Good Morning Friends,
“Jesus went through the towns and villages,
teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked, ‘Lord, are only a few
people going to be saved?’ He replied, ‘Make every effort to enter through the
narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able
to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand
outside knocking and pleading, “Sir, open the door for us.” But he will answer,
“I don't know you or where you come from.”’” (Luke 13:22-25)
There are some troubling phrases in this
teaching.
“Make effort to enter through the narrow door.”
I thought it wasn’t by our efforts that we are saved, but only by the efforts
of Jesus? What Jesus is speaking about here are not the efforts to earn our way
to salvation. Rather, He is speaking of the effort involved in seeking God – in
opening our heart to the Lord – in responding to God’s call on our lives. The
work is all Jesus’ – accepting His work and responding to His invitation, that
is ours.
“Many will try to enter and will not be able
to.” Are there some who want to be saved and won’t be accepted? That’s sort of
what it means. There are some who aren’t willing to come in the only way Jesus
offers salvation. They want to come in a way of their own choosing. Some want
to come on their merits. Some want to come through a means other than Jesus. Some
want to redefine Jesus in a way that is more acceptable to them. Some only want
heaven and want to exclude Jesus from their life on earth. Those are not ways
Jesus will allow anyone to come, no matter how badly they want heaven.
The salvation Jesus offers isn’t just hell
avoidance – it’s a life of following Him that opens to an eternity with Him.
Those who don’t want to be with Him here won’t enjoy being with Him there,
either.
No one who truly wants to know Jesus and is
willing to allow Jesus to be Lord will be turned away. “Everyone who calls on
the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
His, by Grace, Steve
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