Are There Few That Be Saved

Now let's turn to Luke, the thirteenth
chapter. I'd like to read my text again. I'm speaking on the subject,
Are there few that be saved? Are there few that be saved? Luke thirteen, twenty-three.
Then said one unto him, Are there few that be saved?
And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the straight gate.
For many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in and shall not
be able." It is a fact that the Lord Jesus
Christ came into this world to save sinners. The Word of God
plainly declares in 1 Timothy 1.15, this is a faithful, a sure
saying. Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners. We have no doubt of his mission.
He came to save sinners. And on that day that he was born,
the angel said to his father Joseph, Thou shalt call his name
Jesus. for he shall save his people
from their sins. He said himself in Luke 19.10,
the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. So we have no doubt, it is a
fact, it is certain. Paul said a sure thing, that
Jesus Christ came into this world for the purpose of saving sinners. And then the Bible was given
to us that we might be saved. The Bible was given to us that
we might know God, that we might know his Son, Jesus Christ. In
John chapter 20, verse 31, the Scripture says, these things
are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his
name. That's why they were written. The word of God was written that
you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, that he is the
Christ, that he is the Savior. He is the Son of God, and that
believing you might have life through his name. That's why
the Bible was given, that you might know God, that you might
believe on Christ, and that you might have life. It is a fact. Ministers are sent to preach
the gospel. to every creature that sinners
might be saved. That's why ministers are sent.
That's why Christ came. That's why the Bible is given.
That's why ministers are sent to preach. Our Lord said to his
disciples in Mark 16, verse 15, you go into all the world and
preach the gospel. Preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. and he that believeth
not shall be damned." It is a fact that ministers are sent to preach
the gospel that sinners might be saved. And the grand object
of having a religion is to be saved. The grand object of having
a faith is to be saved. The grand object of professing
to know God is to be saved. That's the great question. That's
the great issue to be settled. Am I saved? Do I know God? Do I know Christ? Our main concern,
believe me, is not having the right denomination. As far as
I can judge from the Word of God, in the New Testament days,
there were no denominations. Our main concern is not to observe
the right ordinances and the right ceremonies and keep the
right day and obey the right rules, the main concern, after
all, as I see the scriptures, is to determine whether or not
I know God, whether or not I know Christ. Without salvation, all
of our religious doings are just so many labors in vain. Without an assurance of my interest
in Christ. Without salvation, all of my
religious doings are so much weariness and pain. To be wrapped
up in a religion which gives me no peace in this life, to
be wrapped up in a religion which gives me no hope in death, to
be wrapped up in a religion that gives me no glory in the world
to come. to me is worse than foolishness.
To me it's insanity. Total, complete insanity. To
be wrapped up in a religion, to go through all of the motions
and all of the forms and all the ceremonies of religion, which
gives no peace in my heart, which gives me no hope in death, which
gives me no glory in the world to come, is worse than foolishness,
it's insanity. It's a waste of time, it's a
waste of effort, it's a waste of whatever you contribute to
it. In dealing with the subject this morning, are there few that
be saved, the first question that must be answered is this,
what is it to be saved? What is it to be saved? This
is the matter that must be cleared up first of all, till we know
what it is to be saved. We can never make any progress
in answering the question, are there few that be saved? I want
God's word to answer this question for us. Now turn with me to John
17. And I'm not going to just say
some words now, I'm going to try to answer the question, what
is it to be saved? What is it to be saved? More
than walking down an aisle and shaking a preacher's hand. It's
more than turning over a new leaf. It's more than quitting
some sins and keeping others. It's more than being alphabetically
listed on the church roll book. What is it to be saved? It's
more than giving up a few bad habits. In John 17, verse 3,
our Lord answers the question for us. He says, and this is
life eternal. Salvation is life eternal. Salvation
is life eternal. When we talk about life eternal,
we're talking about salvation. And this is life eternal, that
they might know thee. To be saved is to know God. That
they might know thee. the only true God. Not just to
have a God now, not just to have a supreme being, but eternal
life is to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast
sent. Salvation then to be saved is
to know God. Not to know about him, not to
know that he exists, not to know some things about him, but to
know him. Now listen to this. Let me read
this. Don't turn to this scripture. 1 John 5, 20. But John writes
