What is Bible Truth?
"WIDE
is the gate of destruction, and broad that way leading thither;
and many are they who enter through it. How narrow is the gate
of life! how difficult that way leading thither! and how few
are they who find it!" Matt. 7:13,14, Diaglott translation
"And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall
be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over
it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools,
shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous
beast shall go up thereon, nor be found there; but they that
walk there shall be delivered." Isa. 35:8,9
Three
ways, the "broad road," the "narrow way"
and the "highway," are thus brought to our attention
in the Scriptures.
The Broad Road to Destruction
This road is thus named because it is most easy to the degenerate
human race. Six thousand years ago, as a sinner condemned to
destruction, Adam (and the race represented in him) started
upon this road, and after nine hundred and thirty years he reached
its end--destruction. As years and centuries have rolled on,
the downward path has become more and more smoothly worn, and
the race has sped more and more rapidly to destruction, the
way becoming daily more glazed and slimed and slippery with
sin. And not only does the way grow more slippery, but mankind
daily loses the power of resistance. Men now reach the end of
the road--destruction--nine hundred years quicker than did the
first man.
For six thousand years the race has steadily pursued the broad,
downward way. Only a few, comparatively, have tried to change
their course and retrace their steps. In fact, to retrace all
the steps, and reach the original perfection, has been impossible,
though the effort of some to do so has been commendable, and
not without beneficial results. For six thousand years sin and
death have reigned relentlessly over mankind, and driven them
upon this broad road to destruction. And not until the Gospel
age was a way of escape brought to light. Though in previous
ages rays of hope were dimly seen in types and shadows, which
were joyfully hailed and acted upon by a few, yet life and immortality
were not brought to light until the appearing of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, and the proclamation by the apostles of
the good tidings of redemption and remission of sins and a consequent
resurrection from the destruction. (2 Tim. 1:10) The teachings
of Jesus and the apostles bring to light life--a restitution
or restoration to life for all mankind, as based upon the merit
and sacrifice of the Redeemer; and they show this to be the
significance of many Old Testament types. They also bring to
light immortality, the prize of the high calling of the Gospel
Church.
Although a way of escape from the broad road to destruction
has been brought to light through the gospel, the great mass
of mankind heeds not the good tidings, because depraved by sin
and blinded by the Adversary. Those who now gratefully accept
the promise of life, restoration to human existence, through
Christ, have pointed out to them a new way which has been opened
up, by which consecrated believers may go beyond the human nature
and be changed to a higher nature--the spiritual. This new way
"consecrated for us"--the royal priesthood (Heb. 10:20)--
our Lord called "The Narrow Way to Life" .
The
Highway of Holiness
While the special hope of the Gospel age is so surpassingly
glorious, and the way to it is correspondingly difficult --narrow,
hedged in by hardships and dangers at every step--so that few
find it, and obtain the great prize at its end, the new order
of things in the age to come is to be entirely different. As
a different hope is held out, so also a different way leads
to it. The way to immortality has been a way which required
the sacrifice of the otherwise lawful and proper hopes, ambitions
and desires--the sacrifice forever of the human nature. But
the way to human perfection, to restitution, the hope of the
world, requires only the putting away of sin: not the sacrifice
of human rights and privileges, but their proper enjoyment.
It will lead to personal purification and restoration to the
image of God as enjoyed by Adam before sin entered the world.
The way back to actual human perfection is to be made very plain
and easy; so plain that none may mistake the way; so plain that
"the wayfaring man, and those unacquainted therewith, shall
not go astray" (Isa. 35:8--Leeser); so plain that none
will need to teach his neighbor, saying, Know the Lord, for
all shall know the Lord from the least unto the greatest. (Jer.
31:34) Instead of being a narrow way that few can find, it is
termed "a highway," a public roadway--not a narrow,
steep, rugged, difficult, hedged byway, but a way specially
prepared for easy travel--specially arranged for the convenience
and comfort of the travelers. Verses 8 and 9 show that it is
a public road, open to all the redeemed--every man. Every man
for whom Christ died, who will recognize and avail himself of
the opportunities and blessings purchased by the precious blood,
may go up on this Highway of Holiness to the grand goal of perfect
restitution to human perfection and everlasting life.
