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Following is an excerpt of "The Highway to Hell (11 of 12)" by Keith Krell added on 10/23/2009.
This content is part of a series.
The Highway to Hell (11 of 12)
Series: Counter-Cultural Christianity
Keith Krell
Matthew 7:13-23

In the early 90s, I played basketball at Multnomah Bible College. My basketball career is now a blur of mediocrity. However, one particular game stands out to me: Multnomah Bible College vs. Reed College. Reed is a well-known bastion of tolerance that is the antithesis of Multnomah. What I vividly recall from this game was the warm-ups. The moment our team took the floor for our layup drills, Reed starting playing AC/DC's infamous songs "Highway to Hell" and "Hell's Bells" over and over. The Reed players and fans laughed and mocked while we just went about our business. This desperate but rather clever attempt to "get into our heads" failed. We beat them by a whopping fifty points! (I had to share this.) What I remember, however, was my grief that many (if not all) of these young people were headed to a Christless eternity. What these players and fans thought was one big joke was actually dead serious. This led me to ask the question, "What is the difference between these Reed students and me?" I quickly thought through total depravity and unconditional election, but then recognized that certain passages emphasize the necessity to believe in Christ. In other words, from humankind's vantage point what distinguishes us from one another are the choices we make. We make decisions and then those decisions turn around and make us. To say it another way: "Your decision about Christ affects your destination." In Matthew 7:13-23, Jesus gives two charges that will help you to make correct choices.

1. Choose narrow over broad (7:13-14). In these two familiar verses Jesus warns, "Don't worry about being PC—Politically Correct; instead, be SC—Spiritually Correct. He begins with a command and then follows it up with two reasons: "Enter through the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it" (7:13-14). Jesus sets before the crowd an either/or choice regarding eternal life. There are two gates, two ways, and two destinies. The key to understanding this section is that one enters through the gate and then begins traveling the road of discipleship. Jesus is the narrow gate. His narrow gate leads to a kingdom. The way of discipleship then stretches throughout one's years on earth, ultimately leading to life eternal. Unfortunately, many people will choose the more appealing wide and broad gate not realizing that it leads to eternal destruction. Obviously, Jesus didn't say these words with a smile on His face. It doesn't make Him happy that only a few find the way; He's simply stating a sad fact of life. Even in America, only 34% of people consider themselves born-again Christians. Yet, more reasonable observations place the percentage at about 23%. That means 77% of Americans are ...

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