What is contrast? Contrast means difference, especially when that difference is very noticeable. It usually shows up in pairs, such as: steak and salad, salt and pepper, table and chairs, hero and villain. You get the picture.
Contrast often means "opposite." For an example, black is the opposite of white. But contrast can also happen when two things are very different. For an example, cats and dogs are a contrast.
Contrast is a rhetorical device through which writers identify differences between two subjects, place, persons, things, or ideas. It is a type of opposition between two objects, highlighted to emphasize their differences.
Have you ever noticed the many "Contrast" there are in the Bible? Psalm 1 is a psalm of contrast. The entire psalm is in contrast. Verses 1 through 3 talks about the "Blessed is`the man," then verses 4 through 5 is about the "ungodly." The Bible often uses two contrasting things that are opposite from the other: Good verse Evil, Light and Darkness, Wisdom and Foolishness, Knowledge and Ignorance, Heaven and Hell, Victory and Defeat, etc.
Well, in referring to contrast, I would like to talk about "The Narrow and Wide Gates." Scripture tells us, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).
Life is full of choices and the choices you make will have a significant impact as to where you will spend eternity. The criticalness of your decision is whether it is with Jesus or in the never quenching fire, and you will be conscious. If a survey was done today, most of the people interviewed would say that they wanted eternal life. To say you want eternal life is an open ended answer. Eternal life is a gift of God, but there will be many who will refuse the gift. Their mindset will lead them to believe eternal life will be the guarantee of their works, and of course this can't be disputed. However, this is a faulty belief for heaven, but it is right for hell.
God has always allowed people to choose Him or not to choose Him. But God has provided and shown mankind the way to salvation, leaving nothing to man but the choice to choose. God made His choice by providing the way of redemption, but accepting the way, the choice is now on mankind.
Matthew 7:13-14 is taken from "The Sermon on the Mount." This is the beginning of Jesus' public ministry after being baptized by John the Baptist. The Sermon on the Mount is featured in Matthew chapters 5-7 and it is the teaching of Jesus. Jesus teaches on a variety of subjects pertaining to discipleship, how to behave as His follower, the rights and wrongs in life, and life in the kingdom of God.
In "The Sermon on the Mount," our Lord Jesus reaffirms the Mosaic Law of the Old Testament, and the theocratic kingdom as the governing code in His coming kingdom on earth. He states that the attitude of men toward this law will determine their place in the kingdom.
A second point that must be considered is, Christ also declares that He has come to fulfill the law, which He now proceeds to do in part in His sermon.
A third point is, Christ set forth the perfect standard of righteousness demanded by the law thus demonstrating that all men are sinners, habitually falling short of the divine standard, and that, therefore, salvation by works of the law is an impossibility.
As I said earlier, "The Sermon on the Mount" begins at the fifth chapter of Matthew. It is here that Jesus announces, "The Beatitudes," describing the character and attitude of our Lord, that are unattainable by self-effort, but are wrought in the Christian by the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
In the continuation of Jesus' sermon, He talks about the "Similitudes," "You are the salt of the earth," and "You are the light of the world."
Jesus spent practically a week covering a variety of subjects that are applicable today, as He worked His way to Matthew 7. Here in this chapter are two verses that are loaded with power for living. He relates to us, "Two Ways Contrasted." The application here is the same as if in the secular world or the spiritual world. To travel the ordinary road of life, you don't have to make sacrifices. Little is expected and the reward will be no more than what you put in it. If you desire to excel to greater heights in life, "the right way," then there must be enormous sacrifices. Failure can not be an option. When opportunity knocks you must be ready and prepared, because you chose the "narrow gate," with all its difficulties, the refining fire will always produce a better product.
Let's look at Matthew 7:13 again, through our spiritual eyes. The first part reads, "Enter through the narrow gate." In the King James Version, it is recorded as "the strait gate." My Christian friend, please hear me clearly, we are all on a spiritual journey as we travel through life, whether religious or not, we travel a spiritual path. Everyday we make choices that affects the direction of ourselves and others.
