Catechetical sermons preached in PCC Evening Worship Services, Feb 2013 to Dec 2017
WSC 85 of 107
22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 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 God, and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
Luke 13:22-30
WSC 85. What doth God require of us, that we may escape His wrath and curse due to us for sin?
A. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life,1 with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.2
1Acts 20:21; 2Prov 2:1–5; 8:33–36; Isa 55:3.
Most of us would have read Pilgrim’s Progress. If you have not, I would strongly encourage you to. There are even children’s and cartoon versions available for those who find reading daunting. If you had read Pilgrim’s Progress in any form, I wonder if you wondered when Christian became a Christian. Was he a Christian when he set off on his journey in section 1? Did he become a Christian when he reached the wicked gate in section 2? Or did he become a Christian when he loosed his burden in section 3?
You may not realise it, but the answer to this question has tremendous implications for our understanding of the catechism question we are considering this evening.
The question is:
“What doth God require of us that we may escape His wrath and curse due to us for sin?” (WSC 85).
The answer:
To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.
Does this not teach salvation by works? To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requires of us faith, repentance and the use of the means of grace. Repentance is turning away from sin. Faith is believing or turning to Christ to receive and rest in Him. If God requires us to do something for our salvation, isn’t that salvation by works?
For this reason, some modern fundamentalists have condemned the Westminster Standards for teaching salvation by works. And in the same way, many have condemned Bunyan for his errors in Pilgrim’s Progress. If Christian was not a Christian when he forsook the city of destruction, would he even have headed in the direction he did? Did he become a Christian because he forsook the city? And if he was a Christian, why was he carrying the burden of sin?
The answer to these critical but perplexing questions, I believe, may be found in Luke 13:22:
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Lk 13:22
Our Lord spoke these words during the final half-year of His ministry. On this occasion, He was heading towards Jerusalem. He was in Perea, across the river Jordon, where Herod Antipas had jurisdiction. It was here that He preached the Lost Parables: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son. But before that, He would make some of his most emphatic and discriminatory statements to warn His hearers against apathy and hypocrisy.
One of these statements is our text for this study. Someone had asked the Lord, “Lord, are there few that be saved?” (v.23). Instead of answering the question directly, the Lord says:
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Lk 13:22
What is this strait gate that the Lord is referring to? The word “strait” means “narrow.” But what is this narrow gate? Does it refer to the wicket gate of Pilgrim’s Progress? Or does it refer to regeneration? Well, the answer is given in the next verse, where the Lord says:
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are.
v. 25
It seems clear from here that the narrow gate refers to the door of the master’s house. What does the Master’s house refer to? No doubt, it refers to heaven. “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,” sings the sheep at the end of Psalm 23.
But now, who is the Lord’s instruction to strive given to? Is it to the person who asked, “Lord, are there few that be saved” (v.23)? Well, no, for it is evident in the Greek that the word translated “strive” is in the second person plural, so it is “strive ye.” That is also why the Lord says: “I say unto you,” not “I say unto thee.”
And notice how our Lord’s instruction is for everyone: believers and unbelievers, elect and reprobate. We know that because the Lord implies that some will go in at the narrow gate while others will not be able to. We know theologically that all the elect will go in at the narrow gate. But since the Lord suggests that some of His hearers may not be able to enter, we know He must be calling upon all, including the reprobate, to strive. So, the Lord’s word is for everyone listening to this sermon!
But now, what are the implications of the Lord’s words?
Three things: (1) Salvation is by sovereign grace; (2) All who would be saved must exercise responsibility; (3) All who would be saved should agonise.
1. Salvation Is by Sovereign Grace
This point is not apparent in our text. But it is clear from the Lord’s words elsewhere, such as:
- John 6:65: “Therefore said I unto you that o man can come unto me, except it were given into him of my Father.”
- John 6:37: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
Fallen men are dead in sin and trespasses (Eph 2:1). Anyone who is saved will only be saved because God first ordained his salvation by electing him, and then sending Christ to live and die for him, and then in the fullness of time sending the Holy Spirit to quicken him so that he may be united to Christ. It is Christ who saves.
Although this doctrine is not so clear in our text, it is hinted at and must be assumed to make sense of what the Lord is saying.
In the first place, notice how the Lord speaks of those seeking to enter who cannot. It is not that they do not want to enter. These want to enter the narrow gate, but they are not able to do so. They cannot. Does this not remind us of Roman 9:16, “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy”?
Those who enter can only do so by the sovereign grace of God.
In the second place, notice how our Lord ends His little discourse, verse 30, “And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.”
What does He mean by this statement? Well, this statement occurs four times in the Gospels. And each time it appears, the Lord is saying that our salvation is not dependent on our works, but on the sovereign grace of God.
After He preached the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, for example, He says: “So the last shall be first and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen” (Mt 20:16).
