The Narrow and Wide Path

[OneStrike_ur_out]

Yes, I have many memories of how the CoC used these verses to prove they were the only ones saved. It doesn't seem that the thought ever occurred to anyone in the CoC that the "wide gate" is not only wide enough for all of those evil denominations and non-religious people, but it's also wide enough for those in the CoC who are self-righteous and judgmental and legalistic.

Twisting the Scriptures to fit their preconceived beliefs is a never ending process for the hardline CoC tribes. The path they trod is a self-governed, and as you wrote, "self-righteous and judgmental and legalistic" path. Only those who walk lockstep with their EXACT understanding of the Scriptures are judged worthy to walk beside them.

The one-and-only "narrow path" is easily identified, it sports a sign reading ... THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. If your church has a sign with anything else written on it, you're automatically judged as an aimless meandering reprobate heading straight to Hell.

And even if you are in the "one true church", there is no guarantee that you will enter the pearly gates. In fact, the chance is higher that you won't. Only a select few within the select few actually make it.

[agricola]

It could be read to support other verses which have the same general thought: that there is the 'easy' way, and then there is the 'right' way in our lives, and the temptation is always to take the easy way because it is wide and tempting. But taking the right path is often hard and easy to overlook - for each individual. Honestly, I don't think the coc is 'wrong' in the interpretation of that verse, just applying it to inappropriate places (like having a steeple on the building or something). The verse applies for some decisions, but for others it is not a relevant passage.

They should read Pilgrim's Progress!

The correct interpretation, but the wrong application. Unfortunately, they tend to believe they are the only ones meandering down this narrow path.

Now now - one cannot 'meander' on a narrow path! It is STRAIGHT and narrow, remember! You cannot 'turn aside, to the right hand or to the left' or you are off the way that leadeth to salvation.

(interestingly enough, orthodox Jews use almost the same term to refer to folks who leave THEIR particular 'narrow path': they are OTD: off the derekh, which means 'off the road'. Wanderers, lost sheep or whatever.)

[KLP]

...(interestingly enough, orthodox Jews use almost the same term to refer to folks who leave THEIR particular 'narrow path': they are OTD: off the derekh, which means 'off the road'. Wanderers, lost sheep or whatever.)

Lost sheep? I thought they were not even Jews anymore if they wondered off the reservation.

[agricola]

klp - OTD refers to orthodox-raised young folks who stop being OBSERVANT. Not to the ones that convert to Christianity. THOSE, they consider 'dead' and until recently, the families would go through normal funeral mourning practice (not all, but some).

Some of that goes back to the Spanish Inquisition period, when a Jew who converted to Christianity was always under suspicion of reverting, so the only safe course was to abandon all communication of any kind with family and former friends and associates. Plus a Jewish person suspected to tempting a Christian into reverting was also subject to the death penalty.

Nowadays there's just a lot of family angst and probably a lot of yelling, but AFAIK, hardly anybody pretends they are actually dead.

[KLP]

potatoe, potahtoe, tomatoe, tomahtoe

[agricola]

oh absolutely. People are people wherever you go, pretty much. The 'ultra-conservative' (or 'fundamentalist') mindset exists across all religions and all cultures, I do believe.

[OneStrike_ur_out]

Welcome to the one true church. We are the only ones going to Heaven. Now, that certainly does not mean that ALL of us are going to make it into Heaven. Oh, no no no no no NO!!! Plenty of our own will be burning right along side those who were in denominations and those who never set foot into church a day in their lives.

[OneStrike_ur_out]

Do any of you remember being taught that Matthew 7:13 & 14 supported that CofC teaching that we were the only saved ones? It was implied that this proved that you had to get every little thing just right and only a few people would do that. I have heard that all churches that teach they are the only right ones use these verses to back this up.

Since the path is so narrow, and they alone understand exactly what's right, it's only reasonable they alone will march through the pearly gates ... standard hardline CoC logic!

This ^^^

[Ivy]

Do any of you remember being taught that Matthew 7:13 & 14 supported that CofC teaching that we were the only saved ones? It was implied that this proved that you had to get every little thing just right and only a few people would do that. I have heard that all churches that teach they are the only right ones use these verses to back this up.

Since the path is so narrow, and they alone understand exactly what's right, it's only reasonable they alone will march through the pearly gates ... standard hardline CoC logic!

This ^^^

That's right. And also remember that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.

[FCOCER]

It seems to me the next few verses show the coC is not on the narrow path. "Many will say to me in that day, have we not done this or that, but I will say, depart from me you who practice lawlessness." He is talking about people who think they are doing everything exactly right and believe they are owed salvation... IMO.