A Few Saved?

Bulletin

Dan Peters
01/21/24 - Salvation

A Few Saved?

Is it good for a person to question how many souls will be saved? I think it is good, for the Holy Spirit records the question and Jesus’ answer. Jesus not only answers the question his own way, he also gives us direction and guidance on what to do and not do. “And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” 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.” (Luke 13:23-24). Jesus clearly says “many” will not make it, therefore Jesus himself contrasts the “few” with the “many”.
“Wide door thinking" relies upon having a personal relationship with Jesus, without the obedience to him. Jesus told of his followers, “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘ Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘ I do not know where you are from.’ “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from;” (Luke 13:25-27). They think that because they have eaten with Jesus and heard his teaching “in our streets”, they have a personal relationship with him. They think that these personal things, like eating with him, and hearing him is what really matters to him. Nope. There is something sadly missing.
Jesus clarifies what matters to him, see if your answer matches his answer, as to what is utterly utmost important. “and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS. (Luke 13:27). If your answer was “believing” in Jesus is “most important”, stop and think for a minute. In the mind of Jesus, you can’t be a “believer” and an “evildoer” at the same time. This is still “wide door thinking.” The narrow door thinking, believes enough to no longer be an “evildoer”. This is surely why Jesus preached that one word sermon so many times, “repent” (Mat.4:17). Or better yet, in the same context as the question was asked, “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3).
What does it take for a person to repent? “do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you…” (1Cor. 6:9-11). They have stopped being an “evildoer”. They repented & were baptized, washed, born again. Now they continue on the straight and narrow. Dan Peters