Is Christianity Too Narrow? Understanding the True Narrow Way

I was having a difficult time getting motivated this morning to write. Normally, by now, I have a topic that I have been researching. Perhaps even a main verse or some topical lines written to drive the post. Yet, today I sat starring at a blank page. So I asked Google: “what topics on faith and religion are the most searched?” One of the topics caught my eye, especially after my recent post on the remnant.

The question: “Is Christianity too narrow?” After writing on the remnant I thought to myself, “what else could I write in response to this question?” Well, here is my response to that . . .

Let’s start with Yahoshua’s (Jesus’) own words. First from Matthew and then from Luke.

Matthew 7 – 13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Luke 13 – 22 Then Yahoshua (Jesus) traveled throughout the towns and villages, teaching as He made His way toward Jerusalem. 23 “Adonai,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?”

Yahoshua answered, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. 25 After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Adonai, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’

26 Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

27 And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you who practice lawlessness.’

28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30 And indeed, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

Many, if not most western Christians will relate this to simply knowing Christ. They will point out that the religious leaders of the day rejected Yahoshua (Jesus). Therefore, Yahoshua was simply drawing a line in the sand. Much like Joshua son-of-Nun when he gave the Israelites an ultimatum. “Choose this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve Adonai YHWH.” See Joshua 24:14-28 for full context.

Joshua ultimately points out that following YHWH is difficult given the surrounding nations and their cultures. They will be enticed to follow after other gods and to worship them. And they did. It is subtle at first, you don’t know that you are compromising, usually, until it is too late. You have already dug a pit for yourself. Climbing out isn’t easy and most don’t even try. They have gotten use to where they are and comfortable with the lifestyle they have chosen. Changing requires too much sacrifice so it is easier to excuse sin than to repent of it.

The Torah, is comprised of the first five books of the Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In those books are the instructions given to the people of God on how to Honor and Worship YHWH. The message is the same throughout the Tanakh. The Tanakh is what we call today the Old Testament, which also includes the Torah, the Instruction of God. In the Tanakh, specifically passages in the Psalms, we read that the Torah is a Light, it is the Path, it is The Way to follow YHWH.

It is also referred to as the Truth. For example Psalm 119:142 says: “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Torah is truth.” Yahoshua makes this point when faced with death. In His prayer recorded in John 17:17 He says: “Sanctify them by Your Truth, Your Word is Truth.” He is praying for those who believe and will believe in YHWH through Yahoshua. The Word here is simply the Tanakh, and perhaps more specifically but not entirely, the Torah.

It was and is known as the Life. Moses, in closing out Gods instruction says, in Deuteronomy 32:46-47 “it is no empty word for you, but it is your life, and by this Word you shall live long in the land.” Yahoshua, is known as the real bread from heaven, in contrast to the bread from heaven that fed the Israelites in the desert. Yahoshua is the bread of passover which is broken for us. He is our life and through Him alone we have eternal life. However, we are still called to be the banner of the Kingdom, to live as Ambassadors. As such we wear the lifestyle of the Kingdom and honor its laws, wherever we live.

This is precisely why Yahoshua said the way is narrow and few find it. It is the Revelation cry! “Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Yahoshua.” Revelation 12:17. Here the dragon is the devil himself and the woman the people of God. Her offspring are those who are those naturally born in who believe in the whole of the testimony of Elohim and those grafted in. They are marked by two truths, they obey the commandments of God and they hold fast to their faith in Messiah.

It is such an important point that John is instructed to record this idea multiple times. In Revelation 14:12 he writes: “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Yahoshua.” We are living now at the doorstep of tribulation. Whether, it comes today or five years from now, the times are only going to reflect the birth pains of His coming. The signs increasing like labor pains upon the earth.

This already narrow road is about to get rocky as well. Man’s ability to endure is going to be challenged. Only those who hold fast to the commandments of God and their faith in Messiah Yahoshua will make it through. This is what is revealed in the parables of the ten virgins, or the one about the man who makes into the wedding but isn’t wearing the right clothes. The parable of building your house on the rock instead of the sand. The parable of the sower, the parable of mustard seed, the parable of the weeds, the parable of the hidden treasure, peal of great value, the list goes on.

There is one ending statement on His teaching of the Kingdom, Yahoshua makes that most read right over. In Matthew 13:51-52 He says: “‘Have you understood all these things?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes.’ And He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.'”

It is an understanding that it is the whole of God’s word that truth is found. The new does not disregard the old and the old does not disavow the new. They are in fact one. Yahoshua, the revelation of the Word to humanity in the flesh is the living Torah. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the manifestation of the instruction of the Father. The fullness of God present among men. And men rejected Him then and they are rejecting Him still today. Because they are not seeing Him as the fullness of Torah and the example of how to walk it out practically.

So, to answer the question, ‘Is Christianity too narrow?’ The answer is No and also Yes. It is more narrow than it is being portrayed today. For many reject the commands of God and hope in a ‘belief’ not lived out. Yet, it is also too narrow in its thinking towards the whole of Gods Word. Keeping to the new while discarding the old, to their own shame.

Yahoshua prayed to the Father that He would sanctify us by His Truth, and His Word is Truth. He calls us to live as He lived, and He honored the Sabbath, the Feast Days, the Commandments of God. Paul writes that we should imitate him as he also imitates Messiah. The way is narrow, but it is not hidden, it is in plan view but most choose to ignore it for wide is the path and lawlessness abounds. What is lawlessness? Living outside of Gods instruction, living outside of Torah.

The lie is in the idea that we are unable to live out the Torah. That no one outside of Yahoshua ever has or ever will. But that is like saying, it is impossible to hit a bullseye twice in the same place so therefore one never tries. No, rather the sportsmen, and competitiveness in humanity, drives us to attempt things that are difficult. Impossible even. No baseball pitcher or fan alike, has ever said, “since a perfect game has already been thrown, no one should ever try to duplicate that!”

By no means is that true. And I have already pointed out that we are called to imitate our Messiah. The charge given by both our Messiah Himself, as well as, Paul whom many say discards Torah altogether. Which couldn’t be further from the truth. Is the narrow way difficult, yes it is. Yahoshua told us it would be. However, He also said, “Take My yoke upon you for My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Can both be true? Absolutely. For the promise is that through the Holy Spirit we are empowered to walk as He walked.

It requires that we deny ourselves and live for Elohim. To love Elohim with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. How does one love another in such away? To live pleasingly, obediently, reverently. To also love our neighbor as ourselves. Imagine a world in which we lived by these principles.

The instruction give to us in His word is perfect and if lived out it would change the world. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching (they taught from the Tanakh) and fellowhship, to the breaking of bread and prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed (active belief) were together and had all things in common. . . praising God and having favor with all the people. And Adonai added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)

So what will you do? Will you seek to live for the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit? Will you seek the narrow road and walk on it? Or will you choose the wide path which is full of lawlessness, without instruction, outside of Torah? What will you choose?

You are loved, cj