Insightful Musings on theScriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Greetings, dear ones.
Beautiful morning out there. I hope to get in a jog even though it’s so late. We’ve consumed a lot of time already talking about some critical and difficult family stuff—and how Biblical principles relate to it all. To be sure, the enemy does not need to perform big ugly sinister supernatural stuff in order to get people (including our own family members) on the wrong course. All he needs to do is lend subtle influence to kind of weaken or neutralize our maintaining the main thing as the main thing—like seeking first His Kingdom rule—like loving Him completely—like a HEART AFTER GOD—like the ONE and only way to LIFE—like JESUS. Any loss of that central simplicity will turn things very complex and destructive—either in a hurry, or over time—the enemy knows fast or slow doesn’t matter that much—because the fact remains either way.
Once again, this devotional composition is revised from 2012. And once again, I judge it is worth repeating.
May your day be blessed. Love, Dad/Ray.
Let’s slice apart this statement by Jesus into four nice little pieces. They may be little in size, but I think they’re big in importance.
MAKE EVERY EFFORT. Jesus is helping us to understand a vital truth—entering the Kingdom of God is not by accident. It calls for effort—EVERY EFFORT—decisive, all-out, no-other-objective-matters effort—very intentional. Why do you think followers are called DISCIPLES? Do you see the connection to DISCIPLINE? Although we are not saved by our good works, do you think you can make it without focus and commitment and effort? I don’t think so. No one is going to accidentally fall into heaven.
ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW DOOR. Shall we complain to Jesus? “Jesus, don’t you think this word NARROW is a bit…well…NARROW?” Jesus would probably say, “Very.” It is so narrow that Peter was inspired to proclaim, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Whew! That’s NARROW!
MANY WILL TRY TO ENTER. I hope you can recognize a distinction between “effort” and “try.” EFFORT speaks of doing the right thing in the right way. TRY in this application is like futile effort, like doing the right thing in the wrong way—like a person trying to open a safe without following the instructions that contain the combination. Actually, the seriousness of the situation Jesus presents is more like a person trying to deactivate a destructive time bomb without knowing how.
NOT BE ABLE TO. It is helpful to understand that IF there was any other way for men to measure up to “the glory of God” (Romans 3:23; 5:2) and make heaven their home than the ONE WAY God graciously offers, even though it be NARROW, Jesus would not have had to come and die as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29, 36). I hereby reaffirm—there is absolutely no way I can achieve for myself what Christ achieved for me on the cross.
So, how many ways are there to Eternal Life? Let’s count them: ONE.