Lakes Region Reformed Resources

The Narrow Gate (Excerpts)

“Strive to enter in at the narrow gate; for many, I say unto you,
will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” — Luke 13:24

These are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and are, therefore, especially to be heeded; The subject matter of the words is the most weighty, namely, how we should attain salvation, and therefore also to be heeded.

The occasion of the words was a question, asked of Jesus Christ, of one who was at that time in the company of the disciples: “Lord, are there few that be saved?” (Luke 13:23). It was a serious question, and one that called for such an answer that might profit others present also. This question also well pleased Jesus Christ, and he prepareth and giveth such an answer as was without the least retort, or show of distaste; such an answer, I say, as carried in it the most full resolve to the question itself, and help to the persons questioning: “And he said unto them, Strive to enter in.”  The words are an affirmative answer:  the gate is narrow, many that seek will not be able, and therefore but few shall be saved. The answer is an instruction also: “strive to enter in.”  It is good counsel and instruction; pray God help me, and my reader, and all that love their own salvation, to take it.

To be saved! what is like being saved? To be saved from sin, from hell, from the wrath of God, from eternal damnation, what is like it? To be made an heir of God, of his grace, of his kingdom and eternal glory, what is like it? and yet all this is included in this word saved, and in the answer to that question, are there few that be saved? Indeed this word saved is but of little use in the world, save to them that are heartily afraid of damning. “What shall I do to be saved?” is the language of the trembling sinner. “Lord save me,” is the language of the sinking sinner; and none admire the glory that is in the word saved, but such as see, without being saved, all things in heaven and earth are emptiness to them.

There is an Announcement of the Kingdom of Heaven

“Enter in” –  into heaven, that is the meaning, where the saved are now, and shall be; into heaven, that place, that glorious place, where God, and Christ, and angels are, and the souls or spirits of just men made perfect. Besides, this word, enter in, signifieth that salvation to the full is to be enjoyed only there, and that there only is external safety; all other places and conditions are hazardous, dangerous, full of snares, imperfections, temptations, and afflictions, but in heaven all is well; there is no devil to tempt, no desperately wicked heart to deliver us up, no deceitful lust to entangle, nor any enchanting world to bewitch us: there, all shall be well to all eternity. This should teach us not only to read, but to attend in reading; not only to read, but to lift up our hearts to God in reading; for if we be not heedful, if he gives us not light and understanding, we may not easily pass over.

There is A Description of the Entrance into it

Certain things make the gate narrow:  (1) There is sin, and (2) There is the word of the law.

First, there is sin; the sin of the profane, and the sin of the professing Christian.

1. There is the sin of the profane. But this needs not be enlarged upon, because it is concluded upon at all hands, where there is the common belief of the being of God, and the judgment to come, that “the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17).

2. There is also the sin of professors; that is, there is a profession that will stand alongside an unsanctified heart and life. The sin of such will overpower the salvation of their souls; neither will a mere profession be able to excuse them (Ephesians 5:3-6). The gate will be too narrow for such as these to enter in thereat. A man may partake of salvation in part, but not of salvation in whole. God saved the children of Israel out of Egypt, but overthrew them in the wilderness: — “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterwards destroyed them that believed not.” So we see that (notwithstanding their beginning) “they could not enter in, because of unbelief” (Jude 1:5; Hebrews 3:19).

Second, There is the word of the law, and that will make the gate narrow also.  None must go in but those who can go in by the leave of the law; for though no man be, or can be, justified by the works of the law, yet unless the righteousness and holiness by which they attempt to enter into this kingdom be justified by the law, it is in vain once to think of entering in at this narrow gate. Now the law justifieth not, but upon the account of Christ’s righteousness; if therefore thou be not indeed found in that righteousness, thou wilt find the law lie just in the passage into heaven to keep thee out. .

There is The Exhortation, which is, to Strive to Enter in

We Should Strive.

“Strive to enter in at the narrow gate.” These words are fitly added, for since the gate is narrow, it follows that they who will enter in must strive. “Strive.”  This word “strive” supposeth, that great idleness is natural to professors; they think to get to heaven by lying, as it were, on their elbows. It also concludeth, that only the laboring Christian, man or woman, will get in thither. When he saith, Strive, it is as much as to say, bend yourselves to the work with all your might. And, more particularly, this word strive is expressed by several other terms; It is expressed by that word, “So run that you may obtain” (1 Corinthians 9:24, 25).  It is expressed by that word, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:12).  It is expressed by that word, “Labor not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat that endureth to everlasting life” (John 6:27).  It is expressed by that word, “We wrestle with principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world,” (Ephesians 6:12).  Therefore, when he saith, “Strive,” it is as much as to say, Run for heaven, Fight for heaven, Labor for heaven, Wrestle for heaven, or you are like to go without it.

But Why Should We Strive? 

We should strive because the thing for which you are here exhorted to strive, is worth the striving for; it is for no less than for a whole heaven, and an eternity of felicity there.  Strive, because otherwise the devil and hell will assuredly have thee:  “He goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  Strive, because every lust strives and wars against thy soul. The flesh lusteth against the spirit:  “Dearly beloved, I beseech you (said Peter), as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul,” (Galatians 5:17).  Strive, because thou hast a whole world against thee. The world hateth thee if thou be a Christian; the men of the world hate thee; the things of the world are snares for thee, even thy bed and table, thy wife and husband, yea, thy most lawful enjoyments, have that in them that will certainly sink thy soul to hell, if thou dost not strive against the snares that are in them (Romans 11:9).  Strive, because there is nothing of Christianity got by idleness. “Therefore be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises”” (Romans 12:11, Hebrews 6:12).

