Strive To Enter

“Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” Jesus, to his followers (Luke 13:24)

Jesus makes this statement in answer to a question about who will be saved and how many there will be who are saved in the end. Notice that Jesus does not quantify salvation, nor does he make generalizations. Jesus turns the question back upon the questioner; He tells the questioner to concern himself with his own salvation. He tells the man to focus on the ‘plank’ in his own eye, so to speak, to be concerned with himself, and not with other people. Jesus is likewise turning the question to us, asking us, ‘Will you be saved?’ The answer depends upon our getting through the door that Jesus describes as being open for all to enter who will. But He warns that there will come a day when He will get up and close that door and leave many outside His house who had thought that they were safe. To be saved requires more than simply hearing the Word of God and following along with the Son as so many in the crowds surrounding Jesus were doing. To be saved requires the believer to act on the Word that was received, to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. Jesus tells us to STRIVE to enter His kingdom. We must ACT on his Word by obeying His commands. So then, what are His commands? What do we do in our striving to enter the kingdom of God? From a search of the Gospels I found that the direct commands of Jesus are surprisingly simple. Jesus Himself sums them up in His response to a question that seems to ask this question for us- just what, exactly, is the believer in God required to do? Jesus was asked (Matthew 22:35-40): “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?” And He [Jesus] said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Jesus did not eradicate the old Law; he Himself told us that He came to fulfill it through His sacrifice upon the cross and His resurrection from the dead (Matthew 5:17-18). But even with the fulfillment of the Law, Jesus still insists that we work to keep every aspect of it. He tells us how to do this by explaining in full the original intent of that Law and then giving us practical means of working out our salvation through obedience to Him. In His teaching Jesus expounds the old Law by introducing a new Law, the Law of Love. Everything commanded by Jesus in the Gospels fulfills the old by embracing this new Law. Jesus’ two greatest commands, to Love God and to Love Others, serve as the umbrella for everything else He commands us to do as His followers. To be saved is to follow Jesus; to follow Jesus is to obey the Law of Love; and to obey the Law of Love is to strive to enter through the narrow door. A look at the direct commands of Jesus gives us a snapshot of how we might begin this labor. These commands can be summarized as follows: Love the Lord your God Love your Neighbor as Yourself Believe in Him Forgive Others/ Ask Forgiveness Follow Him Give to Others Be Ready for Him Be Humble Pray to Him Love Others

On the following pages are the some of the specific commands of Jesus arranged under the general categories listed above:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Believe in Him The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. (Mark 1:15)

This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent. (John 6:29) While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light. (John 12:36)

Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe in the works themselves. (John 14:11)

Follow Him Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men. (Mark 1:17) If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. (Matthew 16:24)

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also… (John 12:26)

Be Ready for Him Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14) Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15) Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. (Matthew 24:42)

Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:13) Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed… (Luke 12:15) Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. (John 4:35)

Pray to Him Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven… (Matthew 6:9-13) Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28) Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Forgive Others/ Ask Forgiveness Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that you brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. (Matthew 5:23-24) But I say to you, do not resist and evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (Matthew 5:39) I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:22) Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. (Mark 11:25) If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him. (Luke 17:5)

Give to Others But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you. (Luke 11:41) Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. (Luke 5:42)

Sell your possessions and give to charity; make for yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. (Luke 12:33)

One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. (Mark 10:21)

Be Humble But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret… (Matthew 6:17-18) In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12) For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:11)

Love Others But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44) Do not judge so that you will not be judged. (Matthew 7:1) But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. (Matthew 9:13)

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you… (Matthew 28:19-20)

“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robber’s hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” (Luke 10: 36-37) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34)