Truth is always narrow-always. Not just some of it. All of it.
Mathematical Truth
Let me illustrate it this way: "Two plus two equals four." Now, some fellow comes along
and says, "I’m not mathematically narrow-minded. I believe two plus two can equal fifteen or
twenty. I’m broadminded in my mathematics." Well, let him go down to the bank and see how
far he gets! He goes up to a teller and says, "I have a check here. I want to withdraw five
hundred dollars," and she looks at his account and says, "You don’t have but two hundred
dollars in your account." He says, "Why, that’s narrow-minded! I deposited one hundred
dollars, and I deposited another hundred dollars, and in my math that’s five hundred dollars!" And
the teller says, "You’re a first-class nut case!" Mathematical truth is
narrow.
Scientific and Historic Truth
Imagine an athletic fellow who believes in all those things to make you strong and muscled. On a
cold winter day, when the world up north is covered in snow, he stands on a bridge in order to dive
into the river below. As he prepares to take that plunge, somebody comes up to him and he says, "Man,
don’t you know that water freezes at 32 degrees? That river is solid ice!" He says, "I
don’t believe water freezes at 32 degrees. I am broadminded in my acceptance of scientific facts.
I happen to believe water freezes at 15 degrees." And the fellow says, "Fifteen degrees?
You dive off that bridge and you’re going to splatter your brains." He responds, "I’m
broadminded." And he dives off that bridge…and discovers that scientific truth
is narrow!
A broadminded historian might say, "I don’t necessarily confine myself to this great character
living in any particular age. Being broadminded," he says, "I don’t believe Caesar
lived in 44 BC, I believe Caesar lives now, and that he’s in Texas." You know what? If you
did that, they would be after you with a net, and would examine you as to whether you are a threat
to society…because historical truth is narrow.
God’s Truth
God’s truth is no less narrow. No broadmindedness will change the truth of the everlasting
God. He says in His book, the Bible, that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God" (Romans 3:23) also that "the wages of sin is death" (Roman 5:23). But
there’s good news-the Lord Jesus Christ turns toward the sinner, like the physician turns toward
the sick. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son [to die for our
sins], that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John
3:16). Christ "suffered for sins, the just for the unjust [us!] that he might bring us to
God, being put to death in the flesh" (1 Peter 3:18). Then he rose from the grave three
days later to prove he had accomplished what he came to do (1 Corinthians 15:4-6)! "Look
unto me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none other" (Isaiah
45:22). "There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must
be saved" (Acts 4:12). The grace and mercy of God are for sinners! Because we are sinful
and guilty, Christ made the ultimate sacrifice and died for us! He urges you to "enter in
at the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction" (Matthew
6:13-14).And that is the only way God says we will ever be right with him and forgiven
of our sins. God’s truth is narrow!
