Matthew 7:13-14 Two Ways to Live.

The Narrow Gate or the Wide Gate. The narrow road or the Broad Road.

Mat 7:13  "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad the road which leads to ruin, and many there are who enter by it;

Mat 7:14  because narrow is the gate and contracted the road which leads to Life, and few are those who find it.

I wonder which gate you have entered. Here the Lord is encouraging everyone to enter the narrow or strait gate which leads to life. Actually He is very emphatic about everyone entering the narrow gate because the destination of the wide gate and the broad road is ruin.

Mat 7:13  "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad the road which leads to ruin, and many there are who enter by it;

The Majority of people  are on the Broad Road. They have chosen the Popular wide gate which is easy to enter. But Jesus is standing there insisting that we enter the narrow gate

Why is Jesus so emphatic about entering the narrow gate?

for wide is the gate and broad the road which leads to ruin.

Ruin:G684 ἀπώλεια apōleia

Thayer Definition: 1) destroying, utter destruction 1a) of vessels

2) a perishing, ruin, destruction

That destruction, εις την απωλειαν, meaning eternal misery; intimating, that it is much more congenial, to the revengeful, covetous heart of fallen man, to take every advantage of another, and to enrich himself at his expense, rather than to walk according to the rule laid down before, by our blessed Lord, and that acting contrary to it is the way to everlasting misery.

With those who say it means repentance, and forsaking sin, I can have no controversy. That is certainly a gate, and a strait one too, through which every sinner must turn to God, in order to find salvation. But the doing to every one as we would they should do unto us, is a gate extremely strait, and very difficult, to every unregenerate mind.A.C.

Mat 7:14  because narrow is the gate and contracted the road which leads to Life, and few are those who find it. WNT

Mat 7:14  But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it.CEV

Few there be that find it - i.e The strait gate, στενη πυλη, signifies literally what we call a wicket, i.e. a little door in a large gate. Gate, among the Jews, signifies, metaphorically, the entrance, introduction, or means of acquiring any thing. So they talk of the gate of repentance, the gate of prayers, and the gate of tears. When God, say they, shut the gate of paradise against Adam, He opened to him the gate of repentance. The way to the kingdom of God is made sufficiently manifest - the completest assistance is promised in the way, and the greatest encouragement to persevere to the end is held out in the everlasting Gospel. But men are so wedded to their own passions, and so determined to follow the imaginations of their own hearts, that still it may be said: There are few who find the way to heaven; fewer yet who abide any time in it; fewer still who walk in it; and fewest of all who persevere unto the end. Nothing renders this way either narrow or difficult to any person, but sin. Let all the world leave their sins, and all the world may walk abreast in this good way.

Joh 5:24  "In most solemn truth I tell you that he who listens to my teaching and believes Him who sent me, has the Life of the Ages,[Eternal Life] and does not come under judgement, but has passed over out of death into Life.

Have you crossed over to the Narrow gate and the narrow road? Repent and believe today and you will find LIFE More Abundant.