The Narrow Path to True Faith

A beautiful new friend I recently met shared a video with me, and I felt compelled to pass it along. It stirred something deep in me, and I believe it’s a powerful tool for self-reflection, discernment, and better understanding the walk of true faith.

The video illustrates the straight and narrow path to God’s kingdom—one that is grounded in faith in Jesus Christ, humble service, and the resistance of two tempting side paths. These side paths are described as:

1. An Arrogant, Legalistic, and Opinionated Mindset

2. A Pleasure-Seeking, “Do Whatever You Want” Lifestyle

   
   

I think this image is brilliant for helping us examine ourselves and the tension we often feel around grace, works, and spiritual maturity. Let’s take a closer look.

Self-Reflection

Self-reflection is vital on any spiritual journey. In the New Age, there is a heavy focus on shadow work, healing trauma, and evolving according to subjective standards of maturity. Christianity, too, emphasizes maturity—but it’s rooted in repentance and the transformative power of Jesus Christ.

In Christianity, we identify our sins—not just our wounds—and we repent. We don’t spiral endlessly in shame or confusion. Jesus provides the way through shame and into healing. While denominations may vary in approach (for instance, Catholics include more works-based practices like confession), the goal remains the same: spiritual maturity through Christ.

In the New Age, shadow work can easily become a loop. You can spend years “processing” your past, only to be told that your issues stem from ancestral trauma, past lives, or the collective pain of humanity. This belief system pulls you out of the present, clouds critical thinking, and often invites more confusion and self-obsession.

A Tool Self Reflection and Shadow Work

That said, shadow work can widen your understanding of the human experience. But without Christ, it lacks the redemptive power of forgiveness. As Christians, we don’t need to remain stuck in past wounds—we bring them to Jesus and walk forward in grace. Sunday sermons, for example, often confront us with truth that awakens us and calls us higher. That’s real shadow work—Christ-centered and redemptive.

We are not taught to call on spiritual forces or “healers” for our deliverance. True maturity comes from seeing the spiritual deception for what it is and choosing instead to receive the healing and truth that comes only through faith in Jesus Christ.

This video clearly reveals where repentance may be needed. Have you found yourself veering off to either side path? Do you feel resistance to walking in the middle? I know people who reject the center path because they don’t want to give up the pleasure-seeking lifestyle—it would feel like losing their freedom. Others lean toward pride, arrogance, or spiritual superiority.

The truth is, we all drift sometimes. But keeping this image in mind can help sharpen our awareness and keep us grounded as we continue to grow in what it means to truly follow Jesus.

Discernment

This visual metaphor is also a great tool for discernment. Who we surround ourselves with matters deeply.

We all know people walking one side path or the other—maybe even family members or friends. And we may still choose to keep them in our lives with love and grace. Likewise, we must have compassion for our own blind spots. 😊

But discernment allows us to recognize when certain environments, conversations, or communities are spiritually unhealthy. I recently left a Facebook group that had started leaning heavily into prideful and opinionated rhetoric. Leaving felt like the right move—and I have no regrets.

A Tool for Discernment

Choosing to surround yourself with humble, Christ-centered people is a healthy and necessary decision. You can accept others where they are, avoiding harsh judgment, while still making choices that guard your own spiritual well-being.

In the New Age world—which includes a wide range of beliefs—I often saw both side paths actively encouraged. “Do what you want” was the norm. Women were often pushed toward casual sex and told they were “empowered” for it. Both men and women were encouraged to lean into their “shadow,” which sometimes meant glorifying rebellion and indulgence.

Even becoming a healer can lead to spiritual pride. Teaching others is a weighty responsibility, and the best guides walk in humility. They see their own flaws even as they help others. Unfortunately, I encountered many healers who unknowingly projected their own issues onto others, believing they were helping. Only God knows the true maturity of a person’s heart.

The Tension

As a Protestant and believer in reformed theology, I believe we do nothing to earn Heaven. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, He accepts us fully and loves us completely. His love is not conditional on our performance.

A pastor’s wife once said this to me in a way that really stuck. Sadly, some churches will manipulate people into thinking they need to earn God's favor through works, donations, or religious striving. But your money and your good deeds do not buy you a spot in Heaven. Jesus already paid the price.

So why then the narrow path?

Why the Narrow Path to Faith is Important

This is the tension worth naming. While we are saved by grace through faith—not works—we are also called to walk in faithful obedience. The narrow path is not about earning salvation—it’s about living in alignment with the truth that we’ve already been given. It’s about honoring the One who saved us by choosing His way over our own.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”— Matthew 6:33

Entering the strait gate—the narrow entrance—requires commitment and surrender. It means leaving behind the old life and stepping into a new one. As Jesus said:

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”— John 3:3

We are called to a transformed life—one of faith, godliness, and walking closely with God:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”— 2 Peter 1:3

Few find this path. It is not flashy or easy. But it leads to life:

“...narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”— Matthew 7:14b

One of the most beautiful biblical examples of this walk is Enoch. He didn’t just believe—he walked with God. And God took him.

Let that sink in: Enoch walked so closely with the Lord that he didn’t even experience death. That is the fruit of the narrow path—intimacy with God and eternal life in His presence.

I encourage you to watch the video and sit with this powerful image. Ask yourself:

• Have I been veering toward one of the side paths?

• Am I surrounding myself with people who reflect Christ’s humility and truth?

• Am I willing to walk the narrow path, even when it costs me comfort or control?

Jesus is always with us, always ready to forgive, guide, and heal when we come to Him in humility and truth. The narrow path may be hard—but it leads to life.