Are You Strong Enough To Enter Through the Narrow Gate?
Someone once asked Jesus if only a few people would be saved. He was wondering how many people would one day make it to heaven. Jesus’ answer was startling and direct:
Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough
Luke 13:24
Wow – that’s harsh! And probably not the answer he was hoping to hear…
It seems there are two common reactions to this. The first is one of discouragement, to think, “Well, I have no chance – I’ve messed up too often, there is no way I could be strong enough.” This is not the point that Jesus was trying to make – to just condemn us based on our behavior. This reaction indicates an immaturity or error in what God’s grace is all about. There is not a test to enter heaven. Nobody in hell is saying, “I really wanted to be with Jesus for eternity, but I only scored a 68 on my life, and needed a 70 or better”.
The second reaction may be more dangerous. Some feel that they are already safe since they are religious people and live generally good lives. “This parable is not for me”, they say, “this is for bad people and sinners that need to get their act together”. This kind of elitism and lack of humility never ends well.
To get a better understanding, we need to figure out what Jesus meant by “strong enough”. In reality, this passage indicates that most people do not care enough about God or Jesus to enter heaven. From the parable that Jesus told the crowd, it seems that once people die and see spiritual truths more clearly, then they care, but by then it is too late. Are we strong enough to keep Jesus in the center of our lives, all the time, every day, in all that we do? Is our relationship with God our most important priority? Or is God just for Sundays, if we feel like going to church, or someone to pray to when we find ourselves in trouble?
To enter through the narrow gate to heaven, we must be strong enough to keep our relationship with God alive and growing deeper. We must be strong enough to not let distractions of this world occupy our time and mental energy. We must be strong enough to carry our own crosses, understanding that following Jesus is often difficult, but being resolute in “finishing the race” in good faith, hope and love.
Jesus goes on to deliver the parable of the “master of the house” with doors locked. The master did not know the people who didn’t enter before he locked the door and would not let them it. They missed their chance to enter while he was with them. The master of the house declares that he will not let them in because “he does not know them”, despite being around them previously in their everyday lives.
We need to develop our relationships with God so that we are not like the people who were locked out. We need to know God and allow him to know us – to know that we are his disciples. Reading the Bible, developing a prayer life and participation in sacraments will help us to do this, but we must also have love for God and for one other. Sins of omission can creep up on us, and are often more destructive that active sins. So, let’s be sure to help each other out and put others’ interests in front of our own. Then we will be enter through the narrow gate to heaven, not by our own strength, but by knowing Jesus and by our desire to be with him for all eternity.
