Matthew 7:7-14
“Notice what you notice.” For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few (v. 14). Strange that today’s reading would follow Patrick’s sermon from yesterday, where he asked us to look again at our “assurance of salvation” (my words, not his). I enjoyed Patrick’s sermon; I’ve always had trouble with the “once saved, always saved” theology. Although quite a bit different from universalism, it’s still just a one-sentence, one-time pronouncement.
But I also have trouble with the “narrow gate” and the “few who find it”. To me, “few” implies a substantial minority, something on the order of 10-20%. So is this “a few” of the world population? …or “a few” from our U.S. Christian nation population? …or “a few” from our St. Andrew’s congregation? The previous verse (…wide…easy…destruction…many…) offers some comfort. I doubt that most of us feel that we are choosing an “easy” route. I don’t mean to imply that we are “working our way to heaven”, but we do tend to look around and compare ourselves and our behavior to others – we seem to imagine that God is grading on a curve and that we’re at least in the top half of the class!
There is also consolation in verse 11: If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! So if we are asking, with repentant hearts, for God’s mercy and grace in Jesus’ name, how can He refuse?
Yes, it’s all very confusing! We’re blessed to be part of St. Andrew’s where we know we will get good solid Bible teaching from David or whomever has the pulpit on any given Sunday. My bottom line for all this: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).
Blessings!
GOOD point: God gives us good gifts if we ask, and asking for his mercy and grace and presence with us is truly a gift I believe he loves to give!