This One’s Going To Hurt. Literally!

Let’s make this short and sweet, clear and concise.

“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:24)

“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” (Matthew 7:13-14).

What it literally means:

Strive means to engage in conflict, to fight.

Strait means to groan

Narrow is to afflict, to be afflicted, affliction.

The message above is this. It will be a fight and a struggle to get to the gates of heaven. Our walk on this earth will be (not might be) a battle with sin, a painful battle. We will be afflicted, it will hurt and we will groan. In fact the word “Strive” comes from the Greek, “Aagōnizomai”. It’s where we get the word “agony”. What better single word could possibly describe our bout with sin that is within?

Jesus has already warned us of this battle. He has also reminded us that He is the solution.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

We are but travelers here on earth with two possible final destinations. One is easy to reach. It’s path is wide, broad and not only conflict free, but full of earthly pleasures. Most people take this route. It's the highway to Hell.

The other is a narrow more difficult passage way and it runs counter to our natural inclinations. Metaphorically speaking that’s exactly what  the word “Strait” means, something that goes against our natural grain.

Our sin nature will try to turn away from the pathway of God. The flesh will resist all conflict and pain. It’s natural inclination is pleasure and ease. But let’s face it. The life of God for Christ while we are here on this earth will be anything but pleasure and ease. It is why the Apostle Paul tells us to “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). We have a fight on our hands. It's gonna hurt, but we're gonna win!

The question is this; Are you willing to fight and be afflicted to the point of groaning in pain? Are you willing to depart from the crowd? To depart from ease?

We have been warned about this. Few will be able to.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:7-10).

Let’s clarify something here. There are those who are “unlearned and unstable” and will “wrest” these words (2 Peter 3:16). Affliction and struggle in of themselves are nothing more than just affliction and struggle. This has nothing to do with holiness, Godliness or righteousness.

But in our walk with Christ we will be attacked. We will have a fight on our hands, we will struggle, feel pain to the point of groaning and crying. These things will occur when we are in the pathway to God. But, no matter the struggle or even if we stumble and fall, as long as we stay in His path called righteousness, have faith in Him and love and abide in Him, then God will always “lift you up” and enable you to carry on.

Eventually the struggle will end. We will find our self in His presence. Joy, peace, and love will then be ours, with Him, forever. 

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." (Revelation 3:5).

Bill Hitchcock