In contrast, the gate to eternal life is strait and narrow.
Few will follow this path. “Broad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to
the deaths; and many there are that go in thereat, because they receive me not,
neither do they abide in my law” (D&C 132:25).
Strait is an interesting word. First, look at the etymology
of the word. “’[N]arrow, strict’ (late 13c.), from Old French estreit, estrait ‘tight, close-fitting, constricted, narrow’ (Modern French étroit), from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere
(2) ‘bind or draw tight’ (see strain
(v.)). More or less confused with unrelated straight (adj.). Related: Straightly.”
“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto
you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24).
“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto
you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (3 Nephi 27:33).
Here, the Savior is telling us the path to heaven is very
narrow, as is the gate. The smaller the path, the harder it is to follow. In a
sense, it would be easier to follow the wide path. It not only is easy to
follow, but it will be well traveled.
The narrow path offers more opportunities to get lost if we
do not follow it closely. As few will follow this path, we have to rely on the
Lord to guide us as we travel this path.
The Savior warned the Nephites
against false prophets. Frequently,
false prophets appear to be the Lord’s servant.
This is done to deceive the faithful.
We are to watch out for these servants of the devil.
Scriptures have made this
very clear. “Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner,
false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts,
and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall
be in the dark…
“Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false
doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted
up; because of pride they are puffed up…
“O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed
up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and
all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo,
wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to
hell!” (2 Nephi 28:9, 12, 15).
“Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in
my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto
them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought,
and the deceit of their heart” (Jeremiah 14:14).
“The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof
teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean
upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us”
(Micah 3:11).
“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many”
(Matthew 24:11).
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny
him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate [GR
unfit, worthless]” (Titus 1:16).
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even
as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1).
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits
whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world” (1 John 4:1).
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes
of thorns, or figs of thistles?
So, how do we recognize the false prophets. We are told we will know them by their
fruits.
“For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye
heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
“Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and
bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and
knew the grace of God in truth” (Colossian 1:5-6).
“To live as economic equals may be the most difficult form
of at-one-ment to achieve. At least we might infer as much after observing the
rich ruler fail his final test of discipleship—to give his wealth to the poor
(see Luke 18:18–22). In the Book of Mormon, during that singular season when
the Lord's people did achieve perfect at-one-ment, their drift toward
separateness was signaled early on by their divisions into economic classes
(see 4 Nephi 1:24–26). Because economic at-one-ment is so difficult to achieve,
the poor are always with us (see John 12:8; Mosiah 4:16–21).
“Speaking in parables, the resurrected Jesus compared our
works to the fruit of a tree. He taught that only a good tree produces good
fruit: ‘Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them’ (see 3 Nephi 14:16–20).”[1]
“One might
ask, how does God recognize which of his children are loyal to their covenant
with him? Christ himself answers that question. In his sermon at the temple in
Bountiful, the Lord repeats what he said to his listeners in the Old World: ‘Ye
shall know them by their fruits’ (3 Nephi
14:16; Matthew 7:16; emphasis added). Covenant keepers can be recognized by
what they become. To those who have entered into the covenant relationship but
not fulfilled its requirements, he will say, ‘I never knew you’ (3 Nephi 14:23; Matthew 7:23;
emphasis added). Conversely, how do his followers know that he is their God? God manifests
that he knows them by fulfilling his covenant
promises, as illustrated in the following passage: ‘And he gathereth his
children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and
they know him; and there shall be one fold and
one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture’
(1 Nephi 22:25). From this passage we learn that an important aspect of
God's knowing his people in this covenant agreement
is for God to gather his children under his care so that he can care for and
protect them.”[2]
A good tree brings froth good fruit; a decayed tree brings
froth degenerate fruit. “Therefore, if a
man bringeth forth good works he hearkeneth unto the voice of the good
shepherd, and he doth follow him; but whosoever bringeth forth evil works, the
same becometh a child of the devil, for he hearkeneth unto his voice, and doth
follow him” (Alma 5:41).
[2] Treaties and Covenants:
Ancient Near Eastern Legal Terminology in the Book of Mormon, RoseAnn
Benson and Stephen D. Ricks, Maxwell Institute website.
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