this. Listen. The Son of God has come
and has given us an understanding that we may know him. That we
may know him. This is the true God And we are
in Him that is true, even in His Son, Jesus Christ, and this
is eternal life. 1 John 5, 20. Christ said eternal life is to
know God, not just to know about Him, not to know He exists, but
to know Him, to know Him. And to know Him is to have Him
revealed to you in Christ. That's 1 John 5, 20. Let me read
it to you again. The Son of God has come and has
given us an understanding. Not just a religion, not just
a creed, not just some articles of faith. He has given, actually
given us an understanding, an understanding of who we are and
what we are and who God is and what God is. His justice, His
righteousness, His holiness, His mercy, His attributes, who
He is. We have an understanding that
we may know Him. You can't know Him without an
understanding of Him. And this is the true God, and
we're in Him. That is true. Even in His Son,
Jesus Christ. And this is eternal life. To know God is to have Him revealed
to you in Christ. Luke 10, verse 22, Christ said,
No man knows the Father. Luke 10, 22, No man knows the
Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
No man knows the Father save the Son, and he to whom the Son
will reveal him. Well, the disciples said, Show
us the Father. He said, Philip, have I been
with you so long and you don't know me? You don't know me? He that hath seen me hath seen
my Father." To know God is to rejoice in His attributes. The
Scripture says, we joy in God. We joy in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ. To know God is not to make Him
what you want Him to be, but to rejoice in Him as He is. To
know God is not to design a God according to your own specification,
but to know and to love and to approve of the living God. What is it to be saved? It's
to know God. What is it to be saved? It's to believe on Christ.
Says, what must I do to be saved? Paul said, believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should
not perish, but have eternal life. This is eternal life, that
we might believe on him whom God hath sent. As many as received
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on his name. He is the Savior because he is
the covenant surety. He is the Savior because He is
the Lamb of God. He is the Savior because He is
the High Priest. He is the Savior because He is
the Sin Offering. He is the Savior because He is
the Risen One. He is the Savior because He is
the Mediator. And to be saved is to believe
on Him in all His offices, and to receive Him as such. Now, 2 Corinthians 5, 17. 2 Corinthians
5, 17. Now I have said this in answer
to the question, what is it to be saved? It's to know God. It's to know God. It is to know
the true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. It's to have
God revealed to you by the Son. No man knows the Father save
the Son, he to whom the Son will reveal it. And the Son of God
hath come and hath given us an understanding We know God. God is revealed in Christ. And
to know God is to approve of God as he is, to rejoice in him
as he is. People say, well, my God wouldn't
do that. Well, you're probably right.
But it's not your God I'm interested in. It's not even my God I'm
interested in. I'm interested in knowing the
true God, the living God. To know God is to believe on
Christ. It is to trust Him, it is to
receive Him. And then to be saved is to be
a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5.17. Listen to this. Therefore, if
any man, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. Old things
are passed away, behold, all things are become new. Galatians chapter 5. Turn over
there just a moment. Galatians 5, verse 22. Galatians 5, 22. But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering or patience, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law,
and they that are Christ Those that belong to him have crucified
the flesh with the affections and the lust. This is the new
creation. It is love, joy, peace, patience,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. The scripture
calls God's people a peculiar people. Someone asked me the
other day, why are the people of God called peculiar? Well, I know that a lot of folks
in the world, in the religious world, make themselves peculiar
by dressing in outlandish costumes. This is not the peculiarity of
which the Word of God is speaking. I know that a lot of people in
the religious world make themselves peculiar by adopting the most
ridiculous doctrines. They sell their homes and they
buy a cabin on top of a hill and say they're going to wait
until Jesus comes. That's not the peculiarity of which God
is speaking. How are God's people a peculiar
people? I think they're peculiar in a
threefold sense. First of all, they're peculiar
in their beliefs. They believe that salvation is
not by the deeds of the law. It is not by the works of the
flesh, but by the grace of God in Christ Jesus the Lord. That's
peculiar. The whole world believes in salvation
by works. The whole world believes in salvation
by human righteousness. But the people of God believe
that we're by the righteousness of another, that we're redeemed
by the substitutionary work of another, and in that they're
peculiar. Secondly, they're peculiar in
their works. They do works of righteousness.