Many of us think that the paths we can travel are many. In one sense that may be true; there are all kinds of religions, and the word "religion" is a dead end path to nowhere, but in the real sense there are only two paths or ways set before us. Let me simplify why I say the word "religion" is a dead end path to nowhere. Religion says, the way to be right with God you must earn it. It is based on works and not grace. Religion is man trying to reach up to God, but in Christianity, God reaches down to man. Religion tells us that we must earn our salvation.
Christianity is about what God has already done to provide us the opportunity to be right with Him. Christianity tells that all we have to do is believe that Jesus has already paid the price of us. Scripture tells us, "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18); and "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).
"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Just like someone give you a present, it is free, we are free by God's great gift. All we have to do it receive the free gift.
In the "Sermon on the Mount," Jesus spoke of two gates, two ways, two paths, two destinies. Each with its own beginning, each with its own ending. One way is heavily populated, the other is traveled by few.
May I ask you a question. Where are you in your spiritual sojourn? Are you on the right path, and are you heading in the right direction? Are you entering the right gate? Are you knocking at the right door?
Let's discuss the two gates. The wide gate represents the beginning to the "way" which leads to destruction, because of its enormous width, it's always open to whosoever will enter. Multitudes of people walk along this way. There are no restrictions on how you act, what you do, or what you say. Cursing is truly allowed. You can come as you are. There is no need to change. There are no limitations and you can believe whatever you wish. It has no specific requirements. You can bring whatever baggage you have. You can do what you want to do. Party all the time and at your leisure. This gate believes in materialism, lies hate, selfishness, prejudice, and etc. It is also open to the path least resistant. I could go on and on about this gate, but I know that you get the picture. This gate requires no spiritual maturity, no commitment, no moral character as you travel down hill toward destruction.
The narrow gate represents the beginning, or starting point, to the "way" that leads to life. It is narrow because a narrow gate means it has an opening, synonymous like a door, a point of entrance that is difficult for even a small man to pass through without distress. This gate is not always the first choice we will make. The number of people that passes through this gate will always be small in comparison to the wide gate. This gate has a code of ethics, religious freedom, but not a license to sin. The narrow gate or way, demands sacrifice to enter, because you have to leave behind sin, selfishness, worldly ways. It is unattractive, difficult to find, too demanding. It believes in morals and values. This gate requires self-denial, obedience, love for humanity. There is a relationship with the God of Heaven and not the world, realizing that the things of this world is fleeting. This gate definitely has no room for an unforgiving spirit and self-righteousness.
It is a fact that there are two different groups that are going into two different gates, traveling down two ways, and are heading toward two different destinations. Many will go in through the wide gate and travel the way that is broad. There they will find their destination will be one of destruction. The narrow gate is hard, it leads to life, and only a few find it.
It is a fact that in pursuit of life, one must choose for himself or herself, life or death which represents these two gates. It is a fact that we are born into this world as a sinner, but we don't have to die a sinner. The choice of accepting Jesus is ever before us, but there will come a time when choosing will not be an option.
It is a fact that we all will be experiencing eternal life somewhere after we die, with Jesus in the new heaven or with Satan in the everlasting fire. It is a fact that the choice will be made, your place of destiny will be indicative of the gate you value the most.
May I remind you that the prince of this world is heavily recruiting men and women everyday, to enter the "wide gate" that leads to destruction. As a matter-of-fact, you don't have to make much effort to enlist in his army. This destruction for the lost man or woman will be a complete separation from God, for eternally in what we refer to as Hell. Let me remind you, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
These gates represents two destinies, they represent life and death. They represent good and bad. They represent the natural and the spiritual. They represent the road to everlasting life and everlasting fire. They represent happiness with the world or everlasting joy with Jesus.
We can't walk two roads at the same time, going in different directions. So remember, "the road that leads to destruction" requires the least in terms of sacrifice, but "the road that leads to life," which leads to the gate of Jesus' righteousness and holiness, can only be obtained when we humble ourselves to Him and deny our love for this world. When this life is over you should desire for Christ to say to you, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness" (Matthew 25:23).