Are There Few Who Are Saved?

I've always been fascinated by the questions that people asked Jesus. What an opportunity - to be able to ask the Creator of the Universe any question that you want! Some tried to trick Him, others didn't understand Him, but there were some very sincere questions as well. One such question that was asked of Jesus has especially fascinated me.

According to Luke, it happened early in the week of His passion, as he was journeying on His way to Jerusalem. As He went through the cities and villages teaching, a certain man asked Him a question.

"Lord, are there few who are saved?”

Who was this man who asked the question and what were his reasons? The Scriptures don't give us this information, but what an astute question it was. What is fascinating to me is the answer. To put it bluntly, the answer is shocking.

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

The Greek word for "strive" is agonizomai, which is where we get our English word "agonize". It implies an agonizing, intense, purposeful struggle. It is the same word used in 1 Corinthians 9:25 of an athlete battling to win a victory. It is also used in Colossians 4:12 of Epaphras laboring fervently, and in 1 Timothy 6:12, of the Christian who "fights the good fight of faith."

We are told many times in the Gospels that Jesus taught everywhere He went, but obviously every teaching and every conversation is not recorded. However, we know He taught this same thing in the sermon on the mount as recorded by Matthew.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

If we look at these two passages together, we find the following:

• The way to eternal life is narrow, hard to find and difficult


• Only a few will find it


• Once found, we must strive or 'fight' to get in


• Many will try to get in and will not be able

If you're like me, when you read those items above you almost don't recognize that as the Gospel. We surely don't hear that preached by the majority of the well known preachers today. Most of what is taught today is an 'easy believism' - but that is a subject for another blog.

First of all, let me state unequivocally that I believe salvation is by grace and faith alone. There is absolutely nothing you can do to earn it or qualify for it. It is a gift from God. So how do we square that with the fact that we have to 'fight' to enter in? Let me make a couple of points.

First, for those of us that have been raised with the truth, the statement that the way to eternal life is hard to find seems a little odd. But that is only because it has been shown to us from the beginning - even from our childhood. But most are not as blessed. For those raised outside the truth, the truth is hard to find. Imagine yourself growing up a Buddhist or a Muslim or even an atheist. It would not be easy to find the truth.

Secondly, once it's been found we still must fight to enter in. This is true for all who find the narrow gate. There are people who sit in churches across America every Sunday and hear the truth. The way to eternal life is shown them again and again and again. And yet they do not enter in. What are they fighting? What is preventing them from making it in?

Self.

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it." - Jesus Christ

C.S. Lewis puts it this way:

“The natural life is each of us is something self-centered, something that wants to be petted and admired, to take advantage of others, to exploit the whole universe. And especially it wants to be left to itself: to keep well away from anything better or stronger or higher than it, anything that might make it feel small. It is afraid of the light and air of the spiritual world, just as people who have been brought up to be dirty are afraid of a bath. And in a sense it is quite right. It knows that if the spiritual life gets hold of it, its self centeredness and self will are going to be killed and it is ready to fight tooth and nail to avoid that.”

So it is a fight - a fight with your self - to even yield yourself to the grace and mercy extended to you by God. And even if you win that fight and decide to follow Jesus, self will show itself again the next day and the fight will be on - and the day after that, and the day after that and the day after that. That's why Jesus said to take up your cross 'daily' - we must crucify the flesh - the old nature on a daily basis.

The Apostle Paul put it this way:

Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Are there few that are saved? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Jesus clearly stated that as we discussed above. But here is an interesting thing. Remember the guy that asked the question? Here is the text in its entirety.

Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ - Luke 13:23-27

Here's what's interesting to me - notice that Jesus did not answer him - not directly. He said to them - to everyone - 'Strive to enter through the narrow gate'. His point was this: Don't worry about how many are saved - worry about whether YOU are saved.