The Wide Gate

Introduction: The Two Gates, Two Ways, Two Ends

0:07 Matthew, chapter 7, and our text again this morning, verses 13 and 14. Matthew, chapter 7, verses 13 and 14.

0:21 Enter ye in at the straight or the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because narrow is the gate and compressed is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. We have come in our studies of the Sermon on the Mount to this section beginning with verse 13, and it goes down through to the end where our Lord is applying with holy vehemence the truth that he's been laying out in the preceding sections.

1:06 He has described the nature of his kingdom, the characteristics of those who are in his kingdom, and now our Lord is urging upon men and women and fellows and girls to be sure that they are members of that kingdom and not to rest until they are positive that they belong to him. And he introduces this invitation to the kingdom in terms of a study in contrast, contrast between, two gates, two ways, two ends. Two Lord's days ago, and it was my privilege to be with you, we considered the narrow gate and the compressed way

1:51 under the general subject true conversion a difficult and a rare thing. Our Lord announced the possibility of conversion when he said, Enter in. It is possible. The door of mercy stands open.

2:07 But then our Lord enunciated the difficulties of conversion for he said that the gateway of true conversion is like a narrow turnstile and at that turnstile all the baggage must be left. All the baggage of sin and self must be repudiated. And then our Lord said it's difficult not only at the beginning but all along the way for it's not only a narrow gate but it's also a narrow or a compressed way. And then our Lord closes his description of the narrow way and the narrow gate by saying that such entrance is a rare thing.

2:48 Few there be that find it. Now whether we want to believe it or not, this is true. And I'm convinced until people begin to take that little phrase seriously, they're never going to really get sober about their soul's eternal well-being. When Jesus Christ said, few there be that find it, he meant that. He meant that.

3:14 The sum total of those who find it will be a great multitude whom no man can number according to the book of the Revelation. But compared with any given church and any given community and any given society and any given nation at any given age, precious few find that narrow way. And I tell you honestly as a pastor, this is the thing that makes the ministry a heavy responsibility. At times a tearful responsibility.

3:46 One from which a man in his right mind would run. That as I look out into the faces of you dear people, you young people, some of you sitting in the same places week after week and some of you adults. We don't have rented pews but it's amazing how we sort of get one reserved for ourselves and we sort of feel at home. To believe out of every one of those pews only few are going to find that narrow way that leads unto life.

4:13 Only few are going to enter through that turnstile and walk that compressed way that leads unto life. A serious business. It's a sobering reality. Now this morning I want us to consider the other gate and the other way that our Lord calls the wide gate. Notice carefully verse thirteen.

Defining the Wide Gate: Counterfeit Conversion

4:35 For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be which go in there at. True conversion pictured by the narrow gate and the compressed way a difficult and a rare thing, we're going to consider the wide gate and the broad way under the title counterfeit conversion an easy and a common thing. True conversion difficult and rare. Counterfeit conversion easy and commonplace.

5:15 Now many of the commentators, handle this section, as though the broad road is the one upon which all men who are not converted are walking. Now it's true that all men who are not converted are on their way to destruction, for the scripture says we are born in sin. We are by nature the children of wrath, according to Ephesians 2. And all those who are open unbelievers, those who repudiate Christ, those who have no respect for his holy laws, the Bible makes it very clear, be not deceived, know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God, neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor unclean,

6:00 nor whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men shall have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God, 1 Corinthians chapter 6. But I'm convinced our Lord is not talking about that general road upon which all unconverted men walk, by nature and by practice. For we do not enter that road by a specific act. We are, as it were, born upon that road. But notice that Jesus says that the broad road is one that is entered by a

6:35 specific entering. Wide is the gate, broad is the way, and many there be which go in their act. They actually enter through a wide gate and commence to walk. Upon a broad road. And I'm convinced that our Lord is talking not about that road upon which

6:57 the irreligious and the immoral as well as the self-righteous all walk, though that is true that the whole world is on its way to destruction unless they are saving the united to Christ. Our Lord is being more specific, and I'm convinced of it because of the preceding context, the following context, and the words themselves. What has our Lord been talking about? He's been talking about the nature of his kingdom.

