What Did Jesus Mean By the Broad and Narrow Roads?

2/21/13        Brian              about 25

 
A witnessing conversation at a McDonald’s brought me some insights into God’s word I hadn’t thought of before. A young man named Brian told me he believes in God but doesn’t think much about eternal life.

Why the lack of concern? Brian said he is very sure that if there is a heaven, he definitely will go there. Because he was comfortable with his assumptions, he didn’t worry about it and saw no need to be more serious about God.

I told him how the vast majority of people I talk to believe they are good enough to go to heaven, but that Jesus said “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.” (Matt.7)

Later, I was glad I had referred to that passage about the broad and narrow roads, because after I had used the Ten Commandments to show Brian how he would be guilty on judgment day, he asked “But I’m pretty sure everyone would be guilty then”. Then he just shrugged his shoulders and said “Besides, what’s done is done, and I’ll just have to take my chances. If I’m going to hell, so be it.”

Here’s where my little insight came in. Jesus didn’t say that many people will end up in hell, he said many people are on the road that leads there. If they continue on in the same direction without some sort of radical about-face, yes, that is where they will end up.

“What that means” I told Brian, “is that unless you get off that road, you will end up in hell. But there is a road that leads to life! If you find you are on the wrong road, shouldn’t you turn around and get on the right path?”

“But there’s no turning around for me, I’ve already sinned. I wish I could go back in time and undo that, but I can’t” he said.

It was time to tell Brian about the path of forgiveness and redemption in Jesus, so I did. There is a big difference between telling someone they will go to hell, and telling them they are on the road that leads there but that there may still be time to change the direction of their life.

There is still hope that there is another way – the Jesus way – and one can get off the road to destruction before it’s too late. That’s the kind of hope that Jesus gave.

Brian seemed truly touched by that hope, but he looked at his watch and realized he had to get back to work. Please pray that he will get on the right path, the narrow path that leads to life!