Questions for reflection, application, and discussion 1. Jesus taught ...

Questions for reflection, application, and discussion 1. Jesus taught that salvation was like a narrow gate, and that there is a wide gate that most find, but “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” In contrasting these two ways, Jesus wasn’t contrasting the religious and the irreligious, or the moral and the immoral, but he was contrasting two paths of people who seek to be good. a. Does this imply that there are good ‘religious’ people in our day who go to church and who like Jesus and his teaching, but who won’t be saved? Explain your answer. b. If so, what is the difference between those who miss the narrow door and those who enter through the door? 2. What is absolute truth, and why is the question of absolute truth important to our faith? 3. It has become common to believe that there are two “spheres of truth,” first there is religious and moral truth, and second there is scientific truth, and that these two spheres should have different rules in defining truth. Is this view of spheres of truth correct? Why or why not? How would you respond to someone who argued for this division of truth? 4. What is an evolutionary view of truth? Where do you see people holding this evolutionary view of truth in our culture? How does this evolutionary view of truth impact issues of faith and morality? 5. In his message, Pastor Mike taught that the narrow door of salvation is both exclusive and inclusive. a. In what ways is it exclusive? b. In what ways is it inclusive? 6. There are many who would argue that the claim that there is only one way to heaven, and that the door to heaven is narrow, is both arrogant and judgmental. How would you respond to someone who argued this? 7. Jesus teaches us that there are two paths, and the “gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” But the “gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” a. How is the gate to the path of following Jesus narrow? Why do so few find it? b. The fact that the other path is wide and there are many on it suggest that many who are on the wrong path think they are on the right path. How can you know if you’re on the right path?