They do works of charity. That's what the Scripture's talking
about here, goodness, gentleness, long-suffering, meekness, and
so forth. They do works of charity, but
they do their works not to be seen of men. I pick up my newspaper
and I see where some organization has given some money to an orphanage,
and there's always about a six by nine picture of the president
of the organization presenting the check to the organization.
They do their work to be seen of men. Any time that a person
gives to the United Fund or the Community Chest or the Red Cross,
he expects to have some kind of commendation, some kind of
recognition, some kind of praise for men. The people of God are
peculiar in that they do their works, they do their labors of
love not to be seen of men. They do it as unto the Lord. In the third place, the people
of God are peculiar not only in their faith, in their beliefs,
and in their works, but they are peculiar in their attitude.
As you would that men should do unto you, this is the basis
of their attitude, even so do ye unto them. As you would that
men should do unto you, even so do ye unto them. The law is
not made for a righteous man, it's made for an unholy man.
If everybody in this town was a believer, a Christian, I'm
not talking about a church member, I'm talking about a Christian,
nobody would ever have to lock a door. Nobody would ever have
to take his keys out of his ignition in his car. You'd never have
to hire anybody to pick up the paper out on the street, there
wouldn't be any thrown out there. If everybody in this town was
a believer, The banks would not have to hire people to keep books.
They wouldn't have to sign a note. No notes would have to be signed.
No bills would have to be sent in the mail because the bills
would be paid. The notes wouldn't have to be
signed. Money would be exchanged by handshake if everybody was
a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. The law is made for the
unholy. It's made for the unrighteous.
Believers are peculiar. You say, well, you're supposed
to get what you can get. That's not the attitude of God's
people. That's the reason they're peculiar. That's the reason they're
peculiar. They're peculiar in their beliefs,
they're peculiar in their works, that they do them not to be seen
of men, and they're peculiar in their attitude, and that is
that as they would have others treat them, that's the way they'll
treat the others. That's what it is to be saved.
It's to know God. It's to know His Son, Jesus Christ. It's to have an understanding
of God. It's to walk with Him and fellowship
with Him. It is to have God revealed to
you in the person of Jesus Christ. It is to rejoice in God, the
God of the Bible, the true God, in His attributes, in His holiness,
in His righteousness. It's to rejoice in Him. It's
to believe on Christ. in all of his offices, and it's
to be made a new creature in Christ Jesus. It's to be made
righteous and to be made holy. Now, are there few that be saved?
What's the world's answer to this question? I know this is
an unpopular message, but what's the world's answer to this question?
Are there few that be saved? What does the common man on the
street think? What's his answer? His answer
can be observed from a threefold fact or truth. Now watch this.
First of all, are there few that be saved? Ask the world. Well,
how are we going to get them to reply? Well, let's just observe
their attitude towards people while they live. The Bible says
there is none good, no, not one. Do we believe that? that our
friends and our relatives and our neighbors are no good? Do
we believe that? The Bible says, In the flesh
dwelleth no good thing. Do we believe that? Does the
world believe that? Do we believe that people are
ungodly and evil and corrupt by nature? The Bible says, From
the sole of the feet to the top of the head there is no soundness,
nothing but corruption. and evil and unholiness. Do we believe that? My husband's
a good man. Oh, he's not saved, but he's
a good man. The Bible says the natural mind is enmity toward
God. Christ said, the world hates
me. Do we believe that our friends really hate God? Now really,
really, do we believe that they're enemies of God? The Bible says
that the natural mind is enmity against God. Well, he's not saved,
but he doesn't hate God. The Bible says that the wrath
of God abideth on the unbeliever. He that believeth not on the
Son, the wrath of God abideth on him. Do we believe that? Do
we believe these people with whom we work and play and associate
and socialize, do we really, listen to me, believe that the
wrath of God is on them? Do we really think that those
about us are in danger of going to hell? Do we believe that? Do we believe, does the world
believe, that the people, that vast multitude about us, walking
with us on the street, working with us, talking with us, that
they're really going to hell? If you want the answer to this
question from the world, are there few that be saved? Not
only will you be called upon to observe their attitude while
people live, but observe their attitude when somebody dies. Everyone is respectable after
he's dead. Did you know that? A man dies. He's given no evidence of repentance. He's given no evidence of faith
in Christ. He's given no evidence of regeneration
or the new birth. He hasn't lived for God, he's
lived for himself. All his life he's lived like
a creature without a soul. He's lived for his own gratification,
for his own selfish pursuits, for his own selfish pleasures.