We are familiar with the parable. The vineyard owner goes out at 6 am to hire workers, agreeing to pay them one denarius a day. He goes out again at 9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, and again at 5 pm. At the end of the day, he has his workers line up to receive their pay, beginning with the last to come. These, he pays one denarius, and then he continues to give one denarius to the rest up to those who worked twelve hours!
What is the Lord teaching us with the parable? He is teaching us that since work does not count for our salvation, we should neither boast nor expect compensation for our works. Indeed, “the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called but few chosen” (Mt 20:16).
So, likewise, in our text, when the Lord ends His discourse with the words, “And behold there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last,” He is not simply saying that many Gentiles would be saved, while many Jews would be passed by. He is saying, instead, that no one should expect to be saved based on his pedigree or his works.
If that is so, then salvation is by the sovereign grace of God. Ultimately, anyone saved will be saved only if God saves him. If you are saved, it is only because God planned and willed to save you. “For of Him, and through Him and to Him are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Rom 11:36).
Secondly, our text also teaches us that …
2. All Who Would Be Saved Must Exercise Responsibility
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
v. 24
The Lord is answering a question by someone, perhaps one of His disciples: “Lord, are there few that be saved?” (v.23). Why was this question asked? It appears that the Lord did not say directly that few would be saved. Otherwise, the question would be redundant.
It appears, instead, that the ministry of the Lord gave the impression that few would be saved. Perhaps the questioner understood that the Lord has set the bar very high. Perhaps he had heard the Lord say that many would call Him “Lord, Lord,” who would be disowned by Him. The Lord would repeat that in verse 25.
So, our Lord is not disputing the observation that few would be saved. Indeed, His ministry appears antithetical to the ministry of those who advocate easy-believism. They say, “All you need to do is to pray to receive Christ.” Or “All you need is to sign on the dotted line.” Or “Come forward to the altar; Jesus is longing and waiting for you to believe!” Or, “He is standing outside the door of your heart, knocking and waiting for you to open your heart.”
But what does our Lord say?
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
v. 24
In other words, unless you are striving to enter in at the strait gate, it is unlikely that you will be saved. Many are seeking to enter who are not able to. Therefore, you will be without hope if you do not strive to enter! What is it to strive? It is to take action! It is to do something!
This seems to contradict our first point, which is that salvation is by sovereign grace. None of us can add a stitch to the garment of our salvation. Yet the Lord says we must strive to enter at the narrow gate! How can we make sense of what He is saying?
Perhaps the best way for us to make sense of what our Lord is saying is to understand that though our salvation is by sovereign grace, we do have responsibilities. God has ordained that all who are saved must respond to the gospel and use the means He has appointed to cultivate our souls.
We see this taught in Scripture in many places. Think of John 3:16, the famous gospel in a nutshell:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God requires us to exercise faith. Faith is a gift of God. But it is also our responsibility to use it by believing.
Or think of the cry of the Philippian Jailor to Paul and Silas: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” What was their reply?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 2:39
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is required of us to be saved. The same may be said of repentance.
Or think of what happened after Peter preached his inaugural sermon at Pentecost. We are told that the congregation was pricked in their hearts and cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).
What does Peter say: “Do nothing”? “Salvation is by grace alone”? No! He says:
“Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”(Acts 2:38).
Twice in Luke 13, the Lord says: “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Lk 13:3, 5).
This and the Lord’s words in Mark 16:16 show that baptism is also required. The Lord says in Mark 16:16: “He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
And if baptism is required, so are the rest of the means of grace, such as prayer and hearing God’s word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So, the hearing of God’s word is necessary. And as Paul says in the same passage, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom 10:13). So prayer is essential.
So, too, would be participation at the Lord’s Supper, for the Lord says:
Expect ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Jn 6:53-54
It is perhaps with all these responsibilities in mind that Paul tells the Philippian Christians:
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Phil 2:12-13
This is a remarkable statement. It tells us that although salvation is by God’s sovereign grace, we have a responsibility to work at it.
Believers are not only saved, but are being saved, and shall be saved. Those who are justified must continue to work out their salvation so that they may grow in sanctification by God’s grace.
So you see, those who would be saved must exercise responsibility. It is not what they do that saves them, but what they do is required of the Lord for their salvation, for God has appointed that they should receive through means the benefits of redemption purchased by Christ.
This is the basis of Question 85 of our Shorter Catechism:
Question: What doth God require of us that we may escape His wrath and curse due to us for sin?
Answer: To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of Redemption.
Think of the benefits of redemption, which Christ has purchased for us, as being stored in a barrel that is too much for us to drink up in one gulp. Think of faith and repentance as the two hands by which you may hold up the barrel to bring it to your mouth to drink it.
Or, if you like, think of faith as the straw and repentance as the hand that holds the straw.
The barrel is the outward means by which Christ conveys the benefits of redemption purchased by Him for you.
