Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
As He journeyed through cities and villages toward Jerusalem teaching and ministering to need, He was asked whether few would be saved, and He answered with a command to strive to enter through the strait gate and narrow way that leads to life, warning that many will seek to enter but will not be able. The question about number is turned away from speculation and counting to personal salvation and the urgent need to seek entrance while it is possible. Eternal welfare hangs on choosing between two diverging roads, the narrow path of obedience, self-denial and sacrifice leading to heaven and life, and the broad way where the burden of sin may be kept but which leads to destruction. Few find the narrow way to life while many go the broad way to destruction, so faithfulness matters more than numbers and being few is no reason for discouragement. Mere seeking is not enough, for entering requires great, earnest, persevering effort with the whole heart, being sanctified through the truth by hearing and obeying it and taking the cross road of self-denial that cuts across human inclination.
Question and Answer
The question was put to Him while He was going through cities and villages, teaching as He made His way toward Jerusalem and helping those who needed help. It was spoken in that setting as He pressed home pointedly the salvation each person must have for himself. The inquiry whether few, or how many, will be saved turns the mind away from speculation and from counting the saved. It is not to be dwelt upon as a matter of number, but is answered as a call to personal salvation. The urgency lies in seeking entrance while it is still possible, rather than in settling how many will enter. His answer commands striving to enter in at the strait gate and narrow way that leads to life and eternal life. Mere seeking is not enough, for many will seek to enter in and shall not be able.
Two Ways to Eternity
Eternal welfare turns on choosing between two diverging roads that meet at the cross. The one is the narrow path of obedience to God's commandments, self-denial and sacrifice, leading to heaven and to life. The other is the wide gate and broad way where a person may keep the burden of sin and corruption, but it leads to destruction and perdition. Christ's answer to whether only a few would be saved directs hearers to enter through the strait gate and follow the narrow way to life, because few find that way to life.
Few enter the strait gate and narrow way, while many go through the wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction. Few will be saved, for the majority does not follow Him and few regard God's commandments. Faithfulness to God matters more than numbers or the influence of the majority, and those who know their duty but refuse to bear the cross will face destruction. Since the fewness of the saved is the reason Christ Himself gives, being few in number is no reason to become discouraged.
Those who are shut out, though they have heard His teaching, will be rejected as workers of iniquity, for many will seek entry but fail. Many who are called will prove unworthy of everlasting life and will share Satan's portion in the second death.
The many do not need to hunt, seek, or strive to find destruction. They need only drift with the current of the world, holding its maxims, standard, and spirit until the line of demarcation between saint and sinner is obliterated. In that drifting they put self first and eternal things last.
Striving to Enter In
Seeking entrance to eternal life is not enough, for many will seek but fail to enter because they do not strive, and entering the narrow gate and overcoming require great, earnest, persevering effort by each person with the whole heart and undivided purpose, with each recognizing the individual responsibility resting upon them. Walking the narrow path that leads to eternal life demands earnest effort from every person, not merely wishing or inquiring how many will be saved.
That striving is being sanctified through God's truth by hearing and obeying it, living by principle and living the faith, resisting evil, and running with patience in the race toward the heavenly prize. It is taking the cross road by denial of self and sacrifice of self, cutting directly across human inclination, selfish worldly considerations, and natural bias of character, for the narrow way is the path of obedience and self-denial leading to life and heaven. Mere desire to enter does not secure salvation; Christ calls for striving to enter through the narrow gate.
Those who seek yet are unable to enter fail because they trust to uncertainties, do not read the Bible and do not understand what the Word says, have no love from above, do not make serving God their business, and do not live their faith. They lack a living faith carried into daily obedience, and therefore cannot walk the narrow way.
Those who so strive obtain imperishable riches and a life that measures with the life of God, and stand with the company who are purified and made white and tried, while all the universe of heaven watches which path is taken. When churches, ministers, teachers, and all in office read the Bible and understand it, a hundredfold more will be accomplished and they will see the salvation of God.
Unless there is reformation in institutions and churches and eyes are opened by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, professed believers will surely be lost like Judas for worldly gain, selling the Lord for Satan's bribe, putting self first and eternal things last. They will stand as unbelievers or as having a name to live while dead, leading others toward death to meet a judgment that decides their case forever. Those who know their duty but refuse to bear the cross will face destruction, for faithfulness to God matters more than numbers or the influence of the majority.