7:25 He's talking to people who are interested enough in his kingdom to listen. He's talking to multitudes who have enough time to turn off the TV set and throw out the newspaper and forget the ball game to come and stand before him and hear his word. He's not talking to people who are thumbing their nose at God and Christianity and the truth and the Bible and the kingdom. He's talking to people who are interested in his kingdom. He's talking to people who are

7:49 interested enough to come to church Sunday morning and hear Pastor Martin preach. That's who he's talking to. Remember now, the preceding context, he's talking to people who are concerned enough to listen to him speak about the kingdom. Now, what follows this passage? There's the

8:08 warning about false prophets, those who would tell you a wrong way to enter the kingdom. In verse 21, he talks about false professors. Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. And many are going to say in that day, verse 23,

8:28 did we not do this, do that, do the other? And he's going to say, depart from me, I never knew you. Verse 24, whosoever hears these sayings and doeth them, verse 26, and everyone that heareth and doeth them not. You see, our Lord is talking to people who are in the climate of hearing his words and making profession of acceptance of his word and of his person.

8:53 We'll say, Lord, Lord. So I'm convinced the preceding context, the following context, our Lord is talking exclusively to people who hear about the kingdom, are interested in the kingdom, and even do things in relationship to his kingdom. And then, of course, the wording itself, many there be which go in thereat. There comes a specific time when men enter that broad, wide gate and begin to walk that broad, broad road. Who are they? Let me give my view, and I believe it's what our Lord is talking about.

Satan's Counterfeit Offer to Awakened Sinners

9:33 He's talking about people who hear of the kingdom. Their consciences tell them that this is right. Surely life is something more than eating and sleeping and making a living and just existing. There must be a kingdom of eternal worth. There must be values that are spiritual and abiding.

9:53 And their consciences tell them that that kingdom Jesus is describing, is the true kingdom. Not only does conscience tell them, but they sense something of the overtures of the Spirit's wooing. No one believes more firmly than I that all that the Father has given to the Son will be effectually drawn to him by the supernatural work of the Spirit. But the Bible also teaches that there are what I like to call overtures of God's wooing that go out to all men who hear the gospel.

10:30 God says through Stephen, Ye do resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did, so do ye. In the book of Hebrews talks about those who taste the powers of the world to come and are made partakers of the heavenly gift. And I believe our Lord is speaking of those who hear about his kingdom and conscience tells them that's right. You ought to be converted. You ought to be ready for the everlasting kingdom.

10:55 And not only does conscience tell them this, but there is a strange warming of their hearts and a wooing by the spirit. And they know, I've got to do something. I've got to get into that kingdom. Now, listen carefully. At that point, at that point,

11:10 the person who's interested in the kingdom, conscience is telling him, that's the kingdom you ought to be in, and the Holy Spirit in his overtures deals with them. Satan comes, the great counterfeiter, and he sets before them another option. For to such people, Jesus says, do you want entry? entrance to my kingdom, here it is. A narrow little turnstile you've got to unpack. Sin,

11:39 the world, and self. And I invite you to a narrow way, a difficult, compressed way, a lonely way as far as the world is concerned. A hard way, a way in which you cut off right hands and pluck out right eyes. A way in which the world will mock you and think you a fool and persecute you. I offer you that gate in that way, and at that point, the wicked

12:05 deceiver of the whole earth says, ah, but listen to me. Are you interested in the kingdom? I have a much easier way. Look. Jesus offers you a narrow turnstile. I offer you a big,

12:18 broad barn door. Look at it. Wide gate. You don't need to drop your baggage. You don't

12:26 need to be concerned about that. This is the way into the kingdom. And then he says, see beyond that great, large barn door, there's a broad, smooth highway. No difficult. Oh, they all go to the same place. But why don't you choose this way instead

