The Narrow Door

Luke 13: 22-20
Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

You know how some people have verses from the Bible that they remember or read over and over again? Well, this is the one that sticks out to me. This is probably one of the most powerful and eye opening verses in the Bible that I've ever read. And it's because this is probably the question that I've always asked myself and the question I probably would have also asked Jesus if I had come face to face with him..."are only a few people going to be saved?"

And His response is powerful and clear: He wants us to make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many will try to enter and will not be able to. Period. Point clear. Strait from Jesus. Strait from the Truth.

So what do you do? What did I do? The answers are all in the Word and these 5 steps. It may take a short period of time or it may take 29 years and specifically 7 months of studying like it did me. There's no time table.

(study with Charlie)
1) You hear the message (Romans 10: 17; Acts 2)
2) You come to your faith (Romans 10: 17; Hebrews 11:6, Acts 2)
3) You repent. Repent just doesn't mean asking for forgiveness. It means asking for forgiveness and turning away from sin. (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38)
4) You confess (Romans 10:9; Timothy 6:12)
5) Baptism = Salvation = Eternal Life
(Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-5; Matthew 28: 18-20; 1Peter 3:18-22; Colossians 2:12; Galatians 3:26-29)

There are many false doctrines and teachings out there. Books people write, their interpretations, their so-called beliefs. They are reading the Bible with a critical eye. This is not the way to read it. If you did read it with a critical eye, it becomes difficult, confusing, creates tension, guilt, debate etc etc.

The teachings then become difficult. It's simply not clear and this WAS the way I use to read it. I read into other people's views and followed them and the fact is that I should have had a critical on those books. Not the Bible and it's teachings.

The Word is meant to be clear. Clear enough for even a child to read. And it IS when you spend personal time studying the Bible. So I encourage people that do not know the TRUE meaning to sit down and study the Bible for themselves. It will change your life and you will have the opportunity to be born again because the DOOR IS NARROW and I honestly believe that. If you doubt it, then you are doubting GOD himself.