Heaven is large but the way to heaven must be narrow.
Ron Rhodes, 1001 Unforgettable Quotes about God, Faith, & the Bible (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2011).
—Henry Smith (1560-1591), English Puritan preacher
Bible Truth Behind the Quote:
“There is salvation in no one else [other than Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12)
COMMENTS and CONTEXT
In today’s use of language, especially English, one who strongly expresses their opinion on something (right or wrong) is considered (in a negative way) dogmatic. Even two centuries ago, Noah Webster’s dictionary carried the exact inference.
So, how can we understand the Bible and its references to a narrow path? After all, Jesus makes the most dogmatic statement (See Webster #3) in history. It is pretty simple: we either trust and obey John 14:1-11 or deny Christ. Verse 6 makes it plain and simple it is the narrow way (Christ) or the highway (hell). Unless you are a lunatic AC/DC fan, Highway to Hell has no appeal.
8168 – way, the
A term used metaphorically to refer both to the Christian faith (especially in Acts) and to Jesus Christ himself (especially in John’s Gospel). Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation for sinful human beings. The term is often used with other expressions in Scripture to describe aspects of the life of the believer.
The Way refers to the Christian faith
Ac 9:2 See also Ac 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22
The way refers to Jesus Christ himself
Jn 14:6 See also Jn 10:9; 14:4-6; 1Ti 2:5; Heb 10:19-20
Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation for sinful human beings
Ac 4:12 See also Mk 16:16; Jn 1:12-13; 3:15-16; Ac 16:31; Ro 10:9; Eph 2:8; 1Pe 1:5
Way used with other terms to describe the life of faith
The way of righteousness Mt 21:32 See also Mt 3:1-12; 2Pe 2:21
The way of God Mt 22:16 pp Mk 12:14 pp Lk 20:21 See also Ps 18:30; Isa 55:9; Ac 18:25-26; Heb 3:10; Ps 95:10
The way of the Lord Ac 18:24-25 See also Ge 18:19; Ps 27:11; 143:8; Pr 10:29
The way of salvation Ac 16:17 See also Mt 7:14
The way of peace Lk 1:79 See also Isa 26:3,12; 57:20-21; Ro 3:17; Isa 59:8
The way of holiness Isa 35:8 See also Heb 9:8
Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).
DEVOTION
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