12:42 of that way? And what is that way that Satan holds out before the minds of awakened sinners? If you're here this morning and you couldn't care less whether you go to heaven or hell, I have no message for you, dear one, except to pray that God will somehow awaken you from the slumber of your sin. But if you're here this morning and you couldn't care less whether you go to heaven or hell, if you're here this morning as one who says, yes, I hope to attain heaven, I want to attain glory everlasting, then I have a word for you today. For it's only to such that Satan

13:12 poses his counterfeit conversion. You see, anything that's worthwhile is going to be counterfeit. I never heard of a counterfeit penny maker or a penny maker who made counterfeit pennants. Never heard of anyone making counterfeit sandstones. I've heard of people trying to

13:32 pass off counterfeit diamonds and counterfeit $10 and $20 bills. And what's worth more than anything else in the world? The conversion of a soul. And we can count on it that the thing that's worth the most will have its counterfeit. And that behind that counterfeit

13:51 will be the work of him who is called the deceiver of the whole earth. Now, let us this morning to think our way through the text. Consider, first of all, the gate of counterfeit conversion. The gate of counterfeit conversion is the gate of counterfeit conversion. The

The Gate of Counterfeit Conversion: No Unpacking Required

14:05 gate of counterfeit conversion described, then the way of counterfeit conversion depicted, and then the end of counterfeit conversion declared. First of all, then, the gate of counterfeit conversion described. What does our Lord say about it? Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate. It's a gate that one may enter without unpacking. Remember

14:34 we used the illustration of the gate of counterfeit conversion. It's a gate that one may enter without unpacking. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate of counterfeit conversion. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate of counterfeit conversion. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate

14:42 of counterfeit conversion. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate of counterfeit conversion. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate of counterfeit conversion. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate of counterfeit conversion. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate

14:46 of counterfeit conversion. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate of counterfeit conversion. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate of counterfeit conversion. Notice, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate But there's no such problem with this wide gate of counterfeit conversion.

14:55 The traveler may come up to it, loaded down with all the possessions he's accumulated by the desire of his wicked heart and his depraved nature, and the devil says, there's no narrow turnstile, it's a big, broad barn door, and it's got an electric eye that'll mark you when you go through and count you as another one that's in, but you don't need to drop a thing. And the sinner stands before the two gates, and he looks at that narrow turnstile, and he realizes if he's to pass through all the baggage he's accumulated by his lust, his pride, his wicked heart, that that baggage is going to have to be left by the grace of God.

15:39 And then he looks at that large barn door and realizes, I can go through with all my baggage.

15:45 And he says, that'll be a lot easier. And so men enter. Why? Why?

Reason 1: No Strict Dealing with Sin

15:51 Suggests several reasons. First of all, because people may enter that wide gate of counterfeit conversion without dealing with the demands for a strict dealing with sin. True conversion demands a repentance that faces the issue of sin squarely. God says in Ezekiel, cast away all your transgressions, for why will ye die?

16:19 Jesus talked in this section about cutting off, cutting off right hands and plucking out right eyes. And to enter the narrow turnstile, one must meet the demands of a strict dealing with sin, not a surface dealing, but a strict and honest dealing with sin, even the most darling sin. But one may enter the broad gate, the wide gate of counterfeit conversion, and not even give two thoughts to the matter of sin. Counterfeit conversions allows people to, to spare the darling lust, to leave the Delilah upon the lap,

17:02 offers forgiveness without forsaking sin. It invites us to embrace Isaiah 1.18, where God promises, though your sins be as scarlet, they'll be white as snow, without facing the demands of Isaiah 1.15 and 16 and 17, which lead to verse 18, or in verse 15, God says, cease to do evil, learn to do well, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord.

17:37 Counterfeit conversion says, snatch the promises of mercy, but don't bow before the demands to repent.

Reason 2: No Merciless Dealing with Self

17:46 That's why it's a wide gate, for one can pass through without honestly facing the demands of a strict dealing with sin. Second reason, it can be entered, without facing the demands of a merciless dealing with myself.

