What saith the Scripture? Mark 7:9, “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” This one Bible verse indicts half of humanity! Roman Catholicism is fabricated of manmade traditions. Lutherans, Church of Christ, Mormons, Jehovah's Witness, Seventh-Day Adventist, and so many other pseudo-religions cannot produce the new birth in Jesus Christ! Sadly, even many Baptist churches today have succumbed to the Devil's lies of Calvinism, the “turn from sins” heresy to be saved, and the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation. None of these are 'The Gospel' (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
All men are guilty sinners (Romans 3:19-20). As such, there is a penalty, which is to spend eternity suffering in the torments of a burning Lake of Fire (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:12-15). That's the BAD NEWS! Therefore, we are also needy sinners! We need a Savior!!! “The Gospel” is the GOOD NEWS that God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to die on the cross in your place, to pay for your sins (and mine). Jesus was buried and after three days He miraculously physically resurrected from the dead. This is 'The Gospel'—the DEATH on the cross, BURIAL and bodily RESURRECTION of the Lord Jesus Christ! Anyone who comes to God as a needy sinner, by faith receiving Christ's death on the cross as payment for their sins, believing that He raised up from the dead, is instantly and eternally saved. It is that simple to obtain eternal life. You just simply BELIEVE on the Gospel.
Having said all that, the reason why Jesus said the gate is “strait” and the way is “narrow,” which LEADETH UNTO ETERNAL LIFE, is simply because most people only hear a corrupted Gospel their entire life. When they do hear the true Gospel, they pass right over it in favor of family tradition, living the Christian life, or membership in their favorite false religion! Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” Everybody gets a chance to get saved, or else God would be unjust to cast them into Hell forever. No one ever went to Hell who didn't choose to go there, by wilfully rejecting God's free gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus.
It may seem insignificant when false prophets like Ravi Zacharias ADD committing your life to Christ to be saved, but this is not the Gospel. That little addition is all it takes to corrupt the Gospel, and send a person to Hell forever. In Acts 15:1 a group of false prophets ADDED circumcision to the Gospel, perverting it. That was not the Gospel. I wrote this article refuting Ravi Zacharias, in which I quote his invitation given for people to accept Christ. Ravi mentions TWELVE things for the audience to do to be saved, but he never once mentions Jesus' death, burial or resurrection (the very elements of 'The Gospel'). I know a lot of churchgoers love Ravi and admire him, feeling compassion for a poor boy from India who gave his life to serve Jesus Christ; but dear friend, Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again!
Let me ask you a simple question—How much can you change the Gospel before you've corrupted it? Can you take out the cross, believing that Jesus died, but not on a cross? No, you cannot! Can you believe Christ died on the cross for your sins, but He didn't bodily raise up from the dead? No, you cannot do that! You MUST believe that Christ died on a cross for YOUR SINS, and that He was buried in a tomb, and 72 hours later He physically resurrected from the dead. You cannot leave any of those important details out. Likewise, you cannot ADD any meritoriously works to the Gospel. You must believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, the Christ (John 20:31). But when heretical preachers ADD more requirements; such as, following Christ, surrendering your life to Christ, counting the cost, committing your life to Christ, being willing to turn away from your sins, publicly confessing Christ, faithfully staying in and running the race, living a lifestyle of repentance—THEY ARE PREACHING ANOTHER GOSPEL!!!
Our dear Lord Jesus knew what He was talking about, when He said the gate is 'strait' and the way is 'narrow' that leads unto life. Jesus knew that the precious truth of the Gospel is competing with a world of darkness, lies, wickedness, false religion and Satan as its evil god. 2nd Corinthians 4:3-5, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.” There is a fine line between faith and foolishness. There is a fine line between the Gospel and false religion. Anything that detracts from the free gift of eternal life, obtained with no strings attached, imposing no requirements upon the recipient except to BELIEVE it—is a false plan of salvation!
You'd be shocked if you knew how many people serve Christ, commit their life to Christ, and live for Christ, even calling Him “Lord, Lord”; but they've never actually rested their faith in Christ alone for their salvation! Hebrews 4:10-11, “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” Just as God ceased from His works on the seventh day of Creation, even so must a person cease from their dead works of self-righteousness (i.e., all human effort) to receive the free gift of eternal life. It's not what you can do for Jesus that saves you, it's what Jesus has already done for you on the cross. Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. God does not demand that you turn away from your sins, nor that you live a lifestyle of repentance (which is really reformation), nor that you pay the price to be saved; because Jesus made full payment for your sins (and mine) through the cross 2,000 years ago. Jesus paid for everyone's sins with His precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19). Simply take God at His Word as recorded in the Holy Bible, receiving Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins, believing that He raised up three days later from the dead for your justification.
