“Lord, Are There Just A Few Who Are Being Saved?” - Luke 13:23

by Chris Simmons

There is a question that plagues countless numbers of religious people and members of the Lord’s church regarding “numbers,” that was asked by someone who had been listening to the teaching of Christ in Luke 13:23 where he asked, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?”

The question is not: who does God desire to be saved? For the answer to that question is unequivocally – everyone! We read in II Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Paul wrote that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:4). God desires all men to be saved.

In terms of the “many” and the “few,” the scriptures teach it is not a matter of who is called or invited. In the parable of the wedding feast, we read in Matthew 22:14 that “many are called but few are chosen.” The fact is, though, that (according to verse 9), the invitation was extended to all that were found. Indeed, there is no partiality with God, for God has extended His invitation to all (Acts 10:34-35; cf II Corinthians 5:17; cf Galatians 3:26-29; Romans 6:3-6).

In the context of Matthew 22:1-14, Christ addresses some of the reasons why “few are chosen.” First, there those who simply were not willing to come (verse 3). God will not force anyone against his will to accept His invitation. Jesus said in John 7:17, “If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself.” Others, Jesus says, will not be saved because of other things that took their attention away from the invitation. In verse 5 we read, “but they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business.” Many are not saved because they literally neglect the invitation for the sake of the things and cares of this world (cf Hebrews 2:3; I John 3:15; Luke 14:16-24). Finally, we read of those who desired to accept the invitation but were not properly clothed. Many will not be saved today because they are not properly clothed. Verse 11 states, “the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes” to which the king said “bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Many are not saved because they have never had their robes washed white in the blood of the lamb (Revelation 7:14; 22:14). Many are never saved because they are never buried with Christ in baptism and thus never have their robes cleansed by His blood (Romans 6:3-4).

Jesus, in the context of “the kingdom,” in what is referred to as the sermon on the mount, spoke of the “many” and the “few” in Matthew 7:13-14. “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.” Jesus states as fact that few will follow the narrow path that leads to eternal life. The context that follows teaches us another reason why few will be saved. Jesus goes on to discuss the need to beware of false teachers. Succumbing to the deception of false teachers (II Thessalonians 2:9-12) will keep many from being saved and will, in fact, bring about their eternal spiritual destruction (II Peter 2:1-3). The “many” will be lost because they do not love the truth.

What does the context in Luke chapter 13 teach us about why there are few who will be saved? First, Christ responded by saying, “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” Christ says “many” will not be saved though they “seek” to be. Why is that?

First, because in this same verse Jesus notes again the narrow door (cf Matthew 7:13-14) that will keep many from being saved. There is but one divinely defined manner of entering into the kingdom of heaven. There are not multiple and varied means of entering God’s kingdom.

Second, Jesus teaches that many will not be able to enter His kingdom because they do not “strive” to enter in. The Greek word for “strive” is “agonizomai” from which we get our English word “agonize” and this Greek word is defined as “to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary)” (Strong’s Numbers and Concordance). Simply put, many want to go to heaven but are not willing to put in the diligent effort needed to be pleasing to God. Many are simply not willing to work for the prize of eternal life in heaven (cf Philippians 2:12-13; Acts 2:40). There has been many an athlete who has desired the crown or the prize of a champion but was simply unwilling to put in the work necessary to attain it (cf I Corinthians 9:24-27).

Third, in this context (verses 25-27), Jesus states that it is not enough to be “religious” and simply listen to the teaching of Christ. Jesus notes the claims of some who tried to justify themselves by saying, “…we ate and drank in Your presence and You taught us in our streets…” What, though, had they done with that which Christ taught them? Nothing! This is the same lesson that Jesus taught at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24ff regarding those who “hears these words of Mine” and “does not act upon them.” Many are lost because they know what God’s will is but never act upon it.

Also, in this context, we are taught that there will be a time when it will be too late for those who were taught but did not obey. We read in Luke 13:25, “once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’” Many will not be saved though they know God’s will and though they plan on obeying God’s will but just never get around to it. The few who will be saved are those who understand that “today is the day of salvation” (Hebrews 4:6-7).

The Bible’s answer to the question “are there just a few who are being saved?” is clearly, “Yes.” But we must always remember that the choice belongs to us and the reasons for the many being lost are most certainly avoidable.