18:07 That narrow turnstile meets us, and the first condition inscribed over it is this, if any man will come after me, Jesus standing this side of the turnstile, let him deny himself. The foundation upon which practical experience in Jesus Christ will be built is one in which self has been repudiated as the basis of life. True conversion demands that self be faced and repudiated. Self-indulgence, that's making me my own end, making the gratification of my appetite an end in itself,

18:51 eating, drinking, sleeping, why? Just to please me, and that's the mark of every man by nature. Second Corinthians 5.15 says that we live unto ourselves.

19:01 The narrow gate says you must repudiate yourself as your own end for this side of the turnstile, whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, there'll be a new end, the glory of the God who's redeemed you.

19:16 That wide gate of counterfeit conversion says you can pass right through, and you don't need to deal mercilessly with yourself. You can still be your own end. The only difference is now you'll go to heaven instead of hell. Just accept Jesus.

19:34 Nothing about repudiating self, taking up the cross and following him. Nothing. Snatch the benefits of his cross, and you may still live unto yourself, and you'll even have the greatest desire of self. You won't burn when you die, but you'll go to glory and wear a crown as big as a roasting pan.

19:56 No self-indulgence, making myself my own end, is never faced at that wide gate. Second area of self is self-will. Being my own master, saying I will not have this man to reign over me, I'll live my own life. At that narrow turnstile, the Lord Jesus beckons us to come, and he says what?

20:18 Take my yoke upon you. Cease to be your own master. He invites us not only into the blessing of the benefits of his cross, but he demands that we bow to the implications of his crown.

20:33 But that wide gate of counterfeit conversion says, look, you can pass through, not only failing to mercilessly deal with self, in the area of self-indulgence, making you your own end, but in the area of self-will. You can come through, taking Jesus as your savior, and then sometime later when you get ready, you can take him as your Lord.

20:58 That's why people go in by the droves. That's why they go in by the droves. For any man in his right mind will want the benefits of Christ's death, as far as escape from punishment. But no man ever wants the implications of his crown until the Holy Ghost is done.

21:17 The supernatural work for no man can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. And so multitudes go through that gate of counterfeit conversion because there need be no merciless dealing with self in the area of self-indulgence, making me my own end, self-will, making me my own master, self-righteousness, making me my own savior.

21:47 When we come to that narrow turnstile, the Lord Jesus, Jesus says, among other things, if you're to pass through, you must take the place of being a helpless, guilty, hell-deserving sinner with no righteousness to claim of your own and gladly submit to my righteousness so that as you walk upon the narrow way, your song will ever be on Christ. The solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand. And what a death blow this is to the pride of the human heart that says, I can work my way to heaven. And listen to me.

22:30 This whole business of decisionism has become a form of works. I have talked with many, many people and when I've asked them, how do you know you're saved? They don't say, I know I'm saved because God drove me out of self and showed me there was no hope for mercy, that my holiest deeds were found and I know I'm saved. I can now embrace Christ as my righteousness.

22:54 I don't think I've heard that but a dozen times in all the years I've been a preacher. I've heard so many people say, well, I know I'm saved because I made a decision at such and such a place. Nothing about Christ. All they talked about was their decision.

23:09 What have they done? They've made their decision their Savior. And it's still a hard core of self-righteousness. I decided for Christ.

23:20 Therefore, God decided He would take me to heaven. That's no different from the Jews saying, I fast, I tithe, I give offerings, I sacrifice. Therefore, God must accept me. This whole matter of focusing upon a decision for Christ has become a subtle form of law in which people are striving to be accepted by what they've done instead of by who He is.

23:47 There the wide gate stands and says, you don't need to repudiate self-righteousness. You can come right through and still be your own Savior. Whereas those who come through that narrow gate, they confess with Paul, all that I treasured of my righteousness, I count but a pile of dung. Beloved, you better count even your decision nothing but a pile of dung.

24:18 For if it's joined you to Christ, you know that you sought the Lord and afterward you knew it was He who saved you. It was He who saved you. It was He who saved you. It was He who saved you.

24:25 It was He who saved you. It was He who saved you. It was He who saved you. It was He who saved you.

24:26 It was He who saved you. It was He who sought you seeking Him. It was not so much that you on Him laid hold as He on you. Sure, nobody gets saved without a decision.

