One of Jesus’ disciples came to Him with a question probably brought on by the strict demands Jesus was making of His followers: “Lord, are there few that be saved?” Luke 13.23.
Read carefully what Jesus said to him:
“Strive [a better rendering: ‘Strain every nerve’ – MLV] to enter in at the strait [narrow] gate: for many…will seek to enter in and shall not be able.”
Jesus illustrated this remark by likening the situation to the master of a household who has shut his door and refuses to open it to anyone coming late. Jesus said, “…he [the master of the household] will say, ‘I don’t know you,’ and you will say, ‘We have eaten and drunk with you and you have taught in our streets.’
“But he will insist, ‘I don’t know you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity!’ There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Mat 7:22-23 relates the story more forcibly: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
These and numerous other scriptures plainly tell us that we do not procure salvation by good, even miraculous works. The wretched “sinners” portrayed here could scarcely have done greater mighty acts – but they were totally rejected by God.
Who then can be saved?
Please read the following carefully: Salvation is secured by faith alone. You do not attain it by good intentions, prayer and fasting or inherit it from your parents. Nevertheless, if you have no good works, you cannot be saved.
Now you are totally confused.
Here is the critical point I am assiduously trying to make: Some of us who subscribe to the Eternal Security point of view (to which I also assent), are carelessly skipping and tra – la – la – ing our way through a field strewn with deadly land mines. Christ came to earth to bring us salvation and, along with it, peace and security. But we have profaned the divine design; we have taken grace and mercy and love and dragged them through the filth of our carnal natures.
There is scarcely anything of great good that we, as sin-cursed humans existing in a sin-cursed world, can obtain without any effort on our part. After the Son Jesus completed His awesome, mind-boggling mission to earth, God did not beam like a cherubic divine Santa Claus and whisper, “That’s all right, children, you don’t have to worry anymore about that nasty ol’ curse you incurred through your father Adam – my Son Jesus paid it all!”
But not so! See what Jesus had to say to these carefree sinners in the following lines excerpted from His heartbroken Lament for Jerusalem late in His career…
“As He [Jesus] spoke of a prophet’s not perishing outside Jerusalem, Jesus was racked with inner pain: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,’ He cried out, ‘you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you: How often I would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you would not!’
‘Behold, your house is left to you desolate: and verily…you shall not see me until the time comes when you shall say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
The cold, impenitent hearts to whom Jesus uttered these words have long since returned to the dust from which they sprang by the grace and mercy of a great Creator God and His uniquely begotten Son. One wonders … Did one or two of them later repent and cry from a broken, contrite heart … “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” and so received salvation while there was yet time…?
Time is notoriously fickle; but there is yet time for YOU today to strenuously cry from your broken, contrite heart… Cry out quickly, while there is yet “time” – and before Eternity Himself stills your suddenly quavering voice… forever.
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