Are there few that are saved?

Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he [Jesus] said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Lk. 13:23-24

There are good questions and there are bad questions. The question asked to our Lord was an example of a bad question. Or perhaps more accurately, it was the wrong question.

This is the wrong question because, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how many people are saved or not saved - what matters is whether or not I am saved. If 99% of the human population is saved but I am not, then what difference does that make to me?

So you will notice that our Lord never strictly answers the man's question. Instead, he replies, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." In other words, you need to attend to the needs of your soul. Like the woman at the well in Samaria that our Lord visited with in John 4, we get caught up dilly-dallying over religious questions that in the end don't have any real value. We need to hear the words of the Lord: don't tarry over questions that profit not, even religious ones. Strive to enter into the kingdom.

Now, it's important that we hear this right. The command to strive is not a command to merit heaven. It's not a command to be good enough by being zealous enough or by working hard enough for God. Rather, we need to hear this as a command to personally and intentionally to enter into God's kingdom through the grace and righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is a strait and narrow gate because we cannot take our rebellious lifestyle in with us; we must repent. And it is a strait and narrow gate because we cannot take our self-righteousness in with us: we must trust entirely and alone upon Jesus Christ and his merits for us.

My friend, Jesus Christ is that gate. He is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other way to the Father except through him (Jn. 14:6). We can argue all day long about how many people will be saved, but what is most important is whether or not you are relating to God through Jesus Christ. Have you entered that gate? If so, praise the Lord for his grace! If not, then hear the words of our Lord: "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Enter in!