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THE FEW
Most, if not all, of the civilizations that have existed since civilization began have believed in an existence after this present life. And, after all, who would not like to see their family, friends, and relatives again in the future after this life is over? This is the reason we often speak of seeing someone again in heaven after a death; and again we often use this passage in John…
In My Father’s house are many mansions;
if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you.
(John 14:2)
…as evidence that we will all meet again in the future.
But is possible that we are all being a bit too optimistic about events when we say such things? After all, although the Bible does state that:
[God] desires all men to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
(1Timothy 2:4)
And…
…whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(Romans 10:13)
The catch is that not everyone calls on the Lord’s name.
Jesus makes this clear when He says that:
…No one comes to the Father except through Me.
(John 14:6)
Therefore, there are qualifications to our life after this world’s existence.
The Bible points this out in a number of other ways as well. Jesus points out the apparent difference in man’s perception of the way to the afterlife and God’s prescribed path. He says:
…whatever you want men to do to you,
do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Enter by the narrow gate;
for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction,
and there are many who go in by it.
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life,
and there are few who find it.
(Matthew 7:12-14)
The gate is really only one-person wide and many refuse to accept that restriction with the result that they miss the way to life.
This was illustrated many times during Christ’s ministry on earth. He often ministered to thousands of people with the result that many followed Him everywhere and, at least on one occasion, wanted to make Him their king. But many followed Him for what they thought He could do for them and not for who He really was. Therefore, when He said:
“…no one can come to Me
unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
From that time many of His disciples went back
and walked with him no more.
(John 6:65-66)
Even after His resurrection in the upper room when the disciples gathered, the Bible states that:
…the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty…
(Acts 1:15)
So, even after all He spoke to during His ministry, and even after His deity was shown by His resurrection, the people who continued with Him to the end numbered in the low hundreds. Many began but only a few remained, and perhaps this illustrated what He referred to as the narrow gate - where the way may be difficult but it leads to life and…
…there are few who find it.
(Matthew 7:14)
Ensuring that you are one of those few is certainly something to think about.
