Taken from http://www.awmi.net/bible/luk_13_24
Luke 13:24
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Note 2 at Lu 13:24: The Greek word used for "strive" in this verse is "AGONIZOMAI." It means "to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something)" (Strong's Concordance). It definitely implies that effort is involved in obtaining salvation. True salvation is not just mental assent but a real heartfelt commitment.
The effort implied here is not for the purpose of earning salvation; that is a free gift (Ro 5:15), but we do have to fight the good fight of faith (1Ti 6:12). Faith in Jesus' goodness is what saves us--not our own goodness--and Satan is constantly trying to destroy our faith. We have to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3).
Note 3 at Lu 13:24: Jesus said that many will seek to enter salvation and will not be able to. There are many reasons for this, but none of those reasons are because God refused salvation to anyone. "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" (Tit 2:11), and God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2Pe 3:9).
As Jesus went on to explain in Lu 13:25, some will not really seek salvation until it is too late. Others "have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Ro 10:2-3). Others may give lip service, but they do not believe from their hearts (Lu 6:46 and Ro 10:10).
We can rest assured that all those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled (Mt 5:6). "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Ro 10:13).
Luke 13:26
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
Note 4 at Lu 13:26: These people were claiming salvation by association. They didn't cite any commitment or faith on their part as reason why the Lord should accept them. They mistakenly thought they would be saved because they had been in the presence of the Lord.
Likewise, many people today think that going to church and associating with Christians will provide them with salvation. Some people think they are Christians because their parents were. But salvation is having a personal relationship with the Lord. People cannot inherit salvation through the natural birth. "Ye must be born again" (Joh 3:7, see note 2 at Joh 3:3).
Luke 13:28
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.
Note 5 at Lu 13:28: This passage is speaking of judgment and applies to all who reject God's salvation through Jesus. However, in context, the specific application was to these Jews and the Jewish nation. Jesus was saying that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets would be in the kingdom of God, but these Jews wouldn't. They thought they would be saved because they were Jews. They were trusting in their genealogy and not in a Savior. They thought they would obtain salvation by natural birth and were ignorant of the new birth (see note 2 at Joh 3:3).
Lu 13:29 goes on to speak of people coming from the east, the west, the north, and the south and entering into the kingdom of God. This is a reference to the Gentiles being granted admission into the kingdom of God (see note 2 at Lu 2:32 and note 45 at Mt 6:32), and it infuriated these Jews. As explained in note 4 at Lu 13:26, they believed they would be saved by association with God as His chosen people, and they couldn't accept that anyone who wasn't a Jew could make it.
The statement in Lu 13:30 about the last being first is also in reference to the Gentiles and Jews. The Jewish nation was first in the sense that they were given the covenants and the greater opportunity to know God. But they would become the last in the sense that they rejected Jesus as their Messiah; salvation would be taken from them and given to the Gentiles (Ro 11:11).
No comments:
Post a Comment