To hear Jesus explain it, you would at times begin to question if anyone could be ‘saved’.

I mean really, even those who followed Him began to ask that exact question: “Who then can be saved Lord?” (Luke 13:23; 18:26; Matt. 19:25).

And as I have maintained all along during my writings here, I’m not here to argue or debate the topic of who is saved, or not, how does one ‘get saved’ and can we end up ‘unsaved’. My focus is centered more on the importance and call for professing ‘believers’ to abide in Christ. Abiding in Him is everything and it goes without saying that there is no better place for anyone to be other than abiding in Him. To do so, one can rest assure that they ‘were saved, are being saved and will be saved’ provided they continue to abide in Jesus. And whenever that ‘rapture’ occurs, you cannot help but conclude that those who are abiding in Him are in a good, safe place.

And yet...to hear Jesus talk about His kingdom and the need to be ‘born again’ and ‘take up one’s cross’ and ‘deny self’ as they ‘lay down their life and follow and obey Him’...is it any wonder that Jesus felt a need to give us this picture that there was basically only one path, or one way...that led to eternal life, and that this path would indeed be narrow and few would ‘find it’. (Matt. 7:14; John 14:6) His words, not mine.

When Jesus was discussing this idea of a path and gate-entrance, He was quite explicit in making the distinction between the two. No doubt you are familiar with this passage there in Matt. 7:13-14. He begins by saying “enter by the narrow gate”. If you read Luke’s account, we read where Jesus says ‘strive, or make every effort’ to enter through this narrow gate. I’m sure that has to mess with some people’s theology. But He continues on...

“For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many... who go in by it.” (7:13) I will leave it up to you and the Holy Spirit as to how you want to interpret that word ‘destruction’, but to me, it does not sound like a favorable thing to experience or encounter. But wait...there’s more.

“But narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (7:14)

I can remember over the years, how whenever I would hear some preacher or person get on that ‘bandwagon’ about only a ‘few making it’, I would roll my eyes and shake my head and dismiss them as some misguided person who was on the ‘fringe’ and out of touch with God. It would sadden me to see how close minded they were with such a ‘narrow view’ of life and God’s kingdom.

So what was Jesus alluding to here when He used such a descriptive word picture in driving home the point that only ‘few’ would find this narrow path, let alone travel it where they would come to a narrow gate that led to ‘life’. I think I have a better understanding of all this now but let me first share, once again...God’s heart and love that He has for the ‘whole world’.

“It is not...the will of God for anyone...to perish, but that ALL...should to come to repentance”. (2 Pet. 3:9)

Jesus made it clear: “Unless you repent, you shall ALL...likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3,5)

“We know that God desires for ALL men to be saved...and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

Are we clear here as to what God’s desire, intent, and will is? Anyone...can be saved. Anyone can be ‘born again’ and experience the true life that Jesus came to offer.

So why would Jesus suggest that in spite of this gift, this offer, this provision and this ‘way’...that in the end, only ‘few’ would find it?

Again, all I can do is point you to scripture to examine for yourself. Jesus makes the case that it boils down to ‘willingness’. Not to mention the fact that while He brought light and truth for us to walk in, many prefer the darkness over the light and won’t come to the light. (John 3:19-21; 5:40; Matt. 23:37).

He also hints that it might have something to do with us ‘loving our life’ more, and not being willing to lay it down for Him...as He laid down His life for us. (John 13:38). But what ‘life’ is He asking, or better yet, ‘demanding’...that we ‘lay down’? (Matt. 10:39; 16:25). I would submit to you that it is our old, sinful, corrupted flesh natured-life that has to be laid down and put to death.

That is what this gospel is all about. This is what Jesus meant when He said ‘unless you take up your cross and follow Him, you cannot be His disciple’. (Luke 9:23). The plan was not to wear shiny crosses around our neck or get crosses tattooed on our bodies or erect giant crosses in our yards. We can be grossly deceived when we sing and profess our 'love for the cross’ yet are unwilling to take it up ourselves as we are asked to do.

Jesus came not only to pay our debt for our sins, but also to be an example and lead us into eternal life as He reconciles us back to the Father. He is the way...and His way...is the way of the cross.

We. Must. Die. That’s what He came to lead us to do...to ‘die to self’ - to this ‘old man/nature’. He was not talking in poetic language using figurative metaphors that we could banter around and sound spiritually philosophical as we nodded our heads in religious agreement muttering to one another how ‘yes...we must die to self’.

He literally meant...we are to follow Him, die to self as we put this old nature to death. He does not teach us to ‘dial it down, put it on a leash or in a cage’, nor does He tell us to ‘sin less’. And He also makes it known that there will be some ‘suffering’ involved as...we ‘put this old man to death. Yet, look what Peter reminds us of when he writes:

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” (1 Pet. 4:1-2)

Do you know why so many people struggle in their faith today? They are trying to ‘do the will of God’ without having first dealt with their old man. You nor I nor anyone else can experience the resurrected life, the newness of life we are admonished to walk in as a ‘new creation’ until we die first.(Rom. 6:4; 2 Cor. 5:17). That is what the Spirit begins to lead us to do...IF....IF...IF...we are following Him. (Rom. 8:13-14)

And don’t be quick to read past what Peter writes there...we die first...to the flesh and yes, we will ‘suffer’ in the process (but not to the point of shedding blood like Jesus did for us- Heb.12:4); But...what does Peter declare happens to those who first ‘suffer in the flesh’ as they put this old man to death? Did he say that that person “has ceased from sin” so that...so that, so that he can live the rest of his time (here) for the will of God? Why, I believe that is exactly what he wrote there. Oh...anyone remember why it might be important for us to ‘do the will of God’? Jesus said those are the only ones who are going to enter heaven. (Matt. 7:21)

And we cannot do the will of God until we deal with this old man first. Why? Because there is no way we can fulfill the law of God to love others as Christ loved us ...unless we have His nature in us. It just cannot be done. But those...who do belong to Christ have ‘crucified the flesh nature and its desires’ (Gal. 5:24) so that...we can indeed...meet all the righteous requirements of the law (Rom. 8:4) which is what Jesus came to do. And that...is why Paul writes: “It is not the hearers of the law who will be justified but the doers of the law’. (Rom. 2:13). Remember...Jesus made it clear that He did not come to do away with or abolish the law, rather to fulfill it. And those who abide in Him...’ought to walk just as He walked’. (1 John 2:6)

It is deception to think or believe that we can remain carnally minded (which is death - Rom. 8:6,13) and yet be the recipient of all this ‘new life’ Jesus came to offer us. But if we have not read...the whole counsel of God and been taught The gospel that Jesus came preaching, that might explain the futility that so many of us, if not all of us, have experienced first-hand and has worn us out trying... to please God.

Truth be told, most of us bought in to ‘another gospel’ that Paul warned us of would be plentiful in our day. (2 Cor. 11:2-4). You know, that ‘other gospel’ that says we don’t have to die. Why even Satan tried to pitch that one to Jesus in Matt. 16:21-23, and he was quickly rebuked. I am convinced that is why the church is either in a state of ‘sleep’ (Matt. 25:1-11) or ‘fallen away’ as Paul mentions in 2 Thess. 2:3. We might want to go back and read this gospel all over again given how serious this all is. And it might just ‘turn a light’ on for others who have worn themselves out ‘pushing’...when all they needed to do was be sill...and ‘open that door’ so Jesus could come in and make it work His way. (Rev. 3:20)

Kind of reminds me of that old poster I used to have in my classroom which I found an image of and used with my post today. Have a great day.