“Strive to Enter In.”

By these words also the Lord Jesus giveth sharp rebuke to those professors that have not eternal glory, but other temporal things in their eye, by all the bustle that they make in the world about religion. Some there be, what a stir they make, what a noise and clamor, with their notions and forms, they find religion hath a good trade at the end of it; or they find that it is the way to credit, repute, preferment, and the like; and therefore they strive to enter into these. But these have not the narrow gate in their eye, nor yet in themselves have they love to their poor and perishing souls; wherefore this exhortation nippeth such, by predicting of their damnation.

There is the Motive which our Lord urges
to Reinforce his Exhortation.

In this motive there are several things to be minded:  That there will be a disappointment to some at the day of judgment, — they will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.  That not a few, but many, will meet with this disappointment; “for many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”  This doctrine of the falling short of many then, standeth upon the validity of the word of Christ: “For many, I say, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”  Professors shall make a great heap among the many that shall fall short of heaven. “For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”  Where grace and striving are lacking now, seeking and contending to enter in will be unprofitable then: “For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

Many Who Profess May Be Found Without Saving Faith in the Day of Judgment.

The professor, I say, however high he seems to be now, that shall be found without saving grace in the day of judgment. How few among the many, yea, among the swarms of professors, have heart to make conscience of walking before God in this world, and to study his glory among the children of men! How few, I say, have his name lie nearer their hearts than their own carnal concerns! Nay, do not many make his word, and his name, and his ways, a stalking-horse to their own worldly advantages! God calls for faith, good conscience, moderation, self-denial, humility, heavenly-mindedness, love to saints, to enemies, and for conformity in heart, in word, and life, to his will: but where is it? (Mark 11:22; 1 Peter 3:16; Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:5; Matthew 10:37-39; Colossians 3:1-4; Micah 6:8; Revelation 2:10; John 15:17; 1 John 4:21; Matthew 5:44; Proverbs 23:26; Colossians 4:6.)

An hypocrite, a false professor, may go a great way; they may pass through the first and second watch, to wit, may be approved of Christians and churches; but what will they do when they come at this iron gate that leadeth into the city? There the workers of iniquity will fall, be cast down, and shall not be able to rise. The time, as I have already hinted, which my text respecteth, it is the day of judgment, a day when all masks and vizards shall be taken off from all faces. It is a day where God “will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart” (1 Corinthians 4:5).

At this day, those things that now these may count sound and good, will then shake like a quagmire, even all their naked knowledge, their feigned faith, pretended love, glorious shows of gravity in the face, their holiday-words, and specious carriages, will stand them in little stead. I call them holiday ones, for I perceive that some professors do with religion just as people do with their best apparel — hang it against the wall all the week, and put them on Sundays. O poor religion! O poor professor! What wilt thou do at this day, and the day of thy trial and judgment? Cover thyself thou canst not; go for a Christian thou canst not; stand against the Judge thou canst not. What wilt thou do? “The ungodly shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.”

Jesus Warned that Many Professors Shall be Overthrown.

An indication that Jesus refers to professing Christians in this text is his reference to those among whom he had taught; them that had eat and drunken in his presence; them that had prophesied, and cast out devils in his name, and in his name had done many wonderful works (Luke 13:26; Matthew 7:27). These are the many intended by the Lord in this text.

Had not the Lord Jesus designed by these words to show what an overthrow will one day be made among professors, he needed not have said it to this extent, as in the text and afterwards; the sentence had run intelligible enough without it; I say, without his saying, “I say unto you.” But the truth is, the professor is in danger; the preacher and the hearer, the workers or miracles, and workers of wonders, may be all in danger of damning, notwithstanding all their attainments. And to awaken us all about this truth, therefore, the text must run thus: “For many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

See you not yet that the professor is in danger, and that those words, “I say unto you,” are a prophecy of the everlasting perdition of some that are famous in the congregation of saints? I say, if you do not see it, pray God your eyes may be opened, and beware that thy portion be not as the portion of one of those that are wrapped up in the 28th verse of the chapter: “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of heaven, and you yourselves thrust out.”  We are dealing with the words of the Son of God; it is he who hath said it; wherefore we find the truth of the perishing of many professors asserted, and confirmed by Christ’s own mouth. This consideration carrieth great awakening in it; but into such a fast sleep are many now-a-days fallen, that nothing will awaken them but that shrill and terrible cry, “Behold, the Bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet him.”

About the Author

John Bunyan (1628-1688) was one of the greatest preachers of the seventeenth century, and despite his humble beginnings and lack of formal education, has also been called “the most wonderfully gifted spiritual writer since the days of the Apostles.” Next to the Bible, his Pilgrims Progress has been translated into more languages, and has passed through more editions (about four hundred), than any other book in the world.  That book, along with his Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and Holy War, are the records of his own deep spiritual experience, in which a profane and sinful man after a number of false conversions was wonderfully tranformed.  He was later asked to preach to a small congregation, and after preaching to the brethren five years, and working at his trade (as a “tinker,” one who repaired pots and pans) for the support of himself and family, he was arrested and thrown into Bedford jail twelve years (1660-1672) for “teaching men to worship God contrary to the law.” During those years he continued to write, his only books being the Bible and Concordance, and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. He would have been released any day if he had promised not to preach; but he felt called of God to the work of the ministry, and he continually replied to his jailors, “If you release me today, I will preach again tomorrow.” The renowned John Owen said that he would gladly relinquish all his learning for the tinker’s preaching abilities.