While we feel strongly that salvation is promised to us, salvation is NOT automatic. We must strive to enter into the Kingdom.
In the next three or four presentations I will submit to you a Divine bible-based truth, then I will demonstrate why I believe this is true.
The Divine truth is – While we feel strongly that salvation is promised to us, salvation is NOT automatic. We must strive to enter into the Kingdom.
Whether you agree or disagree with this truth, I hope to hear your impressions about it.
Let’s explore what Jesus says about the possibility to be saved when He returns, or at The Rapture.
As was pointed out in the previous presentation, the granting of eternal salvation at Jesus return applies to both the living and the dead. Jesus’ parables apply to those of us alive today, and to our loved ones who have departed this earthly life, and the many others there as well.
As Jesus was teaching while traveling towards Jerusalem, someone asked Him this question: “Lord, are there few who are saved?” How do you think Jesus replied? Let’s read the words of Jesus as recorded by the Apostle in Luke 13: 22-30:
22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”
And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are 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 you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 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, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
Jesus reveals some important facts about entering the Kingdom of Heaven, at His return:
The doorway into the Kingdom is narrow.
We must work hard or strive to enter in, for many will not be able to enter.
Jesus the Master will shut the door, and many disappointed souls will be left outside.
Those on the outside will in pleading, remind the Lord of all the times He was in their presence teaching them, even as they were eating and drinking.
At that time Jesus will say to them, depart from me, you workers of evildoing, I do not know you or where you are from. They will display deep regret as they are rejected.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets will be seen entering the Kingdom along with many from all over the world.
Some who seem to be least important now, will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now, will be the least important then.
Now, let’s read the words of Jesus, from the sermon on the mount, as recorded by the Apostle in Matthew 7: 13-14 and 21-29.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Build on the Rock
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes
In this passage Jesus reveals more important facts about entering the Kingdom of Heaven at The Rapture.
The way which leads to eternal life is difficult and there are only a few who will experience it.
We must do more than profess that Jesus is Lord.
We must strive to do the will of Our Father in heaven.
Rejected outside the Kingdom, there will be many who have done great works in the name of Jesus. Just think, for example, of the seventy disciples who left Him.
He will declare to those on the outside, I never really new you, depart from me, you who violate God’s laws. And which laws would those be?
As a result, those who believe Christ’s teachings and put them into practice are like a wise builder whose house of faith will survive trials, tribulations and temptations.
Consequently, those who hear Christ’s teachings and do not put them into practice are like foolish builders whose house of faith will catastrophically fall.
Who is represented in these parables? YOU and ME. We are believers, we are represented in these parables. How do you think you fit in?
So now we have some tension. We have been taught all along that God is love and that God wants all men, all souls to be saved. THIS IS VERY TRUE!
Here, Jesus teaches that only a few are saved. HOW CAN BOTH TEACHINGS BE TRUE?
It is important to realize that Christ’s return is just the FIRST opportunity to receive eternal salvation
We will read what JESUS TEACHES about the other salvation opportunities for both the living and the dead in future presentations.
I look forward to hearing your comments about this presentation.