In referring to the Parable of the Wedding Feast, which is about who will be and who won\u2019t be in the kingdom, Jesus said that \u201cmany are called, but few are chosen<\/a>\u201d<\/em> (Matt 22:14). This is why Christ taught that we must \u201cEnter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many\u201d<\/em> (Matt 7:13). Notice the way that is easy leads to destruction, and it\u2019s the major six-lane interstate that many are driving down, but as for the narrow gate, it\u2019s narrow because not many are entering into it. This is because it\u2019s single-file, or one at a time, since \u201cthe gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few\u201d<\/em> (Matt 7:14). What\u2019s surprising isn\u2019t that many are going the wrong way and only a few are entering by the narrow gate, but what\u2019s surprising is that anyone is saved all, since we all fall infinitely short of God\u2019s glory (Rom 3:23). We do not get what we deserve (Rom 6:23a) but what we need (Rom 6:23b) when we trust in Christ. It\u2019s not the wages of eternal death but the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, so it is only \u201cTo him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out\u201d<\/em> (John 10:3). The fact that He knows them all by name indicates He has a personal relationship with them\u2026a personal relationship with the few, not the many. If God only called the qualified or the rich, powerful, or famous, most of us wouldn\u2019t stand a chance, but God\u2019s ways are contrary to the ways of the world. Of course God has called some who are considered rich or \u201cmighty\u201d in the eyes of the world, but the Apostle Paul wanted the church to recognize the truly amazing grace that God provides. He writes, \u201cFor consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth\u201d<\/em> (1 Cor 1:26). That includes most of us\u2026and I say, \u201cus,\u201d meaning me, so \u201cGod chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are\u201d<\/em> (1 Cor 1:27-28), but why? It was \u201cso that no human being might boast in the presence of God\u201d<\/em> (1 Cor 1:29). If we can boast about anything, \u201cLet the one who boasts, boast in the Lord\u201d<\/em> (1 Cor 1:31). For certain, God \u201cdoes not regard any who are wise in their own conceit\u201d<\/em> (Job 37:24).<\/p>\n The Jewish leaders, as intelligent as they were, and \u201crighteous\u201d as they thought they were, just didn\u2019t get it. That\u2019s because \u201cNone of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory\u201d<\/em> (1 Cor 2:8), but this is just what God had planned, using evil for good (Gen 50:20; John 3:16), and why Jesus prayed to the Father, \u201cI thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children\u201d<\/em> (Matt 11:25). Trusting in Christ is not a matter of intellectual knowledge or achievement, but humbling oneself before Almighty God. There is no reason to boast at all, for it only by grace we are saved; not by knowledge or trying to become righteous or by doing good works (Eph 2:8-9), although the saved will do works, if they are indeed saved, however these things are not discovered by empirical knowledge but \u201cthese things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God\u201d<\/em> (1 Cor 2:10).<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/348\/2018\/10\/800px-The_Lord_is_my_Good_Shepherd-215x300.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nNot Many Mighty<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Hidden from the Wise<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Opposed to the Proud<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/a>James writes that \u201cGod opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble\u201d<\/em> (James 4:6), and submission to God takes humility (James 4:7). Jesus Christ always submitted to the Father\u2019s will during His earthly ministry (John 5:19, 6:38, 8:29), and we know God\u2019s will is that He is \u201cnot wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance\u201d<\/em> (1 Pet 3:9). God\u2019s will for us is the same as it was for Israel, and that is that we should repent and be saved, for He takes \u201cno pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways\u201d<\/em> (Ezk 33:11). You cannot turn to God until you turn away from evil, and today, God commands everyone to repent (Acts 17:30), but thankfully, it is God Who grants repentance (Acts 5:31, 11:18; 2 Tim 2:24-26). Given that fact, I don\u2019t believe He will grant repentance to a stubborn, prideful heart. Jesus warned that \u201cNot everyone who says to me, \u2018Lord, Lord,\u2019 will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven\u201d<\/em> (Matt 7:21), so even though they declared they had a relationship with the Lord (Matt 7:22), Jesus will \u201cdeclare to them, \u201cI never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness\u201d<\/em> (Matt 7:23). This matches up with what Jesus had often said that many are called, but only a few are chosen. Many will believe they are saved (Matt 7:22) but Jesus said that those same \u201cmany\u201d will be turned away (Matt 25:40). The many are shut out of the kingdom while the few are able to enter in through Jesus\u2019 Christ\u2019s atoning work on the cross (2 Cor 5:21), but that\u2019s because they humbled themselves before God.<\/p>\n