Will You Be Saved?

“Lord, will those who are saved be few?” It’s a good question, isn’t it? At least, I hope it’s a good question, because it’s my question too. And I hope it’s a good question because I hear it from you all the time. We want to know the same thing. In Jesus’ day and age, this question was a common one. Jews were a small group of people in a very large world. And to make matters worse, Judaism in Jesus’ day was not united. You had the Pharisees and Sadducees who disliked each other and were constantly fighting each other for power. They each claimed that the other group was wrong. Then there were the Essenes, who aren’t mentioned in the New Testament. They were so unsettled with the situation that they created their own separatist communities where they worshiped their own way. Each group and party claimed to have the truth. So, who has it right? Who’s going to make it in? Will those who are saved be few?

“Lord, will those who are saved be few?” It’s a good question, isn’t it? At least, I hope it’s a good question, because it’s my question too. And I hope it’s a good question because I hear it from you all the time. We want to know the same thing. In Jesus’ day and age, this question was a common one. Jews were a small group of people in a very large world. And to make matters worse, Judaism in Jesus’ day was not united. You had the Pharisees and Sadducees who disliked each other and were constantly fighting each other for power. They each claimed that the other group was wrong. Then there were the Essenes, who aren’t mentioned in the New Testament. They were so unsettled with the situation that they created their own separatist communities where they worshiped their own way. Each group and party claimed to have the truth. So, who has it right? Who’s going to make it in? Will those who are saved be few?

Throw into that whole scenario Jesus’ own ministry. Over the course of His life and even recently in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus has been making some pretty bold claims. We heard just last week that Jesus is the dividing line between those who are “in” and those who are “out” even if we can’t see the fine distinctions all the time. “I AM the way and the truth and the life.” You’re either with Jesus or you’re against him. There is no middle ground. But how does that work? Are there any exceptions to the rule? Will those who are saved be few?

In Jesus’ day and age, this question was a common one. Jews were a small group of people in a very large world.

We come up with all sorts of questions that fall under this overall idea. What about someone who’s never heard about Jesus? Say they live somewhere deep in a jungle or on an isolated island. What about them? Will they be saved? What about someone who was raised in a Muslim household, but has started secretly learning about Jesus. They like what they’re learning and are trying to follow Him, but can’t convert because of their family situation. Are they in or are they out? What about that person who calls themself a Christian, but struggles with a sexual sin of some sort, be it homosexuality or pornography or adultery or pedophilia? Where’s the line? Does any one of those sins put a person outside the realm of faith? What about those leaders you keep hearing about, who faithfully proclaimed the Word of God for years, but who are suddenly caught in sin or out of the blue renounce the faith? Will they be saved? What about that person who prays and reads the Bible faithfully yet refuses to set foot in church? Are they any different that that person who worships faithfully every week, yet doesn’t live out their faith from one day to the next? Will those who are saved be few?

We come up with all sorts of questions that fall under this overall idea. What about someone who’s never heard about Jesus? Say they live somewhere deep in a jungle or on an isolated island. What about them? Will they be saved? What about someone who was raised in a Muslim household, but has started secretly learning about Jesus. They like what they’re learning and are trying to follow Him, but can’t convert because of their family situation. Are they in or are they out? What about that person who calls themself a Christian, but struggles with a sexual sin of some sort, be it homosexuality or pornography or adultery or pedophilia? Where’s the line? Does any one of those sins put a person outside the realm of faith? What about those leaders you keep hearing about, who faithfully proclaimed the Word of God for years, but who are suddenly caught in sin or out of the blue renounce the faith? Will they be saved? What about that person who prays and reads the Bible faithfully yet refuses to set foot in church? Are they any different that that person who worships faithfully every week, yet doesn’t live out their faith from one day to the next? Will those who are saved be few?

