Will the Church Transform the World? — UHD 14:6

Jesus suggests a negative answer.  “Narrow is the way, and few there be who find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). According to Jesus, “narrow is the way.” Most people will reject the Truth, and Jesus Christ is the Truth. They will also reject His Body, the Church (John 15:19). For that reason, the Church will never bring in the kingdom or transform the whole world. Jesus Christ will do that himself when He returns.

When Jesus said “narrow is the way,” He knew that He is the only way to heaven (Acts 4:12) and to the presence of the Father (John 14:6 processor of this UHD blog). This is the nature of truth. Truth is very narrow. For example, to reach this blog you entered the true address that led you to this blog. If you deviate, differ, swerve away, add to, change, or say that the truth of the address of this blog doesn’t matter is to miss everything in the blog. If you deviate, differ, swerve away, add to, change, or say that the truth of Jesus as the only way doesn’t matter, it will lead only to destruction (Matt.7:13).

Any so-called church or Christian who leaves out Jesus Christ is missing everything. God did not give us many roads to heaven and His presence. He gave us one way. Jesus is not one option among many. He is not one of the electives that might be chosen along with other viable choices. Jesus Christ is the narrow way because He is the truth, and Jesus said that few will find this narrow way. The impact of this minority on a world stage that rejected Jesus Christ might not be very great.

What does this mean for the ultimate effectiveness of the Church to change the world or to bring social, structural change? The minority Church should not assume that it will be able to transform the whole world, nor should that structural approach toward evil consume the majority of any local church’s mission, goals, or time. The Church’s mission is to reach people with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ as the only way, and leave the results to God. Only when people are transformed from the inside out will the change be lasting and effective.