I don't know about you...

But I need to get back on the straight and narrow... "For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it"; I don't know about you, but I don't want to be one of "the many." It's not as if I am living a life that is steeped in sin... but I realize that even this statement is simply just my way of justifying my current state. If I have to be transparent, I am not actively choosing to follow Him daily.

I am just living. Existing.

It's frustrating.

So how does one enter through the narrow gate? How does one NOT be consumed by life and therefore become one of the many?

I am not arguing that one’s life has to be full of works; of course, works do not save you... but in the same breath, one has to take steps toward living a life that is honoring to God. You must take actions to ensure that you are growing. Of course we are saved by grace, but if you don't make a conscious choice to follow His instructions... then are you really choosing Him? There is a certain level of obedience that must occur if we are to be true followers of Christ. In other words, while there is nothing to we can do to earn our salvation; our actions do matter. I was raised under the doctrine of "once saved, always saved." But the older I got the more I am not sure I agree with this thought process. This seems to imply that once you ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins... you can pretty much live your life however you want and there is no condemnation for any of your actions. For the first 22 years of my life, I was pretty much living a life that reflected this. Again, I don't believe that this idea of “once saved, always saved” is accurate. For example, can one choose to walk away from Christ even after you have made the commitment to live for Him? Can you fall back into a sinful lifestyle and, as a result, in the end… fall short of being eligible for God’s grace? Romans 8:1 says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. But what does "for those who are in Christ Jesus" really mean." I believe that it means that if you believe that Jesus, God’s Son, died for your sins and you ask him to forgive you for your sins that you will be saved… But is this all there is? Can you just say the words and that is good enough? Or does being "in Christ Jesus" also mean that as a result of your decision to follow Him that will you also be obedient? If you have a humbling moment where you say a prayer and you truly ask for forgiveness, but then later on, you choose to live a life that is contradictory to God’s word… Are you truly saved? Or will you come before the Lord on the day of judgment and as a result of the lifestyle you have chosen, will He say: “Depart from me, I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23) If I am being completely honest, this thought scares the crap out of me.

So, what does it mean to have the Lord know you? Of course He knows everything about us… but what does it truly mean to know the Lord? I believe that it means to have a relationship with Him and follow His commands. If we seek Him, we will find Him and we will know Him. I believe that being a Christian is a daily thing… I believe that we need to choose to follow Him moment by moment… and we need to choose to be obedient. Without a doubt, we are saved by grace… but I also believe that this precious gift comes as a result of our decision to actively choose Him; furthermore, while our actions do not save us, they will be evident as a result of choosing to follow Him. As long as you are seeking His will for your life and you are daily choosing Him, then my thoughts are: it doesn’t matter if you believe that “once you are saved, you are always saved” or not; what matters is that you have a personal relationship with Him and that He knows you.

After working through this whole passage I don’t mean to imply that after making this choice to follow Him, that we are going to be perfect. Of course we will not be. We will still fail at times… we will still sin. But if we are “in Christ Jesus” then we will not be condemned.

The tough part about this is that I know that I am not choosing Him daily… and I need to make this change… I need to be in His word… I need to be in a daily relationship with Him so He knows me and I know Him. It is definitely a challenge for all of us. Our actions do matter… it is clear that we first need to ask for forgiveness, repent (or flee from our evil ways) and then we need to do the will of the Father.

13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

15 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Coming full circle... living life is more then merely existing. I need to think about how I am living my life and whether I am honoring Him in everything I do. Am I doing the will of the Father?

I don't know about you... but for me...change is coming.