We can—and do—play this hypothetical game all day long. We love to know where that line in the sand is really drawn in the real world. In scripture, Jesus tends to speak of salvation in pretty black and white terms, but we live in a world of grey. We want to know where that line is. Will those who are saved be few?

Jesus answer unsettling

We can—and do—play this hypothetical game all day long. We love to know where that line in the sand is really drawn in the real world. In scripture, Jesus tends to speak of salvation in pretty black and white terms, but we live in a world of grey. We want to know where that line is. Will those who are saved be few?

If you’ve ever asked these kinds of questions, I have both good news and bad news for you this morning. I’ll go with the good news first: Jesus actually answers the question. In a lot of places in the Gospels, someone asks Jesus a question and it seems like He doesn’t answer it at all, but jumps right over it to talk about something else. But here, He answers the question about as directly as we could hope for. He says, “Many will seek to enter and will not be able.” There you go. Yes. Those who are saved will be few. Many will try to get in but won’t.

But there’s bad news too: Jesus doesn’t leave us asking hypothetical questions. We tend to ask our hypotheticals from a distance, impersonally, asking for the facts. Jesus cuts through that nonsense and answers up close and personal, invading your personal space, drawing you into the question, where there’s nowhere to hide.

we ask from a distance, impersonally

He says to you, you “strive to enter through the narrow door. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.”

When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.

This answer is not just for the random guy in the crowd. Jesus’ answer is not just for a hypothetical question. It’s a question you need to ask yourself. You ask if those who are saved will be few? Yes they will. But how about you? Forget the “what about”s and the “what if”s and the “maybe”s. Focus for a moment on yourself. So those who are saved will be few? Are you among them?

Jesus answers intimately close

Jesus turns your question on its head for your own good. When we ask our hypothetical questions, we do so from a position of judgment. We don’t just want to know if a person is in or out, we want to have a clearly definable set of rules that we can use to apply to the world around us. You fall into this category and that sub-classification with that other label. We use that information to write off some and draw others close. Instead of talking to everyone as individuals, as sinners for whom Christ died, we talk to them as people we’re sorting through to see if we can write them off and move on.

The answer is for you too

Jesus turns your question on its head for your own good. When we ask our hypothetical questions, we do so from a position of judgment. We don’t just want to know if a person is in or out, we want to have a clearly definable set of rules that we can use to apply to the world around us. You fall into this category and that sub-classification with that other label. We use that information to write off some and draw others close. Instead of talking to everyone as individuals, as sinners for whom Christ died, we talk to them as people we’re sorting through to see if we can write them off and move on.

But Jesus forces you to take your eyes off of others and onto yourself. Don’t worry about them; worry about yourself. As Paul says in Philippians, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Those who are saved will be few. So how are you? Have you entered through the narrow door or will it be shut in your face? Just hearing about Jesus or learning about Him isn’t enough. Going to church and reading your Bible is good and right, but unless those things are symptoms of your true relationship with Christ, they are worthless.

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Lest this fact turn into anxiety and lead you to despair, Jesus offers a word of hope and of comfort. “People will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.” Yes, those who are saved will be few. Yes, you need to focus on yourself more than others. But take a look at God’s kingdom. People from every corner of the globe will find themselves there. Nothing will prevent them from entering the kingdom of God. So also with you. God knows who belongs to Him and nothing will keep Him from saving His people.

Knowing, Go

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

This means two things. First, it means that as much as you should be focusing on your own salvation, you don’t need to be afraid. Your heavenly Father loves you and will do anything to keep you close to Him. And second, it means that as much as you should not judge the salvation of others, you should share Jesus with them. It’s your job as believers to tell others about Him. It’s not your job to judge whether they are in or out. Be faithful, and God will handle everything.

So also with you.

While Jesus doesn’t answer all our hypothetical questions, He does tell us the truth. Don’t worry about others; God has a handle on it. Focus on your own salvation; God has a handle on that as well. In Christ, you have nothing to fear. Amen.

Knowing, Go