A strait gate (Addendum)

An oversight on my part was not to include the whole context of these verses. I originally posted them then removed them thinking it would take away from the point I was making.

Here is the passage all together:

Luke 13:23-30

Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:   Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.  And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.  And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.



From the context of this passage it seems that the Lord is specifically speaking to professing believers.

These appear to be people who fully expect to enter into heaven. Observe the responses when the master rises up and shuts the door on them.

First they are obviously stunned, they begin to knock and say "Lord, Lord open unto us". But He responds I don't know you.

Their next response is somewhat remarkable, they actually attempt to make a case with the Lord of Glory!
The sad part is their case is built on sand. It is based on their own righteousness' which is as "filthy rags". They say we ate and drunk in your presence and you taught in our streets. It's like 'we went to church', 'we listened to the preaching', and perhaps, there is even an allusion to partaking of the Lord's Supper or even baptism.

But the Lord responds  "I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

And then stark reality sets in for these souls as the Lord states "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth". Sadly these people are going to see "Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out."


As a supporting passage, one worth comparing is Rev 21: 9-27.

There are other passages worth noting, but I will stop here for tonight. Very sobering words by our Lord, to say the very least.

A few thoughts on the strait gate

While this note is not copied it was influenced by my recent reading of John Bunyan's work, The Strait Gate.  May the Lord bless this scripture and these thoughts.    cb



Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.   Luke 13:23-24


Think about this strait gate, spoken of by the Lord Jesus.

• It is wide enough to allow the regenerated soul in but narrow enough to keep the unregenerate out.
• It is wide enough to let the justified in but narrow enough to keep the unjustified soul out.
• The sanctified soul may pass through this gate but the unsanctified will be commanded to depart!
• The soul who has a "form of godliness" will be denied but the soul who who is "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" will gladly enter in!
• The soul who has the faith of devils will tremble and be turned away while the soul that received the gift of faith from God will enter in.
• They who through the faith of Christ are found to have "the righteousness of God by faith" will enter in and they who "being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness" will be commanded to depart!
• Those who come seeking to enter this gate by being "justified by the works of the law" shall be turned away but those "who according to His mercy" received "the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost" will enter rejoicing! 
• Those in whom the "love of God" has been shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost will be let in the strait gate but those who are "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" will be rejected.
• Whoever "will save his life" will lose it at the strait gate but whoever "loses his life" for Christ's sake and the gospel's the same will enter in to the kingdom!
• Those who are washed from their sins by the blood of Jesus will enter into the strait gate but,"there shall in no wise enter into it (gate) any thing that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination or makes a lie!

in Him

Unless we are in Him, our being well taught in the scriptures does not save us. 
                                                                                                               E.W. Johnson