Nor will these be reckoned justified and granted a reckoned
standing of holiness and perfection in the sight of God; when
started upon this highway of holiness they may go up thereon
to actual perfection, as a result of endeavor and obedience,
to which all things will be made favorable by their Redeemer,
then reigning in power. Each individual will, according to his
necessities, be aided by the wise and perfect administration
of the new kingdom. This, as will occur to some, is the legitimate
result of the ransom. Since our Lord, the man Christ Jesus,
gave himself a ransom for all, and desires all to come to a
knowledge of the truth, and thereby to actual perfection, why
does he not at once make a good and broad highway for all? Why
does he not remove the obstructions, the stumbling-stones, the
pitfalls and snares? Why not help the sinner back to full harmony
with God, instead of making the way narrow, rugged, thorny,
hard to find, and still harder to walk in? A failure rightly
to divide the Word of truth, and to see that the present narrow
way leads to the special prize, and is for the trial and selection
of a little flock of joint-heirs, the body of Christ, which,
when selected and exalted with their Head, shall bless all nations,
has led some to very confused ideas on the subject. Failing
to see God's plan, many try to preach a highway of holiness,
an easy way to life, in the present age, when no such way exists,
and they confuse and compromise the matter to fit the facts
and the Scriptures with their mistaken theories. On the highway
soon to be opened, only sinful things will be prohibited, while
those who travel the narrow way must deny themselves and sacrifice
many things not sinful, as well as war continually against besetting
sins. This is a pathway of sacrifice, as that of the coming
age is to be a highway of righteousness.
Of that highway it is significantly stated in symbolic language
that "No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall
go up thereon; it shall not be found there." (Isa. 35:9)
How many frightful lions are now in the way of those who would
be glad to forsake sinful ways, and to pursue righteousness!
There is the lion of a degenerate public sentiment, which deters
many from venturing to obey the dictates of conscience in matters
of everyday life--dress, home, and business arrangements, etc.
The lion of temptation to strong drink hinders thousands who
would be glad to see it removed. Prohibitionists and temperance
workers now find a herculean task on their hands, which only
the authority and power of the next age can remove; and the
same may be said of other worthy efforts at moral reform. "Nor
shall any ravenous beast go up thereon." No giant corporations,
organized to advance selfish, individual interests at the expense
of the general good, will be tolerated. "They shall not
hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain" (kingdom) saith
the Lord. (Isa. 11:9) Though there will be difficulties to labor
against in overcoming propensities to evil, etc., yet, in comparison
with the narrow way of this age, that will be an easy way. The
stones (stumbling-stones) shall all be gathered out, and the
standard of truth shall be lifted up for the people. (Isa. 62:10)
Ignorance and superstition will be things of the past, and righteousness
will receive its due reward, while to evil will be meted out
its just deserts. (Mal. 3:15,18) By wholesome chastisements,
fitting encouragements and plain instructions, as returned prodigals,
mankind will be trained and disciplined up to the grand perfection
from which father Adam fell. Thus "the ransomed of the
Lord shall return [from destruction, by the grand highway of
holiness]...with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall
flee away." (Isa. 35:10) Our Lord referred to but two of
these ways, because the third was not yet due to be opened up--just
as when announcing the good tidings, he said, "This scripture
is fulfilled in your ears," but omitted mentioning the
"day of vengeance," because it was not then due. (Compare
Luke 4:19 and Isa. 61:2.) Now, however, as the narrow way draws
to a close, the grand highway of righteousness begins to be
seen more and more distinctly, in the light of the dawning day.
Thus we have found a "Broad Road," on which at present
the masses of mankind travel, deluded by the "prince of
this world," and led by perverted tastes. We have found
that it was opened up and that our race was started in its headlong
course upon it by "one man's disobedience." We have
found that the "Highway of Holiness" is to be opened
up by our Lord, who gave himself a ransom for all and redeems
all from the destruction to which the "Broad Road"
leads, and that it will, in due time, be accessible and easy
for all the redeemed ones whom he bought with his own precious
blood. We have found, furthermore, that the present "Narrow
Way," opened up by the merit of the same precious blood,
is a special way leading to a special prize, and is made specially
narrow and difficult as a test and discipline for those now
being selected to be made partakers of the divine nature and
joint-heirs with our Lord Jesus in the Kingdom of glory soon
to be revealed for the blessing of all. Such as have this hope--who
see this prize--may count all other hopes as but loss and dross
in comparison. Phil. 3:8-15