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Humans generally travel on ways or walk on different ways, but those who are wise, specifically Christians selectively walk on a way they know to be safe, right and true. They make a choice after they have carefully been pointed to it.
This is why the ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers should be greatly valued and esteemed. Scripture says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).
The better approach to making a decision is to consider its consequences. Will it be destructive or rewarding? Genuine ministers of the gospel, on one hand, are expected to serve believers who are on the other hand.
A common duty we have is to point people, including sinners to the way that leads to eternal salvation with rewards. And this way that promises eternal salvation is traced to only Jesus Christ, who confirms its reality when He boldly says, “I am the way…”(John 14:6).
He does not say, “I am a way” but “I am the way.” Consider that Jesus uses a definite article, “the”, implying that He has no peers or there are no true alternative ways for humanity to enjoy eternal salvation.
The Lord, therefore, warns everyone, saying, “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, emphasis mine).
The gospel of salvation has been preached in most countries of the world, informing the 8.3 billion dwellers on earth to freely choose the hard way that leads to eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ. However, only 2.4 billion of the people have believed.
We are not surprised at all about the number of people who have chosen to walk through the narrow gate. Christ Jesus Himself indicated that “those who find it are few.”
The rejection of the way of salvation by many people does not discourage genuine servants of God who are determined to do the will of God. Even ministering under the Old Testament, Samuel, the prophet, saw the need to point the people of God to the right way (1 Samuel 12:23).
In the words of Peter, the apostle, any minister of the gospel who forsakes the right way and thus fails to lead people to it has gone astray. Such a minister has abandoned the right path to follow the desires of his flesh and pursue worldly goods just as Balaam did (2 Peter 2:15).
Those who forsake the right way of the Lord and wander off into the way of Balaam should be regarded as false ministers from the beginning. They have always loved gain from wrongdoing. It is no wonder that they peddle the gospel.
However, true servants of Christ remain faithful and committed to the way of the Lord. The first-century preachers determined to point people to the right way so much so that they identified themselves as belonging to the Way (Acts 9:2).
Consequently, the early Church was called the Way (Acts 19:9, Acts 24:14). This was probably because Christ Jesus had called Himself the way. “I am the way…” (John 14:6).
This undoubtedly influenced the apostles to preach the gospel, pointing believers to Jesus Christ, the only right and true Way for eternal salvation. Ministers in this generation have no option but to follow the footsteps of the earliest apostles.
By James Quansah
