The gate

(by J. C. Ryle)

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is
 the gate and broad is the road that leads
 to destruction, and many enter through it."
     Matthew 7:13

There is a gate which leads to pardon, peace
with God, and heaven. Whoever goes in by that
gate shall be saved. 

Never, surely, was a gate more needed. 

Sin is a vast mountain between man and God.
How shall a man climb over it? 

Sin is a high wall between man and God.
How shall man get through it? 

Sin is a deep gulf between man and God. 
How shall man cross over it? 

God is . . .
  in heaven,
  holy,
  pure,
  spiritual,
  undefiled,
  light without any darkness at all,
  a Being who cannot bear that which
  is evil, or look upon iniquity.

Man is . . .
  a poor fallen worm crawling on earth for a few years,
  sinful,
  corrupt,
  erring,
  defective,
  a being whose imagination is only evil,
  and whose heart is deceitful above all things,
  and desperately wicked. 

How shall man and God be brought together? 
How shall man ever draw near to his Maker
without fear and shame?

Blessed be God, there is a way!

There is a road.

There is a path. 

There is a door. 

It is the gate spoken of in the words
of Christ, "the narrow gate."

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is
 the gate and broad is the road that leads to
 destruction, and many enter through it."
     Matthew 7:13