“He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
“’When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us,” then he will answer you, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” But he will say, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!”
“’In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’” (Luke 13:22-30 ESV; cf. Matthew 7:13-14,21-23)
Yes, the Bible teaches that few in number will be those who will be saved from their sins and who will enter into the kingdom of heaven. For few are those who enter by the narrow (controlled, restrained, regulated, restricted) gate (door, entrance into heaven). For it is few who surrender their lives over to Jesus Christ, who submit to him as Lord (Owner-Master) of their lives, who deny self, who die to sin daily, and who follow him in obedience. For the narrow way that leads to life is hard, and the many prefer the easy way.
So we are to endeavor to enter through the narrow door. So what this is saying is that we don’t enter into God’s eternal kingdom merely by a profession of faith in Jesus Christ once in our lives. Our salvation and our eternal life with God are contingent on us dying with Christ to sin, not just once, but daily, and on us walking in faithful obedience to his commands in holy living, in moral purity, honesty and faithfulness to our Lord. And we must continue in these walks of faithful obedience until our Lord returns.
For not everyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ will be saved in the end and will have eternal life with God. For many professers of faith in Jesus Christ are walking the easy path that leads to destruction, and they are not walking the hard path that leads to eternal life. For they have bought into the lies of the enemy who is telling them that they can “believe” in Jesus, have all their sins forgiven (past, present, and future), be guaranteed heaven when they die, but regardless of how they live on this earth.
For not everyone who says to Jesus, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father in heaven. For once he shuts that door, there is no more chance for entry. And many are going to profess that they knew him, and that they were in relationship with him, and that they had their salvation secured, and that they did all sorts of things in his name, and that they faithfully attended weekly church services, and that they read their Bibles, etc. But he will tell them that he never knew them and that they are to depart from him, “all you workers of evil.”
Why? Because they would not submit to him as Lord (Owner-Master) of their lives, and they would not walk in obedience to his commands, and they would not forsake their sinful practices, but they continued on living in sin and for self and for self-pleasure rather than for the will and for the pleasure of God. They were still lord of their own lives, doing whatever they wanted to do, regardless of what the Scriptures teach we all must do as followers of Christ if we want to have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. But they thought they could take the short-cut. But there are no short-cuts.
And this is a very sad reality that so many professers of faith in Jesus Christ are taking the short-cut thinking that it is going to get them into heaven, but while they continue living life the way that they want rather than in submission to Christ as Lord of their lives. And so they are not going to be given access into God’s eternal kingdom, but they will be among those who are in a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, instead. For they refused the truth of the gospel in favor of a lie so that they could live however they want rather than as God requires of us all.
So, please know that it is not a profession of faith in Jesus Christ that is going to guarantee you entrance into God’s heaven. It is denying self, dying to sin daily, and walking in obedience to the Lord and to his commands, by the Spirit, by the grace of God, in the power and strength of God, in submission to his will and purpose for our lives. For if sin is what you practice, and if righteous and godly living and moral purity and obedience to the Lord are not your practice, you will not inherit eternal life with God.
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Fit for Service
An Original Work / October 5, 2011
Holy Spirit, come within us.
Cleanse our hearts,
and from sin free us.
Make us holy vessels fit
for service to the King.
Fill us with Your love and power.
Anoint us within this hour
To be living witnesses
For Jesus Christ, our King.
Our praise to Him bring.
Father God, our heart’s desire,
Come and speak to us in power.
Revive our hearts to obey You;
Live for You always.
May we love and serve You only,
Walking with You;
Not a phony.
May we always tell the truth,
And show integrity.
Your true servants be.
Jesus, Savior, sanctify us.
Purify our hearts within us;
Be transformed into Your likeness,
Holy unto You.
May we always listen to You
Speaking Your words
Now within us.
May we heed Your counsel to us;
Follow You today.
Do all that You say.
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