Matt 7:13“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Only a few find the narrow gate that leads to life...Not my words, His Word. Many years ago, the Lord burdened me with these words which is why you see them come up here over and over again. I have asked the Lord repeatedly, "Why Lord?"
Today in prayer I asked the Lord for a word for you. This is what I was given:
How do we get into and through the narrow gate that leads to life? Here, at least in part is an answer: 2 Peter 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I find it interesting that within this portion of scripture where we are told how to get into the kingdom of heaven, we are also given words that directly conflict with the doctrine of demons known as "once saved always saved." We are told here to "make our calling and election sure." If our calling and election was made sure 10 years ago during some 5 second teary eyed "decision for Jesus" then why are we told to continually "make our calling and election sure?" And we are told to be "eager" to do this. We are also told "IF" you do these things....If? Yea, you know, that conditional word IF....you do these things then you will never fall...
If YOU DO these things.....THEN you will never fall. The Lord is clearly telling us here that there are things we do (or not) that have a direct connection to us "never falling."
So why is it that many go through the broad gate that leads to destruction and only a few make it through the small gate on the narrow path that leads to life? The obvious reason is, that people are not eagerly making their calling and election sure. They are taking for granted that the doctrine of demons known as OSAS will be enough, because some "pastor" corporate church CEO told them it was the truth.
The Lord told us that few are going to make it, should we not ask why? WHY? Or is that a question we would rather have answered on judgement day? We are told to eagerly make our calling and election sure by: adding to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
What are we told next? 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, this lines us up perfectly with another theme the Lord weighs upon me, the parable of the talents, Matt 25. That parable which you can read for yourself tells us that we are expected to do something with what we have been given. We are to be fruitful with the fruit of the Spirit, which is: Gal 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
The parable of the talents tell us that we are to produce based on what was given. Some have been given more, some less, but we are all told to produce, in increasing measure with what we have been given. In this way we do make our calling and election sure, because we do so purposefully and eagerly. The comfort I see in the parable of the talents is, everyone who did something with what they were given were told "well done." It was only the person who buried their talent in the ground, did nothing with it that was punished.
Why should we be concerned with the answer to why so few will be saved? Because at all costs, we MUST be found worthy of being part of the few. What else on earth is more important than being found worthy of Christ Jesus' kingdom? Nothing is more important. Todays corporate church CEO's (pastors) sing the people a lullaby. "Don't worry," they say...."Just be a good person, continue to pay your tithe (as if a "pastor" was a levitical priest and entitled to a "tithe"), and continue to "go to church" (instead of being the church, "and everything will be A-ok!"
WHY did all of the Israelites who fled Egypt in glory, die in the desert and only two adults (Numbers 32:10-12) were counted worthy to enter the promised land? WHY was Israel scattered to the nations again and again as punishment for their thoughts and deeds? WHY were the prophets sent again and again to the people and the people killed them? WHY are only a FEW told in Rev 2 that they are worthy to walk with Jesus clothed in white? WHY are we told in Matt 7:13-14 that only a few will make it through the small gate that leads to life. Why will many stand before the Lord on "that day" and be told Matt 7:21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Or do we not care about the answers to these questions? "Oh," they say "but brother D, that would give me a "spirit of fear" if I stopped to think about such things!" Such people indict themselves because they have not love enough to drive out such fear so they may know the truth:
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out ... There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to
do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
and this ^^^^ brings us full circle right back to where we started today...which was here:
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
The end of all this is LOVE. Not as the world loves, but a love that was born in God, exists in God and is God. A perfect love that drives out fear, enabling us to know and love the truth, and that truth sets us free and that truth saves us:
John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
2 Thessalonians 2:10 They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
This one is a real hammer ^^^^ notice the words "love" "truth" and "saved" all in the same sentence? Think there's something to this? I do.
These were the thoughts I believe the Lord impressed upon me today. May the Lord bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and may He grant us all peace. Blessed be His name.
Be Anxious For Nothing
5 years ago
