Matthew 7:13-14

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.

Similar Old Testament Verses

See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish.

Deuteronomy 30:15-18

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Joshua 1:7-8

… for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 1:6

Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life…

Proverbs 10:17

If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die ford his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

Ezekiel 3:18-19

Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Malachi 3:18

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart…

Psalm 119:1-2

In the whole land, declares the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

Zechariah 13:8-9

And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”

1 Kings 18:21

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

Isaiah 30:21

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Comments

3 responses to “Matthew 7:13-14”

  1. Skip Avatar
    Skip

    According to this verse and other verses, it blatantly says few will be saved while the majority will be condemned. Does Satan win if he takes the vast majority of people with him to eternal damnation? It seems he does. However, God is truthful telling us the righteous path is hard.

  2. Bruce Powers Avatar
    Bruce Powers

    It seems like it’s one extreme to the other. We know God’s way and what it takes to be righteous. There is no in between because Satan owns that as well.

  3. Philip Gibson Avatar
    Philip Gibson

    The OT passages seem to be saying to live by the rules and things will go well for you. And, fail to follow the rules and you will be punished. Perhaps we need some of this today to manage the obviously wicked among us.

    Conversely, the NT verse recognizes the difficulty of living a righteous life. I am unconvinced that any of these passages is a reference to salvation.

    We tend to no longer believe that God rewards or punishes individuals in this life as he did in the OT. Largely because reality seems not to support such a conclusion. It is troublesome to observe so much suffering at the hands of evil and wickedness. Many people exclaim, where is your god! And rightfully so.

    Thank goodness we need not worry about how many will fall to Satan. It is not a competition. All will be turned to good in the end. Double predestiny is simply part of the plan. Those who are part of the elect should rejoice at God’s grace and mercy, for surely it is undeserved. If it was a numbers game, none would have eternal life.

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