24:37 I'm not disparaging the fact that the Holy Spirit brings us to the place where we decide that we're going to, by the grace of God, enter. Yes, I know that. Repentance and faith in that sense are decisions. Sure, I acknowledge that.

24:53 But I trust you follow what I'm seeking to strike at this morning. What are you trusting in? Is it that you're joined to a Christ who has a perfect righteousness against which your best things are as filthy garments?

25:11 You can enter into that wide gate of false conversion and still cling to that hard, fibrous core of self-righteousness. The demands of a merciless dealing with self are bypassed at that wide gate. Self-indulgence, making yourself your own end, self-willingness, making yourself your own master, self-righteousness, making yourself your own savior, never touched.

25:40 Whereas those who enter through the narrow gate come out the other side and their end is Jesus Christ. To me, to live is Christ. Not perfectly, but basically.

25:52 Their master, Jesus Christ. They gladly confess Him to be their sovereign. Not perfectly, but purposefully and genuinely. And they gladly confess they have no righteousness but the righteousness of His own perfection and the covering of His blood.

Reason 3: No Ruthless Dealing with the World

26:14 You see why multitudes enter the wide gate of false conversion? Because they don't need to face the demands of a strict dealing with sin. They don't need to face the demands of a merciless dealing with self. And they don't need to face the demands for a ruthless dealing with the world.

26:34 Galatians 1, 4 declares to us that Jesus Christ gave Himself for us that He might deliver us out of this present evil world according to the will of God our Father. Jesus Christ died to deliver a people not only from hell to come, but from the hell of this world system that is geared to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

27:04 And so our Lord demands in coming to Him as that person, that wonderful little chorus says, the world behind me, the cross before me, the world behind me, the cross before me, the world behind me, the cross before me, no turning back, the world's goals, the world's smile, the world's approval, the world's standards, the world's frown. Jesus said that world spewed me out as an unclean thing until it, hung me on a cross. And if it did this to me, think it not strange that it will do the same to you. For I came not to bring peace, but a sword,

27:49 but counterfeit conversion, wide door. There need be no merciless dealing with the world. You can walk right through hugging the world, its standards of values, its goals, its ends, its ambitions. And all you need to do is refine them and doctor them up with a little bit of Christianity.

28:09 But you can still hug to that world. But you can't go through the turnstile of true conversion without leaving the world. For Paul said in Galatians 6.14, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world was crucified unto me and I unto the world.

28:31 Paul says the cross from which I received forgiveness became the cross by which I was saved from the world. Not perfectly, but basically and purposefully. My heart bleeds, beloved, when I see some of you flying in the face of clear Bible teaching about the ordering of your homes, willing to make sacrifices for financial gains in order to keep up with the world's standards. It makes me bleed as a bastard.

29:12 Into the God-called world.

29:18 You've got to fly in the face of the Bible standards of modesty. Some of you, dear ladies, the time has come, where if you're going to obey the Bible standards of modesty, you're going to have to be out of style.

29:31 I get so embarrassed sitting around in living rooms where women are tugging at their skirts.

29:40 God says, let a woman adorn herself as professing a woman who says she's godly as becomes a woman professing godliness.

29:50 It's necessary that offenses come. Yes, men will always be lustful, but Jesus said, woe be unto him by whom the offense cometh. And if through carelessness in your address you become the occasion, God said it were better that a millstone were hanged about your neck than you cause someone to stumble.

30:14 You see, the reason there's such conformity to the world in the professing evangelical church is we've held open a wide gate of counterfeit conversion. People have come through more afraid of the world's frown than a neighbor might say, oh, she's a year behind. Her skirt's down over her knees and ends.

30:35 More concerned that the world frown than the God frown. I know it's difficult. I'm sympathetic. I've seen my poor wife trying to buy things that are modest, having to ship them back.

30:54 If you're determined to be conformed to the standards of God's word in the areas, the practical areas of your home life, of dress,

31:02 you men, there's a word for you.

