“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
—Matthew 7:13-14
Church-goers know the phrase “few there be that find it (eternal life),” but the vast majority don’t believe it.
From listening to those who inhabit the churches talk, one would think that the churches are full of people ready to take off to heaven.
Is that true?
How many is “few”?
TWO PLACES TO LOOK
While the Bible doesn’t say exactly how many a “few” might be, there are plenty of hints.
Two places in the Bible the believer might start looking to gain some knowledge about how many Jesus meant by “few”: One is the words of Jesus Himself. Another is the record of God’s judgment.
THE WORDS OF JESUS
Besides Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus made one other reference to “few there be that are saved.” This time, Jesus also made reference to “many” who are deceived about going to heaven–but are not.
“And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.”
—Luke 13:23-28
Jesus appears to be talking about those in the churches. These poor deceived people believe they are going to heaven because they have “eaten and drunk in thy presence.” Matthew 7:21-23 makes it even clearer Jesus is referring to those in the churches who are deceived.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
These should be sobering thoughts among the happy happy smiling faces gathered in the apostate churches.
But they aren’t.
One other statement Jesus made makes one think that “few” means “few.” At least where it pertains to the end times.
“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
—Luke 18:8
These words should give pause to all of the people who believe heaven will be full of churched people.
We now look at God’s record of saving those from His judgment.
GOD’S JUDGMENT
God destroyed the large cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Out of Sodom, God saved three people: Lot and Lot’s two daughters.
“And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.”
—Genesis 19:30
“But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.”
—Luke 17:29
So out of all the cities of the plain, of which Sodom and Gomorrah were two, God saved three people.
When God destroyed the earth by water, He saved eight from among all that lived on the earth.
“Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”
—1 Peter 3:20
Even more sobering, Noah preached for 120 years and not a single person heeded his call and repented.
“And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.”
—Genesis 6:3
All that was saved were the eight members of Noah’s family.
CONCLUSION
Jesus does not lie.
Jesus does not exaggerate.
When Jesus said “few there are that find [eternal life], we should take Him at his Word.
Is your calling and election sure?
Or are you putting your faith in the empty words of men?
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
THE GOSPEL
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
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- Fellowship During Apostasy: Not in the Churches
- Work Out Your Own Salvation with Fear and Trembling
- NARROW ROAD: True Christianity is a Lonely Road
- Sins of Sodom and the Sins of America
by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
image:ETPR/xedos4, Danillo Rizutti, FreeDigitalPhotos.net/ETPR
© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-15. © Mondo Frazier and End Times Prophecy Report, DBKP 2007-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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