Why Few Will Find Salvation

Matthew 7:13-14

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

What did Jesus mean by a narrow way? Did He mean that few find it because it’s too hard? Is it hidden somewhere, or do we need to make an effort to get it?

No, it's because of pride.

Here’s why.

“Salvation is too easy.”

We sin, and God offers us a way to get rid of it, free or charge. Sounds suspicious? That’s because when we hear the word “free”, we don’t think it really means “free”. Because we grew up in a society and economy where “free” means “free (if you do this)”, we are reluctant to trust God when He says salvation is a free gift. We have grown accustomed to always expecting a catch, a condition or a requirement to get something for free.

Once one understands that salvation really is free, the guilt (because the grave sins God may have forgiven) or the suspicion will cause them to try to change the gospel. They say “you have to stop sinning to be saved”, or, “You will lose your salvation if you sin.”

What these people don’t realize, is that it’s their pride telling them to do that. It sounds logical and righteous, to stop sinning in order to get saved, for example. But this is not how God wants it to be. Our works for salvation are, to God, at best filthy rags, as we can read in Isaiah:

Isaiah 64:6

6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

We are all born sinners. It’s not our sin that makes us sinners, it is our sin-being that makes us sin. We lie, steal, cheat, because we are sinners. The lying, stealing and cheating doesn’t make us sinners, but rather it shows that we are sinners. It is because of the essence of sin in us, that we inherited from Adam, that God can not accept our own works of righteousness for the payment of sin. That is why He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect, sinless life, and to give Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. All we have to do is accept His payment in our place.

God can’t save us by His grace if we insist that we need to give him something in return, i.e. our works, as Paul said in Romans:

Romans 11:6

6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

If we could add our works to salvation, it would not be of grace anymore. And if grace could be applied to your works, our works wouldn’t be works anymore. Salvation is either of our works by the law, or by the grace of God, it can’t be both.

In fact, you offering your own works for salvation is an insult to God. God brought His own, holy, sufficient sacrifice for the remission of sins, and some try to add their own works to it. They don’t realize that in essence they are saying that God’s sacrifice is not enough. They are saying God is not enough. They need some of their own efforts in the mix to feel satisfied. How prideful does that sound?

Romans 10:3

3 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.

Ephesians 2:8, 9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This is the reason why so many mock the true gospel as “easy believism.” Not realizing that they are working against God, they actually think they are righteous for doing all these good deeds.

“Salvation is too hard.”

What salvation really comes down to, is wether you choose for yourself or for God.

In order to get saved, you must realize and accept that you are a sinner, worthy of eternal damnation in hell. You need to have an objective view of yourself from God’s perspective. He is the Creator of our universe, He is the Creator of us, of every human being that walks on this earth. He makes the rules. This means that, if we want to be saved, it has to be done His way.

Some people find this too hard though. They don’t want to be confronted with their own sinfulness. They don’t want to deal with how much they have wronged God throughout their life, mainly because they don’t want to feel bad about themselves.

Romans 3:4, 23

4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

It is human nature to resist this fact. We move away from pain, and towards pleasure. The thing is though, that we need to go against this nature if we want to receive salvation. We need to be willing to admit that we are sinners, bound to go to hell -- otherwise, why would we need a Savior?

1 John 1:8, 10

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

We need to be willing to see our sin for what it is, and allow God to fix it for us. We need to humble ourselves before Him, so He can lift us up. And this is a harsh reality to face for many.

This is why some people choose to postpone salvation. They will deal with their sin “later,” and get saved “later,” out of fear. Pride disguised as fear, that is. Why, you ask? Because you don't know when you're going to die. You don't know wether there is a "later" for you or not. You could be walking down the street one second and be gone the next. This postponing attitude is what sends many to hell, for the mere fact that they waited with choosing.

Salvation is a free gift from God. We can receive it, but it has to be according to His rules. We can't change it or try to bypass it by establishing our own righteouness by any means. God offers Himself to us as He is, and it is up to us wether we believe Him or not.

Letting pride overtake you is exactly what Satan did. He did not want to submit himself to God's rules, and instead go about his own way - and look where that got him. Do you want to go Satan's way, or God's way? Or do you want to sleep on it? 

John 3:16-18

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Choose wisely, before it's too late.