He's had no time for the gospel, for God, for the church. And
yet when he dies, he's with the Lord. Huh? That's what they say. Well, he's
gone to be with the Lord. I don't know why he'd want to
be with Him in eternity. He didn't care a thing about
being with Him down here. I don't know why in the world
he'd be interested in the Lord's house up yonder when he never
entered the Lord's house down here. Why did he suddenly become
interested in those things? Well, he's better off now. We'll
meet again someday. Honey, your father died, but
don't you cry because we're going to meet again. Does anybody ever
die and go to hell? Have you ever, have you ever
known anybody to die and go to hell? not in the opinion of the world.
And it proves to me that the world believes most people are
saved. The world believes that this
business of going to heaven is not such a difficult thing after
all. The Bible says, now strive to enter in. The kingdom of heaven
is taken by violence. Seek ye the Lord, but ask the
world. I think he was saved. I believe he's all right." Well,
that's true. And then you can observe what
the world thinks and answers. Are there few that they say what
the world thinks and answers that question? Observe their
attitude towards people that are living. Observe their attitudes
towards people that have died. And then observe their attitude
toward ministers who preach what I'm preaching this morning. Who are the popular preachers?
Who are the popular ministers? You want me to tell you? Those
who say nothing. That's who the popular preachers
are. Those who cry peace, peace, when there is no peace. Who are
the popular ministers? Well, it's not the disturbers
of Israel. It's the man who says nothing.
He talks about heaven and he talks about salvation and he
talks about glory, but he never talks about judgment and righteousness
and holiness. But you let a preacher insist
that men are born in sin. You let a preacher insist that
men are born enemies of God. You let a preacher declare the
inability of the flesh to please a holy God. You let a preacher
expose false professions and hypocrisy in religion. You let
a preacher declare who Christ is and what Christ did and why
he did it. You let a preacher preach the
narrower way of life in Jesus Christ. You let a preacher insist
on a regenerated church membership, on a renewed heart. You let a
preacher preach the righteousness of God in Christ, and what will
the results be? You know what it is. He'll be
unpopular, he'll be rejected, he'll be called a Bible radical
or a fanatic. To be popular today, a preacher
has to be one of three things, either a parrot, a puppet, or
a promoter. He can't be a prophet, because
prophets are not popular. Christ said, O Jerusalem, that
stone us and kill us, the prophets that are sent unto you. And this
shows what the world thinks about this question, are there few
that be saved? Well, let's see what the Bible
says. Turn to Matthew chapter 7. What does the Word of God
say in answer to the question, Are there few that be saved?
I don't want to be more charitable than the Bible. I don't want
to be more charitable than God's Word. I want to be charitable,
but I want to be truthful. Are there few that be saved?
Matthew chapter 7, verse 13. Listen to the words of Christ
himself. Enter ye in at the straight gate. For wide is the gate, and broad
is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat. Because straight is the gate,
and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that
find it." How was it in the days of Noah? Are there few that be
saved? How was it in the days of Abraham? The angel of God came down to
Abraham and said, God's going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
Lord, suppose I can find fifty righteous men in the city. God
said, I'll spare it. Lord, now suppose there aren't
fifty, suppose Abraham said there are forty, I'll spare it. Lord,
I don't want to presume, but suppose I find thirty, I'll spare
it. Be patient, O Lord, with thy
servant." If I find twenty, Abraham knew there weren't twenty. God
said, I'll spare it. O Lord, if I find ten, God said,
I'll spare it. There weren't five righteous
people in the city. How was it in the days of Elijah?
prophet of God sat over there under the juniper tree and wept,
and he said, I'm the only believer left. God says, I've reserved to myself
seven thousand and have not bowed the knee to Baal, but what seven
thousand among millions and millions? How was it in the days of the
kings? Listen to David, O God, help me. The godly man ceaseth
from the earth, the faithful fail among the sons of men."
