Are Just a Few Being Saved

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  • Are Just a Few Being Saved

    Word of the Cross Bible Study
    July 06, 2011


    Read Luke 13: 22-30 ESV - "22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23And someone said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them, 24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 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.' 26Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' 27But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!' 28 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. 29And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

    (Commentary) It was the prevalent opinion among the Jews that few would enter heaven. As but two of all the hosts that came out of Egypt entered into the land of Canaan, so some of them maintained that a proportionally small number would enter into heaven. On this subject the man wished the opinion of Jesus. It was a question of idle curiosity.

    Strive - αγωνιζεσθε Word: agwnizomai Pronounce: ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee, means to agonize - exert every power of body and soul. Originally it was meant to describe how to contend for a prize in the Grecian games. They were long trained for the conflict, and the honor of victory was one of the highest honors among the people.

    Types of Striving:
    1) The ongoing and endless searching of Scriptures
    2) Consistent attendance under the teaching of Word
    3) Praying earnestly for spiritual light, knowledge, and grace
    4) Contending against that which opposes the salvation of the soul
    5) To bear all reproaches and persecution for the faith
    6) Press through all difficulties as not to give up

    (Commentary) “Striving” must never supersede authentic relationship, as is often the case which results in a conformist legalism. As if we must perform these things to be proven as devout in our walk. Instead, we first find our identity in Christ, grow in love through Him, and as a result the "Strivings" naturally overflow from being Spiritually filled and lead. The absence of these strivings provide personal insight regarding our current position in Him.

    "Will seek to enter in" - Many in various ways manifest some desire to be saved. Most common is a Better Life, Insecure with lot of Life or Fire Escape. They seek eternal life through Christ, but do not agonize for it, and hence, they are shut out. Because they did not make following Christ the primary concern of their life, they cannot "then" enter in.

    Read Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

    (Continue with Luke 13:25) For by "the master of the house" is meant, the bridegroom of the church, the head of the body, the King of saints, who is Son over his own house.

    "Has shut the door," the preaching of the word or dispensation of the church, being at an end, and all the guests come in, who were effectually called. This closing is either natural death or the end of the church age.

    Read Matthew 7:22-23 "On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

    (Commentary) I have seen you in my house, preaching in my name, and at service among those of the faith. You learned of the power and even worked in it but you never personally received my person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice. You never had a relationship with me. You trust in works you have done or in your religious associations but I never knew you; wherefore, I will neither hear, nor see you. Their religion expended itself in professions and outward observance without a changed heart.

    Read Matthew 22:11-14 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen."

    (Commentary) The passage implies that the man was conscious of the omission when he entered, and was intentionally guilty of the neglect. He had all the outward evidence of a Christian, moral, among the chosen, like Judas Iscariot, unsuspected by others to be deceived. The fact that he had not a wedding garment was proof that he had no right to be there. All invited might be very different before, good and bad, but they must be clothed alike when the guests of the Lord. Clothed in the righteousness of Christ, with a new heart, not trusting in self. Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit. Christ declares to the angels at the end of the age, separate the wheat from the chaff; remove the false from the proven.

    Read Matthew 3:12 "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

    Read Matthew 13:24-30 "He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

    Read 2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"

    (Commentary) The particular reason why Paul calls on them to examine themselves was that there was occasion to fear that many of them had been deceived. So important are the interests at stake, and so liable are the best to deceive themselves that all Christians should be often encouraged to examine the foundation of their hope of eternal salvation. Whether we are in the faith - Whether you are true Christians. Whether you have any true faith in the gospel. Faith in Jesus Christ, and in the promises of God through him, is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true Christian; and to ascertain whether we have any true faith, therefore, is to ascertain whether we are sincere Christians. Faith in that which is unseen, as if in fact it is of more truth than that which IS seen. An affirmation that the counsel of God is true through Scripture and what doesn't exactly make sense to our mind is indeed confirmed by the indwelling Spirit.

    Compiled from various commentaries and personal reflections from studies.

  • #2
    Do you think from this verse that Jesus is actually stating that few people are going to go to Heaven? What I gain from reading the verse is that Jesus is saying that there is only one way to eternal life and that is through Him.

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    • #3
      Yes, unequivocally, Christ is responding with an assured "Yes" to the question "…will those who are saved be few"? Historical exegesis also defines this to be the topic of these Scriptures. Many will seek the way unto God, actually start down the path, but few will finish the race to enter.

      "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace"—Acts 20:24

      "run (the race) in such a way as to get the prize...not...running aimlessly"—1 Cor. 9:24-26.

      "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith"—2 Tim. 4:7.

      All Scriptures revealing that we can lose the race if blindly diverted by our sin nature, Satan or the fear of man. Wide and easy is the life choices that lead to eternal seperation and many (most) choose it, but extremely difficult is the way to eternal life, few are they that will find it OR realize it.

      The modern church will and does attempt to retool and dilute the didactics of Christ to make God sound more flexible and the Christian life more attainable in our own reasoning and effort. However, Christ was abundantly clear without apology, that the human will is so prideful, loving this life, that few will be willing to lay down their self-will and aspirations as to make Jesus Lord of all. Paul wrote about fellow souls who called themselves Christians:

      “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” —Philippians 3:18-19

      While Christ is truly the exclusive way to redemption unto salvation, this is not center of what this series of Scripture is defining. A study of him being the only way would fall upon another series of Scriptures. Like John 14:16 among many others: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." I provided a study on the topic of Jesus being the only way a number of years ago here: Eternal Path - Jesus the Only Way

      Comment


      • #4
        The first emotion that came to me when reading this post was fear, but then reflecting on it I think that this is good since it is written:

        1Sa 12:14 If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God—good!

        I do not think we are meant to do it alone. In fact, I know that we cannot do it alone, because I have fell on my face time and time again when trying to do it alone. I believe that it is a partnership between the follower and the Holy Spirit.

        1Th 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

        Does this mean we will be perfect? I do not think so. It is written that in Heaven our spirit will be made perfect. This implies that in this fallen world we will not be perfect or complete. This does not mean we should not strive for it though. It is all about our heart and our willingness to obey Christ.

        Heb 12:23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect...

        Ac 24:16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
        1Ti 4:10 (and for this we labour and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, and especially of those who believe
        .

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