Dr Paul Allen

Image via Wikipedia "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." ( Matthew 7:13-14 )   It is sobering to realize that the multitudes who believe that all people are "going to the same place" actually are all going to the same place, for they are all traveling the broad way to destruction. It was God Himself, through Jesus Christ , who said that few (few!) ever find the way to eternal life. That narrow way to life is only through Christ , who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" ( John 14:6 ).   The word for "way" in both Old and New Testaments means a road, or journey. Figuratively, it is often used for a lifestyle. The Bible makes it plain, again and again, that there are two ways and tw

Image via Wikipedia "The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people." ( Deuteronomy 7:7 )   Modern people--even Christians--tend to measure success in terms of bigness. God 's measure, on the other hand, is based on quality, not quantity. There were undoubtedly millions of people on the earth, for example, when the Flood came in the days of Noah , but only "few, that is, eight souls were saved" as the waters lifted up the Ark ( 1 Peter 3:20 ).   A few centuries after the Flood, populations had again increased, and great nations had developed in Egypt and Sumeria and elsewhere. But God called one man, Abraham , to establish a new nation, and Abraham obeyed. A number of great nations (Arabs, etc.) came from Abraham, but again God chose only one-- Israel , to inherit the promise. Israel did grow, but as our text shows, even this chosen nation was nearly always insignifica

Image via Wikipedia "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." ( 1 Thessalonians 5:21 )   Human beings are very gullible, and counterfeiting is a profitable occupation for many deceivers. But spiritual counterfeits are the most dangerous of all, and at times the most difficult to detect. There are many false gods, and this is the subject of the very first of the true God 's Ten Commandments : "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" ( Exodus 20:3 ). We are warned also to "beware of false prophets" ( Matthew 7:15 ) and "false Christs" ( Matthew 24:24 ). There are those who preach "another Jesus" ( 2 Corinthians 11:4 ), and many who come preaching "another gospel" ( Galatians 1:6 ) rather than the true saving gospel of Christ.   There are also counterfeit Christians who are "false brethren" ( 2 Corinthians 11:26 ) as well as "false teachers" ( 2 Peter 2:1-2 ) and "false apostles" ( 2