(Luke 13:23-30.)
THE question, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" seems to have been a merely curious or idle question, on the part of the one who asked it; such as unconverted men will sometimes ask about the doctrine of election. But the Lord Jesus, in His usual way, so answered it as to turn it into a serious one. He replied so as to meet, not the question, but the real state of the man's soul. As if the Lord said, Few or many, do you "strive to enter in at the strait gate." That is your personal, all-important matter. “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." Surely this is a solemn and searching reply, and well fitted to turn the curious into an anxious inquirer.
The Lord, in His rich mercy, grant that it may do so in the case of all into whose hands this paper may come. There are many who are still merely curious inquirers, whom we desire to see deeply anxious and earnest ones. Surely the salvation of the soul is of all others the most personal matter possible. The door is still open; the invitation is to all: "Come, for all things are now ready." Enter while there is room. The Master is patiently waiting; oh, delay not! "Strive to enter in at the strait gate.”
The connection and strict interpretation of this passage refer to the Jews. Christ was speaking to Jews, and of their then present privileges and future miseries, because they were rejecting Him. He plainly showed them that although their privileges had been great, such as eating and drinking in His presence, and hearing Him preach the gospel in their streets, still there was no salvation for them, and no entering the kingdom, while they refused to own Himself, to receive Him as the true Messiah, and the only Saviour of sinners. He would at last say, "I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”
Observe, He does not deny that they enjoyed great privileges; but He repeats this awfully solemn truth, "I know you not whence ye are." They had never made themselves known to Him. They bad never come to Himself, individually, as sinners to a Saviour. They knew their privileges, and boasted in them, but they refused Christ. Hear His lament “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not." (Matt. 23:37)
Christ Himself was rejected. Israel would have none of Him. Therefore they were left desolate, like chickens without the sheltering wing, and the fox “in the midst of them. Oh, what a picture of utter helplessness and certain destruction!
But although this portion of Scripture, strictly speaking, refers to the Jews, it has, nevertheless, a most solemn voice to us. And, morally, it strikingly illustrates our own present position, we can only enter in at the strait gate by faith in Him who died and rose again. It is too strait for self in any form.
Let us now look at the subject in its application to our own time.
When Christ had finished the great work of redemption on the cross, He ascended up on high, and sat down at the right hand of God in heaven. His work being finished, He sat down. "When He had by Himself purged our sins, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," (Heb. 1:3.) The sacrifice for sinners was offered and accepted, by which their souls' need was fully met. God was glorified. The rights of His throne were vindicated by the blood of the sacrifice sprinkled on the mercy-seat, All the perfections of His character were displayed in their full glory, and the principles of his moral government maintained.
All that God required being done, perfectly, and forever done, the door of mercy is thrown wide open to the chief of sinners. The way into the holiest of all is made manifest. (Heb. 10:19) And the voice of gracious invitation goes forth into all the world, to every creature, Whosoever will, let him come and drink at the fountain of the water of life freely, gratis. (Rev. 22:17.) God is free to receive to Himself, and pardon with overflowing Jove, all who come to Him by faith in the finished work of His dear Son. Thus we have, glory be to God, at the present moment, A SEATED CHRIST AND AN OPEN DOOR.
And whosoever will may come to Him, in the full confidence of the Father's perfect love to them, and of the Son's finished work for them. The everlasting gates that were thrown wide open for "the King of glory," still stand open for the chief of sinners, and the blood by which He entered is their title to approach and the ground of their acceptance. (Psa. 24:7; 1 Tim. 1:15; Heb. 10:22.)
There need be no doubts, no fears, no trembling. To enter the open door in the faith of Christ, simply trusting to the work which He has accomplished for us, is to enter heaven.—How? In what condition, think you? Oh, wondrous truth! It is to enter heaven in the full credit of Christ Himself. It is to cross the threshold, pass through the pearly gates, walk up the golden street, right to the throne of God; and stand in the pure light of that throne, in all the perfectness and acceptableness of Christ Himself.
To find fault with the believing sinner there, would be to find fault with Him who sits upon the throne. He stands there, not in his own right or title, but in the rights and titles of Christ. "Today," said the dying Jesus to the believing thief, shalt thou be with me in paradise. "Not only, observe, in paradise, but" with me.”
Oh, that precious, "with me"! It defines so sweetly where the departed spirit is, where heaven is, and what heaven is. It is just to be with Christ. Now, we are by faith "in Christ Jesus"; by-and by we shall be personally "with Him." In Our bodies of glory we shall be forever with the Lord. (1 Thess. 4:17.)
But as to the immediate results, the present condition of all who believe in Jesus, the following passage is clear and decided: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18,) This is the gospel of the grape of God. There is no missing link in this gospel. The believer, in virtue of the sufferings and death of Christ, is brought to God in Him. Not only to the cross, but to the throne. Not merely into a place, but unto a Person. He can never get better, he can never get higher, than this. Oh, wondrous truth! Brought to God in the condition of Christ; in the condition of His life, righteousness, peace, preciousness, perfectness, and glory! "Because as He is so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17.)
