One of the most consistently popular tracks that is played at funerals is Frank Sinatra’s “I did it my way”. It’s a stirring, emotional song that celebrates a life lived on a person’s own terms.
Would it surprise you to learn that as far as God is concerned, that is a sign of failure? The Bible says, ‘There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death’ (Proverbs 14:12).
There’s a message that’s all around us these days: “Follow your own path.” “Do what’s right for you.” It’s preached by self-help manuals, emblazoned on T-shirts, and it’s the subliminal message of countless feel-good movies. But it’s flatly contradicted by the teaching of Jesus Christ: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
The Gospel message centres on God’s gift of His Son Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. As Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). This stupendous gift of God which leads to forgiveness and eternal life is not unconditional. “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (v. 14). This, as far as God is concerned, is a life that is worth celebrating.
Commandments of Christ
So what does Jesus command his followers? The way to find out, of course, is to look for yourself. His teachings are contained in the four Gospels that are at the beginning of the Bible’s New Testament. And they are illustrated and amplified in the rest of the Bible—Old Testament and New Testament. Here are three key points:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Following Christ involves self-denial, and walking a path which isn’t necessarily the one you’d choose for yourself.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Jesus called these the two greatest commandments: first, to love God, the Creator, which leads to a love for your fellow creatures.
“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Following Christ begins with baptism, which is the start of your new life.
The Narrow Way
Jesus told a parable about two paths. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13–14).
I see a picture of crowds of people wandering aimlessly under a gantry and along a four-lane highway, unaware and uncaring that they’re heading downhill into the fog of oblivion; whilst here and there the odd one or two look up and see a path winding up a sunny mountainside—it’s steep and difficult, but they decide that’s where they want to be, they leave the throng and head off up the foothills to find that path.
Jesus describes the path of discipleship as hard—because it requires discipline and effort. But we all know that life is often a struggle, even when you’re following the carefree crowds down the highway of destruction. Perhaps the struggle is most intense at those moments when you look around and take stock and ask yourself, “Where am I going?”, “What’s it all about?”
In contrast, this is another picture of the narrow way:
‘You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures for evermore’ (Psalm 16:11).
Chris Parkin