January 9th, 2024 Issue

Walking The Persecuted Way

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Walking The Persecuted Way

Matthew 7:13-14  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The first thing I want to do, are some word studies. Sometimes translations can obscure certain truths that the original readers would have readily understood, because it was being shared in their language. In fact one of the remarkable things about the New Testament, is that it was written in the everyday street language of its time. The Lord intended that the average person would be able to have access, and understand what was being said. But the original language is not our street language of today. So let’s take a moment, and dive into some of the words in verse 14. When I study, I use a free computer app called e-Sword. That is what I am using to copy and paste this information from. So let’s look at this verse, with the Strong’s numbers added. 

First of all, let’s look at the Greek word for Strait. G4728

When you read a Strong’s definition, it is the italicized words that give the literal meaning. I remember the first time I did this study, thinking to myself, that it was odd that this word, they translated strait, literally meant narrow. When there is another word, in the same verse, that they did translate narrow. Let’s look at the word they did translate as narrow, here is the Strong’s definition.

So the literal of this word is to crowd. But when you do a word study, it is important that you take another step, and see how that particular word has been used in other places in the New Testament. It is very eye opening to see how this word was being used. It says that there are ten occurrences. Let’s look at how this word was used in those verses.

Most of the time, that word is translated afflicted. But it was also translated, suffer tribulation. You can of course see this as well, in the Strong’s definition. Only the one time was it translated narrow. Here is how the ABP, which is a very literal translation, translated it. 

(ABP+)  For ^G3754  narrow ^G4728  is the ^G3588  gate, ^G4439  and ^G2532  being afflicted ^G2346  is the ^G3588  way, ^G3598  the one ^G3588  leading ^G520  unto ^G1519  the ^G3588  life, ^G2222  and ^G2532  few ^G3641  are ^G1510.2.6  the ones ^G3588  finding ^G2147  it. ^G1473 

This was extremely eye opening to me, because right away the Lord started to bring many other passages to my mind that shed light on this truth. One of the first verses that came to me was. 

2Timothy 3:10-12  But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11  Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

“all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” ALL is very inclusive. That obviously includes you and I, if it is our desire to live a truly Godly Life. But then again, did not our Lord make clear to us:

John 15:18-21  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21  But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

Luke 6:22-23  Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23  Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Matthew 5:43-44  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

“ Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company…” “Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy!” The Lord’s perspective is often very different than the worlds isn’t it? “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you” This all seems very straightforward, not hard to understand. Just hard to accept. I have come to see that this is what all this doctrinal dancing is all about today, that has worked to bring such confusion to so many in the Church. The Lord is not the author of confusion. In fact He made it clear to us, what these days would be like, through His apostles. 

2Timothy 4:1-4  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

“For the time will come”. The time is here, now! Why are most people not willing to endure sound doctrine? Why do they so readily accept fables instead? Because they are not willing to endure the rejection and persecution that comes with teaching sound doctrine. The word doctrine, has become a dirty word, too many Christians. The Lord made it clear, that this was how many would be offended, and fall away, in the parable of the sower. 

Matthew 13:20-21  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

The reason there are thousands of denominations today, is because people have itchy ears and demand that someone will teach the scriptures the way they prefer it. People have no intention of being crucified with Christ, or having their lives conformed to His image. Rather they demand that God be made in their preferred image. Just remember, when you make the Bible say what you would prefer it to say, you are no longer believing God, but yourself.

All this doctrinal dancing is just to avoid the cross, and the rejection that will inevitably occur to those that teach the whole council of God. I personally have nothing to lose, I am not a hire and fire preacher, that can lose their job. I have one goal, and that is to please my Heavenly Father. I have no desire to please any man. I am responsible to share the whole truth, even if it results in me being rejected. Eternity is a long time. This life is but a vapor, that is going to be gone very quickly. I will chose to live for eternal things. God’s Word and men’s souls, are two things that are eternal. I would rather die having shared the truth, and having been rejected by many. Then to try to please men, which isn’t even possible, and try to avoid rejection.

An Illustration Of The Narrow (Afflicted) Way

Many years ago I was taking a walk by my home, and spending some time with the Lord. During my walk, I came to a set of railroad tracks. I got up on the rail and began to balance and work my way down the tracks. I noticed that if I focused my attention just in front of me on the rail, it was quite easy to maintain my balance and steadily move forward. If I was distracted in any way, I would immediately lose my balance and fall off. I could sense that the Lord wanted to teach me something, so I ask Him what it was. He drew my attention to where I was focusing on the rail. It was about three railroad ties ahead of where I was walking. I noticed that where the rail and wooden ties meet, it was forming a cross. But even more moving, was the fact that the rail and tie was held together with spikes. Immediately my mind was drawn to Christ’s crucifixion. I was so moved at that moment, I had to step off the rail and take in the meaning of what the Lord was trying to say to me. I realized that with each step I took, my focus was moved to the next cross. He brought to my mind these verses:

Luke 9:23-26  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26  For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

Luke 14:26-27 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

“take up his cross daily” This is important to understand. The cross isn’t a once in a lifetime occurrence. No it is a daily occurrence, for those that are truly disciples (disciplined followers) of Christ. He makes it clear that we will suffer rejection, and some even the loss of their families, if they willingly pick up this cross. 

