“He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door.” ‘For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able’” (Luke 13:22-24 ESV). The context of this passage shows Jesus engaged in His teaching ministry in the area of Perea, which was north of the Dead Sea and east of the Jordan River; He was making His way to Jerusalem (Luke 13:22). Many believed in Him, but one had a question of utmost importance to ask the Son of God regarding the number of those who will be saved. Will the number of such be few? Perhaps couched in the question is the desire for this unknown person to know whether he would be part of that number. By Jesus referring to the path that leads to life being like a narrow door, He told this person, and us, the pursuit of life eternal is well defined by God, and only those who are willing to persistently follow His will can enter. It reminds us of His words in the Sermon on the Mount. There our Lord pointed out the broad way was large enough to accommodate a variety of beliefs and practices, and many would travel that way, but it only leads to destruction. One must take the narrow path, following the well-defined will of God, which offers life.
To help this person take the right way that leads to life, Jesus used an imperative in the Greek, which carried the sense of a command, to speak of the effort that must be expended to find life. He used the term “strive” (ἀγωνίζομαι, agnonizomai), which means to take pains, to wrestle as in an award contest, straining every nerve to the uttermost towards the goal. It describes self-denial, the discipline needed to pursue a goal, as the desires of the flesh and the temptations of the devil all seek to divert our attention from what matters. This is the kind of focus Jesus had during His earthly ministry, as He applied every effort and every motive to accomplish God’s will, offering Himself as a pure sacrifice for our sins. Peter referred to this when he wrote, “Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
So, Jesus told this person being saved is nothing to take lightly. It should not simply be assumed all Jews would be saved, as many believed in that day (Acts 1:6). Not even just acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God or believing in His claim as such would be sufficient (John 12:42-43). It takes dedication and effort to live life in Christ, an impetus in living that is focused on the spiritual over the physical. This is true because the devil is always active in trying to deceive people to sin, to be ensnared by it. If we are not striving against sin by putting on Christ and living faithfully for Him, then we will fall victim to sin, which is the only option left if Christ is not Lord in our lives. So, Paul would say, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29).
We should ask ourselves periodically, “How much have I labored in service to the Lord? What strivings have I had? What struggles have I faced in my goal of overcoming the influence of sin and being more like Christ?” Satan works hard trying to get us to sin. Do we strive to overcome sin by applying ourselves diligently to live in the will of God? “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
