Jesus was traveling through the towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. Along the way someone asked him, “Will those who are saved be few?”
Jesus answered him, “Truly I say to you, not at all. Heaven will be packed full of all the nice people in this world.”
With all of my heart, I wish that had been Christ’s response.
Then I could tell you to relax and enjoy life whichever way you want as long as you’re a good person. And I wouldn’t have to write to you the rest of these words. Unfortunately, Christ’s answer was very different. Jesus said to him,
“Strive to enter by the narrow door; for I tell you, many will seek to enter and not be able. The gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many, because the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Lk 13.22-24; Mt 7.13-14)
Those who enter heaven will be few. And these few will not make it there simply by being good or nice. Jesus explained, “Only the one who does the will of my Father shall enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 7.21)
The awful truth is that good persons and nice people are walking right behind the rest of us in the same line that leads to hell. The only route of escape is to shun wide gates and easy ways, and choose with the few to travel the hard path through the narrow door of obedience to the will of God.
Mon, Jan 19, 2009
Devotion