Mark 10:28-31  Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 29  And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 30  But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. 31  But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

Did you catch that? “with persecutions” Even within this context, He wants it to be very clear what this narrow way is all about. Go back up to the passage in Luke 9 a little ways back in this lesson. “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.” Why would people be ashamed of His Word? Because they want to follow Him, but they are not willing to carry a cross daily. Part of that cross is allowing Him to direct your life, so that it is consistent with His doctrine (teaching). For someone that is married and has children, this can be a great trial of their faith, if the wife or husband, or even the children are not willing to have their lives transformed in that way. This is why the apostle Paul counseled those that were single, to try to remain that way. He saw the difficulties many were experiencing trying to please the Lord and their families at the same time. For some it is impossible. 

This experience on the railroad tracks was before I was married, so I began to ask the Lord about having a wife, and how that fits into this. He drew my attention to the other rail, and explained to me that if she were up on that rail, and focusing on the cross as well, and we were holding hands as we moved forward, we would help balance one another. But if she was not willing, or I was not willing to stay focused on the cross, we would pull the other off the track, or have to let go. This realization is quite sobering. This is why your spouse can be a powerful influence for your Spiritual good or a distraction and a force that hinders your walk with the Lord. 

Often when the Lord is showing me something profound I will begin to be filled with questions, and start to ask Him to reveal practical aspects to what I am learning. My mind went back to how I had realized, as I was balancing, that if I was distracted in any way, I would lose my balance and fall off the tracks. He brought to my mind these passages:

Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Colossians 3:1-3  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

What have you placed your affections on? On earthly things, or eternal? There are so many things in this world that seek to draw our attention, and be a distraction, that gets us to take our eyes off the cross, and stall our continued journey on this narrow afflicted way. 

So I continued walking down the rail, very focused and sobered by what I was learning. Then the thought occurred to me, what if a train is coming? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate distraction? The Lord reminded me that with some of His disciples, this represents facing certain martyrdom. Staying focused on the cross, just knowing that certain death is descending rapidly. Realizing all they would have to do, to save their lives, was to simply step off the track, in other words deny Him, and be ashamed of His Words.

Mark 8:35-38  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Here He is bringing His Word into this again. “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation” I hope you will take these things seriously. Are you willing to get on the rail, and focus with a single eye, on being crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20)? If you are a spouse, are you helping balance your husband or wife, as you take a stand for the Word of God in a united way, even if it means being rejected by many of those that you love? Or is your focus on your earthly affections and lusts, hindering them? If you are a young person, and you have parents that are seeking to honor and obey Christ, are you doing what you can to help them? Or are you doing everything you can to make it difficult, because you have not taken Christ as your Lord and Master, and want to avoid the rejection that your parents may be receiving?

In Luke 14 Christ talked of hating “father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” Obviously Christ has something profound for us to understand. Other places we are told to Love them. I believe that this hatred, is what you will be accused of, by those that don’t understand the true cost of following Christ. Give your life to Him 100%. Don’t hold back anything, as you seek to walk with Him.

Acts 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

2Timothy 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Remember what Christ said in our original text: “broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” There are two gates. One is broad, the other narrow. You can’t just sit on the fence with this one. You will go through a gate of your own choosing. This brings to my mind something Christ taught:

Luke 6:24  But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

We will be considering this verse again in the future, as we study what Christ taught about money. But at this moment, I want you to consider the word consolation. These people, He is speaking too, are wanting to be consoled, or receive comfort in this life time. That is what they have chosen to do with their extra money (riches: that which was beyond what they needed to meet their legitimate needs), rather than invest it in eternal things, they seek to avoid the cross, and seek to find comfort with their extra money instead. Christ doesn’t offer to console us here. That is what He is offering in eternity, as He wipes the tears from our eyes. Remember the last shall be first, and the first last. Those that see eternity for what it really is, and this vaporous life for what it really is, will make choices accordingly.

Christ willingly gave up all the glories of Heaven to be born in a stable. Taking on, by the world’s standard, a voluntary poverty. So that He could live and share the gospel, among the poor and needy. The poor, being the vast majority of those that were actually willing to follow Him.

You will pick a side, even if you would prefer not too. Everyone that refuses to walk the narrow afflicted way, will find themselves automatically on the other path. It is like a fish in a stream, it either makes an effort and swims upstream, or it gives up and floats down stream, with the dead fish and the trash.

It is this daily crucified walk, that results in the Power and Life of Christ flowing through us. May God give us Grace to endure the cross, and despise its shame, as we seek to bring Glory to the Father, as we do His will. 

Luke 8:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

"Bible exposition without moral application raises no opposition. It is only when the hearer is made to understand that truth is in conflict with his heart, that resistance sets in. As long as people can hear orthodoxy divorced from life, they will attend and support churches and institutions without objection. On the other hand, The man who preaches truth and applies it to the lives of his hearers, will feel the nails and thorns. He will lead a hard life, but a glorious one." A. W. Tozer