31:07 The world puts its pressure on us,

31:11 tries to make us feel that as men,

31:17 unless we've got that kind of appeal of a movie actor, we're not men, continually putting its pressure on us to lower our standards of advocacy, absolute purity in thought, in word, to get us into that area where there's a fuzzy gray that leads to the black. Continually putting pressure on us to make us feel if we don't accumulate every kind of new gadget that comes off the production lines of our nation, we're poor husbands and poor providers.

31:46 Make us feel that if we have some standards for our children and say no to some of their whims for toys and clothes and other ambitions and withhold financial aid for their good, that we're cool. That's the world's standards. And I tell you, God says some pretty practical things. Read about them in the book of Proverbs, about child discipline and child rearing.

The Way of Counterfeit Conversion: Compromise, Concession, Conformity

32:08 But that wide, wide gate says you can come right through with all the world's standards, all its ambitions, all of its goals, its smile. Come right through. That's why it's so popular. May I very briefly depict the way of counterfeit conversion?

32:24 We've looked at the description of the gate. Now Jesus said that wide gate, it leads to a broad way. And what is that way? It's simply an extenuation.

32:35 It's simply an amplifying of the principles found at its beginning. You enter through without facing the demands of a strict dealing with sin. And what happens along the way? It's the way of conscious compromise with sin.

32:53 There are people here in this building this morning who are consciously and continually compromising with sin. Not gross sin, for if you're to keep up your profession, you're a Christian, you've got to keep yourself from chasing around with the boys and going out to the honky-tonks.

33:11 But secret sin. Sin. And Jesus said, He that is unjust in little will be unjust in much. What you are is proved by what you do when there's no one to know but you and God.

33:29 See, if you're to chase around with someone else's wife, your wife might know about it. And the neighbors might know about it. And the church might know about it. So you dare not do that.

33:39 You can chase around with her in your heart.

33:43 If you don't run from it as much in your heart as you would from your deeds,

33:49 you're consciously and continually compromising sin.

33:54 That's the mark of people on the broad road. Conscious, constant compromise with sin.

34:06 If you'll cheat a few pennies knowingly on your income tax,

34:11 knowingly, not by accident, then you'd steal a thousand dollars if you had the right opportunity and wouldn't run the risk of getting your head blown off or being thrown in the jail. What you are on those few pennies known between you and God alone is what you'd be if you had thousands at your disposal.

34:28 Pretty searching principle, isn't it? And that broad road is a road filled with people who profess the name of Christ but consciously and continually compromise with sin. Why? Because they came through a wide gate in which they didn't face the demands of a strict dealing with sin.

34:51 It's the way of continual concession to self. Because they didn't face the demands of a merciless dealing with self, you watch them as they go on in the so-called Christian life and it becomes obvious that there's a pattern of continual concession to self. Self-indulgence in their time, in the use of their money, the way they spend the Lord's Day. Can't get out to prayer meeting.

35:14 Why? It's just inconvenient. You can do other things but it's inconvenient to pray.

35:22 I want to be specific, beloved, because we can deal in principles that never touch us where we live. Continual evidence of self-will. They don't have any intentions of obeying the book. Preachers can preach and teachers can teach and they might even read through a page now and then but they don't come to that book saying, oh God, whatever you say in this book, by your grace I'll do it.

35:45 Whatsoever you say to me, Lord, by your grace I'll do it. No intention whatever. Why? Because they came into the profession of Christian experience without facing the demands of a strict dealing with self-will.

35:58 They don't know what they're in that profession for. Beloved, if you don't seek to obey Jesus Christ and if this isn't a serious, earnest desire of your heart, you're on the broad road if you profess to be a Christian.

36:14 No evidence of an increasing attachment to Jesus Christ as their righteousness. The increasing conviction of every true child of God is that I must be saved if I'm ever to be saved by the infinite merits of Christ alone. Because a true Christian, the more he goes on with God, the more he sees the blackness of his heart, the wickedness of his motives, even of his holiest deeds. And it's a shocking thing to find that as an early Christian, many of the things you did as you look back now, you know that they were blighted with the worm of self-interest and self-glory.

