Strive to enter

 

"Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Luke 13:24 ESV

This is one of the hard teachings of Jesus. Jesus tells His listeners that not everyone that tries to enter into God's presence will make it. We would like to think that all good people would make it. There in lies the problem. We look at it from our perspective. Our ideas of what makes a good person and what we believe is acceptable in God's sight. As hard as it may be, we cannot be the judge of who makes it to heaven and who doesn't. That is a judgement reserved for God alone. He is the only one that truly knows the heart of a person. We only see what people want us to see. We don't have the ability to look into another persons heart and see what their true person is.

Simply being a religious person is not sufficient to satisfy God's sensibilities. Jesus makes that clear in His teachings, especially when we look at His teachings concerning the Pharisees. They were highly religious people, but their hearts were far from God. Even though they understood the letter of the law they missed out on the heart of the law. Jesus pronounced seven woes on the Pharisees due to their faulty religion. Looking good on the outside, but inwardly something completely different.

So, what is the way in? As always the way into a relationship with God has always been obedience. Obedience to Him and His commands for us. So, when Jesus teaches that He is the way, the truth and the life it behooves us to listen to His teachings and be obedient to them. No can come to the Father without Jesus. So, the teachings that will lead us to be the people we need to be and make us acceptable before God are those that come from Jesus.

That being said, whether it be my opinion or anyone else's of what is acceptable in God's sight is not beneficial if it is not the teaching of Jesus Himself. In order for any of us to make it to heaven and an eternal relationship with God we must follow the teachings of Jesus. The door to enter into is narrow. When Jesus says this he is saying there is not room for multiple of ways to God, only one, Jesus.

We all need to understand that our perception of what makes a good person has nothing to do with what God finds acceptable. We all will be judged by His word. So, we must learn it, apply it and teach it.

© 2012 Leo J. Woodman