Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”
And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 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,’ Luke 13:23-25 [NKJV]
Continuing my reading of Luke 13 tonight, the word that really became impressed upon me is “Strive”. This word denotes a character of continuance. When I read Jesus talking about ‘many will seek to enter and will not be able’, I think they are all of those who will try other things to EARN their way into heaven by some other avenue than putting their trust in the Savior.
I think the narrowness of the gate has to do with the criteria to be met and heart of the seeker. Criteria – surrender of our self and pride and acceptance and worship of the One True King. Heart – singularly focused on obeying and seeking the Lords will alone in their life. Only these people truly know Jesus and can Jesus know them.