36:53 So the more a man goes on with God and gets close, or to the face of God, the more he sees the imperfections of his own heart and life that touch him in the realm of motive and attitude and desire. And what happens to him? More and more he's driven to seek righteousness in Jesus Christ alone. Beloved, I bear witness today that the Bible doctrine of the righteousness of Christ imputed or put to the account of believing sinners is more precious to my heart today than it was thirteen years ago when I was converted.

37:29 More precious than it was a year ago. For this year has served to uncover more of the areas of the foul corruption of my heart. And I don't want God to deal with me on any other basis but the perfect righteousness of His Son.

37:48 Ah, but you watch. Those that enter that broad gate of counterfeit Christianity, the more they go on, what are they trusting? They trust the fact they come to church. Trust the fact they hear the preacher.

38:01 Trust the fact they give their dollar.

38:05 And they're more and more deceived into resting in themselves instead of resting in Christ alone. But oh, how sweet to meet an old saint who through the years has been clinging to Christ alone and see them coming to those autumn years of life and about to be plucked and made a diadem in the crown of our Lord in His everlasting presence. And to see them shake the head under the sense of disappointment and under the in the light of their weakness and sin and to see them confess that their only hope is Jesus. I tell you, beloved, that's Christianity.

38:43 That's Christianity. That's Christianity. That's in the way of counterfeit conversion, not only the way of conscious compromise, continual concession, but the way of consistent conformity to the world, conforming in its goals, its standards, these other things we mentioned. And because of that, the broad way is a way of sham, a way of unreality, a way of deception.

The End of Counterfeit Conversion: Destruction

39:16 But now, in closing, let us consider the last statement of our Lord in a sobering statement. Having considered the gate, described it, what it's like, the way, what it's like, now what is the end of counterfeit conversion? Notice our Lord's sobering words, and many there be which go in thereat where? To the road that leads to destruction.

39:45 And you see, the thing that's so terrible is that they enter through that gate thinking it's going to lead to life.

39:54 Try to picture this with me. A man has seen from some distance a man who's traveling across a certain country, and he sees a beautiful mountain, and he says, oh, I want to drive my car to the summit of that mountain or as close as it's possible to do so. And I want to attain that place that I might look over the countryside and take in its breathtaking view. And so he goes inquiring, and he finds that there are specific maps given as to how a man may get to that particular place.

40:23 And so he takes his map, and he looks at it and sees the first part of his journey where he must go, and he sticks the map on the side of his seat, and he takes off and begins to drive. After he's driven for some time beyond the point where he remembered the map, the map is there, but he forgot its direction. He saw a fork,

40:41 and one of the roads was bumpy, chuck holes in it, and looked rather difficult and very narrow. He didn't know what he'd do if he'd meet a car coming the other way. He'd have to back out or stop or pull over the side and jack the car up and get it back on. And he said to himself, certainly that can't be the road that leads to that beautiful place.

40:58 And then he saw the other road bent off to the left, and it even widened out. It was a big, broad, macadam-paved highway. And he thought for a minute, well, maybe I'd better check my...

41:08 Oh, no, it's obvious. Why? It's obvious which is the road that leads there. And so, without any checking, he turned off and moving along at 60 miles an hour on that broad way, and his eyes are looking up to that beautiful place that he thinks he's going to.

41:24 And while he comes around a curve moving about 50 or 60 miles an hour, he comes to a sharp precipice, and he drops down, and his car dashes to pieces 300 feet below the edge of that precipice. The man is killed. You say, what a tragedy.

41:41 Yeah, it would be. Especially if there were thousands of cars down there. Terrible tragedy.

41:48 And a double tragedy when they come and find him with the road map right by his side. And when you open the road map, it says when you get to a certain point and you meet a fork, and you see a broad macadam highway, if you value your life, don't turn into that road. Turn up the narrow road. Turn up the road that looks difficult.

42:13 For that's the road that leads to the mountain peak. The other road leads to destruction.

42:23 What would you think of people who with a map like that to guide them would deliberately drive to their own destruction? You'd say they were fools.