Listen to Isaiah, O Lord, except the Lord of the Sabbath had left
us a remnant, we'd be like Sodom and Gomorrah, not Sabbath. How was it in the days of our
Lord's visit to this earth? He came unto his own, and his
own received him not. The multitude cried for his death
and they crucified him on a tree. How was it in the days of the
apostles? Paul said, all men have forsaken me, only Luke is
with me. In every city the apostles visited,
in every city where they preached the gospel, They were in danger
of hatred, violence, and death until this world killed every
one of them except one, and they exiled him, John, to the isle
of Patmos. Are there few that be same? You go through your Bible from
Genesis to Revelation, and you will find these scriptures, many
are called, few are chosen. Straight is the gate, narrow
is the way, few there be that find it. Fear not, little flop. Well, what about our own day?
What about 1975? Are there few that be saved? I didn't ask you, are there few
that have religion? Religion is popular today as
it never has been before. But are there few that be saved?
Religion was popular When Christ was here, in fact, religion crucified
Christ. It was the religious leaders
that demanded his death, not the drunks. Christ found friends
among the drunks and the harlots and the publicans. His enemies
were the leaders of the churches. Let's take the New Testament
in our hands. Let's be honest. Let's weigh
every man by the word of God. We're not the judges of men.
Let's weigh ourselves. But let's weigh our religious
world today in the scales of God's Word. What is it to be
saved? Let's be honest, let's be fair,
let's allow no one to be a Christian who does not show evidence of
regeneration. Let's allow no one to be a Christian.
What is a Christian? A Christ-man. Let's allow no
one to be a Christ-man who has no evidence of the new birth.
Let's allow no one to be a Christ-man who has no evidence of a faith
in the Christ-man. God said, He that loveth not
knoweth not God. Let's don't allow anybody to
know God who doesn't love. Let's use the Bible. If any man love mother or father
more than me, he can't be my disciple. Let's don't allow anyone
to be a Christian who does not love Christ more than he loves
his family, more than he loves his life, more than he loves
his possessions. That's what the New Testament
says. Let's allow no one to be a Christian who does not know
God, for this is eternal life, to know God and Jesus Christ
whom he has sent. Let's allow no one to know God
who does not have evidence of a new creation in Christ Jesus. If any man have not the Spirit,
he's none of his. Let's allow no one to be a Christian
who does not have the Holy Spirit living in his life, dwelling
in his heart. If any man put his hand to the plow and
looks back, he's not fit for the kingdom of God. Let's allow
no one to be a Christian who does not continue in the faith.
That's what the Bible says. Now answer the question, are
there few that be saved? We're not basing our conclusions
on sentiment. If we were basing them on sentiment,
we'd take every one of our children and friends to heaven. We're
not basing our conclusions on compassion, on our own desires,
but on the word of God. Are there few that be saved? Are there few that be saved?
How many true believers in Christ do you know? I'm not talking
about people who follow Christ because of the loaves and fishes
or because of the miracles or because they want to go to heaven
when they die. How many dedicated, devoted sons of God do you know? How many new creatures in Christ
do you know? How many seekers of God do you
know? How many do you know who hunger
and thirst for righteousness? How many do you know who wait
at the master's table just to get some crumbs, not expecting
to have the whole loaf, but just a morsel from the hands of the
king? How many do you know who cry, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. How many do you know who can cry, I'm crucified with Christ,
nevertheless I live, yet not I, but the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me? How many do you know who can
say, though he slay me, I'll trust him? How many do you know
who can say, I'm determined to know nothing among you save Jesus
Christ and him crucified? Are there few that be saved? It made Jeremiah weep, and cry,
O that my eyes were rivers of water, that I might weep for
the daughters of my people. Our Father in Heaven, we praise
Thee for Thy Thy word is sharp like a two-edged
sword. Thy word is like a hammer that
beats, breaks our proud spirits, crushes us into powder at the
feet of our Lord. Yet thy word is a sweet, precious
note of comfort and revelation and assurance of thy mercy in Christ our Lord. Speak to us through this message
and through the scripture which we've read, O that we might know
him and the power of his resurrection. I count all things but dumb that
I may win Christ and be found in him. Lord, lead me not, nor
forsake me, thy God of my salvation. Make Christ to be my Lord, and the very essence and substance
of my life. In his name we pray and for his
sake. Amen. Don, you come lead us in
closing here. Let's turn to number 235. Stand
please. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
hear my humble cry, While on others Thou art calling, do not
pass me by. Where on earth Thou art going,
do not pass me by.

Are There Few That Be Saved

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