Luke 13:22-30…
Lord, will those who are saved be few? The person asking this question probably thought they were among the “few”. Jesus’ answer gave them all far more than they wished to hear.
We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets. Many believe that mere association with spiritual things means that they too will be included in the eternal celebration that is heaven. But there is a difference between association and identification. We can take on many of the habits of the holy, and play the part, without a change of heart.
I do not know where you come from. Association with Christ isn’t enough. It wasn’t for the Jews of Jesus’ day. It isn’t enough for you either. You are not a child of God just by being born to Christians or by having godly parents, or going to church, or taking Communion, or reading the Bible. A person who is surrounded by the gospel witness can be cleaned up on the outside, look, talk, and act better, without the true transformation of the heart. This is the “religious spirit” which has dragged so many into smugness and complacency.
And behold, some are last who will be first. Most Jews of the day thought that by birth they were automatically included in the kingdom of God. Jesus was making it clear that many Jews would be left out, while many Gentiles would be enjoying the blessings of God in the kingdom.
Strive to enter through the narrow door. Think about the entrance to a house, narrow means it is one at a time. Entrance into the kingdom is something which we all must do individually. It is something so urgent we dare not deal casually with it. Salvation is a great blessing, a free gift, but it is a limited time offer, and we must diligently pursue it. We are born into the kingdom of men, but we must be born again into the kingdom of God (Galatians 3:26).
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