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. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. [Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV)]
Like Christians, Hindus believe that, when the body dies, the soul does not. Unlike Christians, however, Hindus believe that, after death, the soul lives on in an astral body until it is reborn in another physical body. This cycle is continually repeated until the soul reaches a certain state of perfection (moksha) and is released from the bondage of birth and death. At that time, like a drop of water that eventually merges into the ocean, the soul will finally merge into God and become one with its creator. Of course, once absorbed by the sea, the drop would cease to exist.
Rather than being absorbed into the Supreme Being, when Christians die, their souls immediately enter into God’s presence and, at the resurrection of believers, their new bodies will be raised and reunited with their souls. Non-believers, however, do not end well and the parable of the rich man and Lazarus makes it clear that they don’t get to return to earth for another go-around. If there’s any doubt, Hebrews 9:27 tell us that, “each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.”
In spite of Hinduism’s belief in reincarnation and moksha, perhaps the biggest difference between my friend Esha’s religion and Christianity is that, while she finds Christianity a valid religion, as a Christian, I cannot say the same for Hinduism. Today, Esha used an analogy to explain the universalism of Hinduism. Just as we can get into Disney World from all directions and eight different entrances, she believes there are many equally acceptable routes and gateways to God. Instead of all roads leading to Rome, all roads lead to God. I respectfully disagreed but recalled her analogy later that day when sending a friend directions to my house.
While people can come to my community from all directions, they can enter from only one road, must go in through one gate, and are required to have their name on a list to be admitted. That’s a little more like the one way and narrow gate of Christianity. Esha is correct that Disney World has several entrances, but Jesus made it clear that there only is one entrance into heaven and getting to that entrance depends on taking the right road. Fortunately, God allows U-turns. Just because we started on the wrong path doesn’t mean we have to end in the wrong place.
Nevertheless, there’s a sense of urgency in Jesus’ words in today’s verse. The verb form for the word translated as “enter” was what scholars call the “aorist imperative.” It was used for urgent, positive, one-time commands (which is why some translations say “stive to enter”). Jesus was emphatically telling people not to procrastinate or sight-see before getting on the right road. No one knows when their engine will fail or Jesus will return. While Hinduism maintains that people get multiple opportunities to do life right, Jesus tells us we have only one life in which to get on the right road!
All religions are not paths to the same end for the simple reason that religions with distinct mutually exclusive doctrines like Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam cannot all be valid! Either Jesus was right when He claimed to be the only path to God or He was wrong! While it sounds like spiritual elitism to say that Christianity is the only way, it’s more like simple arithmetic—there can’t be two right answers! Where there is contradiction, there is error.
Christ’s narrow gate has nothing to do with bigotry, discrimination, or a rating system of people or works. When it comes to entering His Kingdom, the gate isn’t wide enough to accommodate any other philosophy or belief; there’s no wiggle room. The narrow gate has one very specific requirement for entrance—faith in Jesus Christ! That’s the only way to get one’s name on the entrance list. With only one correct road, one narrow gate, and one Lord and Savior, Christianity is exclusive. Nevertheless, because the path to eternal life is open to anyone who asks and believes, Christianity is inclusive! All are invited; sadly, not all will enter.
Which way are you going? What road are you on?
Since no man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is open to all. There is nothing else to hinder us from entering, but our own unbelief. [John Calvin]
While walking in the Botanical Gardens, I left my husband on a bench by the lake while I went back to get a few more photos of the plumeria. After getting my last shot, I returned to find him gazing out at the water. When I disturbed his reverie with a touch on the shoulder, he looked up and said, “I was just enjoying Him!” I knew exactly who he meant.
In a classic Peanuts comic (drawn by Charles Schulz), the meek Linus asked his bossy big sister Lucy, “Why are you always so anxious to criticize me?” She answered, “I just think I have a knack for seeing other peoples’ faults.” When Linus queried, “What about your own faults?” Lucy replied, “I have a knack for overlooking them.” Along with her over-sized ego, Lucy has what psychologists call “fundamental attribution error.”
Our fast-paced world is ever-changing and once ordinary items like slide rules, cassette tapes, boom boxes, floppy discs, dial phones, film, and VCRs are relics. My kids don’t use maps, write checks, or have a land line and my grands have never used a library card catalogue, set of encyclopedias, dictionary, carbon paper, or typewriter. We no longer need to get up to change channels, turn the lights on or off, or see who’s at the door. Our camera, maps, calculator, credit cards, compass, note pad, address book, plane tickets, and Bible all fit into our cell phones and everything on our phones (along with a fitness tracker and heart monitor) fits into a watch!
As a way of emphasizing the penitential nature of Lent, hymns with alleluia or hallelujah were not sung at our church during Lent’s forty days. With the exception of Palm Sunday’s All Glory, Laud, and Honor, the hymns for the last six weeks were rather slow, somber, and introspective and I missed the more joyful upbeat hymns I enjoy. Easter service, however, opened with Christ the Lord is Risen Today and the twenty “Alleluias” we sang in five verses made up for their long absence.
Judas wasn’t the only one who betrayed Jesus that Thursday night. With his three denials, Peter also betrayed our Lord. Both men were filled with remorse but neither man could undo what had been done. One never lost faith and hung in there; the other lost faith and hung himself. One stayed around for the resurrection to see the living Christ and to experience Jesus’ forgiveness; the other missed his opportunity for redemption when he gave up all hope. One became the humble willing servant of the Lord and the rock of the church; the other one’s name lives on in ignominy and is synonymous with betrayal and treason.
Devotions of the Heart 