The Narrow Path

Mark 3:13-17

"Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve--designating them apostles--that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder)."

There is a narrow path. It seems that Jesus draws the multitudes but the chosen ones in His inner circle are the ones that stay. Out of six and a half billion people in the world, a third of those are "Christians" and yet sometimes we wonder how many of those truly are. What is this narrow path? What is the difference between membership and discipleship? These who are closest to Him also first-hand witnesses to His majesty and glory plus a few more extra privileges such as authority and deep fellowship. We distinguish between salvation and discipleship. Salvation is God's offer of forgiveness and reconcilliation to all through the basic acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ whereas discipleship is a progressive goal of a believer in his/her journey towards Christlikeness. It seems to me that this is the narrow path – from whence comes the construction of a consistent character, the strength of convictions and a genuine passion for God. I believe this is where the principle that Christianity as "a relationship" and not merely a religion comes into play in our daily life. Seeking God's face, nearness and presence is a narrow path but it does have its priveleges – the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, answered prayers, authority with the Word, eternal rewards to come, and even worldly blessings for God's purposes. Along with such wonderful priveleges and nearness to God is a solemn responsibility – obedience, repentance and striving to measure up to our standards, and as long as we do not feel deeply within us this burden, we may not grasp the importance of God's regenerative and progressive work in our lives to make us more and more like His Son, Jesus. Realizing this burden and solemn responsibility and putting it in the right perspective of striving to please God because we love Him, we desire to simply to be close to Him and develop our relationship, sets us free from the bondage of legalism. The path remains narrow though, and it isn't any wonder. Even though Christianity maintains a lion's share of the world population at two billion out of six and a half, how many of those are really followers of Jesus Christ? The truth is, what the Christian life entails, for most, a serious commitment to a lifestyle and paradigm that is more often than not against this world's and the spirit of the age. http://youtu.be/lX58NHDQyT8

Exodus 19:5

"Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine."

~10.07.2014