And is it, my reader may ask, to all this blessedness that the open door leads? Yes, dear reader, to all this wondrous, present blessedness! And while Christ is seated at God's right hand, the door stands wide open night and day. Entering in by the strait gate simply means coming in faith to Jesus; it means conversion, reconciliation to God, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh then, enter now! To-morrow may be too late. The Master may be risen up, and the door shut against you forever.
Alas! that any should prefer present things to coming to Jesus! that any should need to be entreated to come to Him! What can be more encouraging, more inviting, than A SEATED CHRIST, AND AN OPEN DOOR? The present position of Christ assures the sinner that the work is finished. There is no ground for perplexity. The work required by God, and needed by the sinner, is done, perfectly done, and accepted by God for the sinner. The divine proof of this is A SEATED CHRIST AND AN OPEN DOOR.
There, the blessed Jesus waits in patient love to receive to Himself all who come by faith. And this glorious word, "Him, that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out," He has sent forth into all the ends of the earth, that every doubt may be dispelled. (John 6:37). Oh! then, tell me, ye trembling, troubled, doubting, unhappy ones, where is there the smallest ground for all your fears as to your acceptance?
Certainly, it is not in the love of God, the work of Christ, the witness of the Holy Ghost, the open door, or, in the patient, waiting One. It can only be in the unbelief of your own hearts. For surely the work of Christ is finished. God is satisfied, and well pleased in Him; sin has been put away, the power of Satan destroyed, death vanquished, the grave spoiled, and Christ, the mighty Victor is seated in triumph on the right hand of heaven's Majesty, waiting for sinners to be gathered to Him, that they may adorn His crown, and reflect His glory, throughout the countless ages of eternity.
We will now glance, very briefly, at the second part of our subject, namely, A RISEN CHRIST AND A SHUT DOOR.
The Lord solemnly assures us that the moment His position is changed, the door is shut; and that there would be no hope for those who were outside, who had refused to enter by "the strait gate." The position of the door depends entirely upon the position of the Master. While He is seated, the door is open; but when He is risen up, the door is shut. "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 to us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are." '
It was those who had enjoyed the greatest privileges, such as eating and drinking in the Lord's presence, and hearing Him teach, that were hopelessly shut out. They might seek to get in at the shut door, but there was no admittance for them. "For many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”
The seeking here, and the not being able to enter, do not refer to the strait gate, but entirely to the shut door. So it may have been in the days of Noah. Those who refused to enter the ark through the preaching of Noah, could not get in after the door was shut. 'They might seek, and seek earnestly, pleadingly, and touchingly, as they saw the waters rising on the earth, but it was too late, God had shut the door, and none' could open it, They had despised the day of His long-suffering grace, although He had waited a hundred and twenty years for them. But a day of solemn reckoning came at last, and there was no escaping. They might see the ark of God's salvation rising securely on the swelling deep, but there was no refuge for them. Some might flee from one summit to another, but the raging billows 'pursued after them, until the highest summit was reached, and every mountain swept by the dark waters of judgment.
Surely, dear reader, there is something peculiarly and especially solemn in the truth, here stated by the Lord. Does it not plainly teach us, that the doom of all would be sealed forever, who have refused to come to Him by the open door, were He, at this moment, to change His position? Assuredly it does. “When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door." All depends upon this.
How solemn! Were He to rise to-day, where would you be? on which side of the door? The question is not, "I am young, in good health, and may live many years." Oh, no! but in a moment when we think not, the Master may rise up, shut the door, and what then? If outside the door, amongst those who have deliberately refused to come in, all hope is lost. He is the "Master of the house"; "He openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth." (Rev. 3:7.)
And now, in conclusion, let me faithfully and affectionately warn my dear reader not to rest in privileges. Privileges, however great, are not Christ. These can never save the soul. He only can. Have you, oh, have you, come to Him? Have you ever spoken to Him about your condition as a sinner, and His grace and love as the Saviour, in dying for you? Oh! let me again ask you, have you come to Him? Have you had to do with Him in the secret of His own presence?
Your precious opportunities may be near an end. Who can tell how soon the Master may rise up? Is He not now gathering souls in great numbers, and filling His house rapidly? May it not be nearly full I Oh, delay not! While the door is open, enter in, and be at rest. "The Master calleth thee" and every poor blinded sinner. Why refuse? "Come unto me," are His own words of gracious invitation, and His sure promise is, "I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). Do, then, oh! do, come to Jesus. "Strive" to break away from everything that would hinder thee coming. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." Oh, let nothing hinder thee. Come to Jesus. He is worth more to thy soul than the whole world a thousand times over. Only think, then, of the precious Jesus. Oh! how precious He is! come at once to Him. The companionship of Jesus, the fellowship of the holy, the bright glories of heaven, on the one hand, and the unutterable torments of hell on the other, are set before thee. Oh! which is it to be? Canst thou hesitate for a moment? Choose, oh! choose at once, as the portion of thy heart, that blessed One who has waited so long, and so patiently for thee. Rest on His finished work for thee. Let Him have thy whole heart, and thou shalt be eternally happy in His changeless love.