Openings

In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus talked of the ease of salvation....and the difficulty of salvation; and He did it by discussing "openings."  In 7:13 He said, "Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."  This statement by our Lord contradicts the common thinking of today.  All one must do is read the obituaries to see that almost everyone that dies didn't "die;"  they passed, or "went to be with the Lord" or "are in the arms of Jesus."  The thinking is that almost everyone is safe, saved and in heaven with God.  But in the aforementioned verse, we see that the gate is narrow and not many will enter that one.

One the other hand, we see in the same chapter just how easy it is to be in the right place after we die.  In verse 7, Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."  This shows just how willing God is to have us follow Him.  The point, of course, is that the choice is ours; it is purely a matter of choice on our part.  God has done His part in sending His Son to die for us.  Now we must make the right choice.

And Jesus recognized the point that we see in the obituaries when He said in 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.  Many 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?'  Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.  Away from Me, you evildoers!' "  This is a hard saying, but it shows that only the true followers of Jesus will enter the narrow gate, will knock on that door, will be accepted into heaven by our Lord.  Let's you and I be there!

Thanks for reading again.  Have a great week!