42:36 Beloved, this morning, listen to me as I pour out my heart to you in closing.

42:41 With a map like that before us,

42:45 if you just close it over this morning and say, well, I just know I'm on the right road. It's so smooth and nice and I feel so good. I must be on the right road. Beloved, that road leads to destruction unless it's the narrow road which was entered by the narrow gate of true Bible conversion.

43:06 The reason why the broad road is so popular is that it's so easy to get into it and it's easy to profess Christ. It's easy to profess conversion. And that's why it's popular and many there be which go in thereat. But oh, the horror that its end is destruction.

43:28 The broad road leads to destruction, everlasting darkness, outer darkness, weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Call to Self-Examination and Repentance

43:40 And our Lord says that it's a popular road. Many there be which go in thereat. I would dare to say that probably with but four, five, seven, eight exceptions every one of you sitting here this morning has professed some kind of conversion experience.

44:04 Now my question is, has it been that true conversion which is a rare and a difficult thing? Or has it been counterfeit conversion which is a popular and an easy thing?

44:22 May God the Holy Ghost give you no rest until you've been able to answer that question with a lot of faith. But with an open Bible. Don't look for the answers within your own heart. For the Scripture says, who so trusted his own heart is a fool.

44:41 Proverbs 30, 12 says, there is a generation that are clean in their own eyes, but they are not washed from their filthiness. Jeremiah said, they have healed slightly the hurt of the daughter of my people, saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace. Beloved, don't you settle that question by looking into your own heart, but you get down on your knees and open up this book of the Bible. and say, O God, am I one of those that you described as one who's on the narrow road?

45:08 Don't you give God any rest to yourself any rest until you know you've entered the narrow gate and are walking the narrow way. Ere too many years pass by, I'm going to stand in the presence of my God. And I tremble when I think of areas where I failed him miserably. Where he's given me light my Lord, with a little degree, a little degree of confidence.

45:37 That's in the area of seeking to faithfully warn you that you be not content with anything short of true Bible conversion. I don't say this with any degree of pride, for what hast thou that thou didst not receive? But I know gospel preaching churches where you could sit for thirty years and never be exhorted to examine yourself. Everybody would take it for granted if you nodded to Jesus always well.

46:09 And if you can step into the eternal pit of everlasting burnings over the faithful pleadings of mother and dad and friends and the stammerings of a preacher who doesn't want your praise but wants your soul, beloved, my hands will be clear of your blood. But I don't want you to go to destruction. I want you to press through the narrow gate because the narrow road with all its blessed road, the smile of his face, the joy of the indwelling spirit, the light of his countenance, the fellowship of his people, the expectation that we'll see him and be like him.

46:54 I tell you, it takes a lot of the sting out of the thorns and pours oil into the barbs that scratches and it sort of deafens us to the cries and mockings of the world and it fills us with what Peter called joy unspeakable and full but it's still a narrow gate and it's still a narrow way. May you enter it. Let us pray.

Prayer for Genuine Conversion and Praise for Grace

47:28 Our Father, we plead for the honor of your Son and for the good of the souls of fellows and girls, men and women, visitors, members, friends of this assembly. Don't allow the enemy to pluck up this word but cement it to our hearts. Keep us from the delusion of that counterfeit conversion experience. God, may we be found amongst those few who experience genuine conversion.

48:05 Lord, may your wounds by the Spirit continue to lay open the hearts of men until they cry for mercy, until they search their ways and see if they are indeed in the faith. Our God, for those who do this with an open Bible and by the enablement of the Spirit, say that I have entered the narrow gate and I am upon the narrow way. O God, fill us with such awe and wonder that you should have wrought such a work of grace in us for we know that we love the baggage of self and sin

48:50 in the world as much as any and it's only your grace that enabled us to see these things as self-destructive, only your grace that enabled us to turn in repentance and faith to the Lord Jesus. So, what can we do, Lord, but lift up our hearts in praise and cry from the depths of these hearts worthy as the Lamb that was slain to receive blessing and glory and honor. Hear us in our petitions this morning and take us to our homes in safety and to sanctify this world through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.