As He journeyed through cities and villages toward Jerusalem teaching and ministering to need, He was asked whether few would be saved, and He answered with a command to strive to enter through the strait gate and narrow way that leads to life, warning that many will seek to enter but will not be able. The question about number is turned away from speculation and counting to personal salvation and the urgent need to seek entrance while it is possible. Eternal welfare hangs on choosing between two diverging roads, the narrow path of obedience, self-denial and sacrifice leading to heaven and life, and the broad way where the burden of sin may be kept but which leads to destruction. Few find the narrow way to life while many go the broad way to destruction, so faithfulness matters more than numbers and being few is no reason for discouragement. Mere seeking is not enough, for entering requires great, earnest, persevering effort with the whole heart, being sanctified through the truth by hearing and obeying it and taking the cross road of self-denial that cuts across human inclination.
Question and Answer
The question was put to Him while He was going through cities and villages, teaching as He made His way toward Jerusalem and helping those who needed help. It was spoken in that setting as He pressed home pointedly the salvation each person must have for himself.
The inquiry whether few, or how many, will be saved turns the mind away from speculation and from counting the saved. It is not to be dwelt upon as a matter of number, but is answered as a call to personal salvation. The urgency lies in seeking entrance while it is still possible, rather than in settling how many will enter.
His answer commands striving to enter in at the strait gate and narrow way that leads to life and eternal life. Mere seeking is not enough, for many will seek to enter in and shall not be able.
Two Ways to Eternity
Eternal welfare turns on choosing between two diverging roads that meet at the cross. The one is the narrow path of obedience to God's commandments, self-denial and sacrifice, leading to heaven and to life. The other is the wide gate and broad way where a person may keep the burden of sin and corruption, but it leads to destruction and perdition. Christ's answer to whether only a few would be saved directs hearers to enter through the strait gate and follow the narrow way to life, because few find that way to life.
Few enter the strait gate and narrow way, while many go through the wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction. Few will be saved, for the majority does not follow Him and few regard God's commandments. Faithfulness to God matters more than numbers or the influence of the majority, and those who know their duty but refuse to bear the cross will face destruction. Since the fewness of the saved is the reason Christ Himself gives, being few in number is no reason to become discouraged.
Those who are shut out, though they have heard His teaching, will be rejected as workers of iniquity, for many will seek entry but fail. Many who are called will prove unworthy of everlasting life and will share Satan's portion in the second death.
The many do not need to hunt, seek, or strive to find destruction. They need only drift with the current of the world, holding its maxims, standard, and spirit until the line of demarcation between saint and sinner is obliterated. In that drifting they put self first and eternal things last.
Striving to Enter In
Seeking entrance to eternal life is not enough, for many will seek but fail to enter because they do not strive, and entering the narrow gate and overcoming require great, earnest, persevering effort by each person with the whole heart and undivided purpose, with each recognizing the individual responsibility resting upon them. Walking the narrow path that leads to eternal life demands earnest effort from every person, not merely wishing or inquiring how many will be saved.
That striving is being sanctified through God's truth by hearing and obeying it, living by principle and living the faith, resisting evil, and running with patience in the race toward the heavenly prize. It is taking the cross road by denial of self and sacrifice of self, cutting directly across human inclination, selfish worldly considerations, and natural bias of character, for the narrow way is the path of obedience and self-denial leading to life and heaven. Mere desire to enter does not secure salvation; Christ calls for striving to enter through the narrow gate.
Those who seek yet are unable to enter fail because they trust to uncertainties, do not read the Bible and do not understand what the Word says, have no love from above, do not make serving God their business, and do not live their faith. They lack a living faith carried into daily obedience, and therefore cannot walk the narrow way.
Those who so strive obtain imperishable riches and a life that measures with the life of God, and stand with the company who are purified and made white and tried, while all the universe of heaven watches which path is taken. When churches, ministers, teachers, and all in office read the Bible and understand it, a hundredfold more will be accomplished and they will see the salvation of God.
Unless there is reformation in institutions and churches and eyes are opened by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, professed believers will surely be lost like Judas for worldly gain, selling the Lord for Satan's bribe, putting self first and eternal things last. They will stand as unbelievers or as having a name to live while dead, leading others toward death to meet a judgment that decides their case forever. Those who know their duty but refuse to bear the cross will face destruction, for faithfulness to God matters more than numbers or the influence of the majority.