All the benefits come from Christ. Notice the words “Christ communicateth to us” in our catechism! But Christ has appointed that they will come to us through outward means such as prayer, hearing of the word, baptism and the Lord’s Supper as we use them by faith.
But there is more. The appeal of the Lord suggests to us that …
3. All Who Would Be Saved Should Agonise
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
v. 24
The word “strive” translates the Greek (ἀγωνίζομαι, agōnizomai) from which we get the English word “agonise.” It speaks of putting in great effort or exerting oneself. Three times it is translated in the Authorised Version with the idea of “fighting.” Paul speaks of fighting the good fight (1 Tim 6:12; 2 Tim 4:7). The Lord says, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight” (Jn 18:36). Paul uses the word to describe Epaphras, and in English it is translated not just as “labouring” but “labouring earnestly.”
By contrast, the word “seek” (ζητέω, zēteō) is a more common word that speaks of looking for something, or desiring something.
Notice what the Lord is saying? Many are seeking to enter God’s kingdom, but are unable to. Why are they seeking? Self-preservation! Self-love! Why are they unable? Because the Lord does not grant them entrance!
Who are these? These are those who heard the Lord, are acquainted with the gospel, and will call Jesus “Lord.” They will say to Him, “We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets” (v. 26). But the Lord will say to them: “I know you not whence ye are; depart from me ye workers of iniquity” (v. 27). The word translated “iniquity” here (ἀδικία, adikia) means “unrighteousness.” In a similar situation, recorded in Matthew 7, those who are rejected say: “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Mt 7:23). The Lord will likewise answer, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (v.23). Here the word translated “iniquity” (ἀνομία, anomia) carries the literal meaning of “lawlessness.”
We may say that those who are rejected are legalistic or antinomian. Let me explain. Workers of unrighteousness are those who are not covered by the righteousness of Christ and are seeking righteousness through their own works, morality, civility, and religious acts. On the other hand, workers of lawlessness are those who would not walk according to God’s law. They may have a lot of activities, but they do not walk according to God’s word. Do you see how the two groups are really one and the same? In a way, antinomianism and legalism are synonymous. They have the same root in their failure to take God’s word seriously and, therefore, in their failure to found their salvation entirely in Christ!
This will mean that many professing Christians will end up disappointed on the last day. Some are complacent. Some are not. Some care not for God’s law; others care but have a different attitude toward keeping God’s laws. Some are very strident at using the means of grace because they think that God will surely reward them. Others care not for the means of grace, for they think that if God saves them by grace, it does not really matter what they do or do not do. They will be surprised when they are not allowed through the door!
So what do we do, given this fact? Our Lord’s counsel is to strive, or to agonise to enter the strait gate. Essentially, He is saying many who are seeking to enter cannot, so what hope do you have if you do not earnestly strive to enter?
But what does it mean to strive earnestly? Well, remember that striving involves faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life with the diligent use of all the outward means of grace!
Therefore, see to it, first of all, that you sincerely believe in Christ and truly repent of your sins. Now, of course, both faith and repentance are gifts of God. But the Lord has commanded you to believe and to repent. It is a command given to all, whether you are already a believer or not. Therefore, see that you truly believe and repent of your sin. You alone can see your heart and know if you truly believe and repent. Do you sincerely acknowledge that you are a sinner bound for hell and that nothing in this world can help you? Do you believe that Christ came to save sinners like you? If you do, then happy are you! Go to the Lord, confess your sin.
Continue to cultivate faith and repentance by faithfully hearing God’s word and diligently using the means of grace. And do not forget the Lord Jesus as you use the means.
When you hear the word preached, do not forget that it is the voice of Christ that you want to hear.
When you read the Bible, do not forget that it is the letter of Christ to you.
When you sing the psalms, do not forget that they are the songs of Christ and that He sings with you.
When you pray, do not forget that Christ is your mediator and intercessor.
When you are baptised or witness baptism, do not forget that you are baptised into Christ. You bear His sign and seal.
When you partake of the Lord’s Supper, do not forget that you are partaking of the body of Christ broken for you and the blood of Christ shed for you.
Remember that your striving is empty and meaningless unless Christ is prominent in everything you do as you work out your salvation.
But how do you know whether Christ is prominent in your seeking? One question: Do you turn your eyes to thank Him repeatedly as you use His means? Think of it this way: If you are attending a wedding banquet, will your eyes not be focused on the bride and the groom regularly, if not constantly, as you rejoice in the Lord’s blessing to them? Or will you care less about the bride and the groom and stuff yourself with food? That would not be right, wouldn’t it?
Conclusion
Beloved brethren, children, and friends cease to play games with Christianity. Let me address three groups of people among us:
(1) First, you who have not professed Christ as your Saviour and Lord. Are you still an unbeliever? “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”
You cannot honestly believe and repent by your own effort, but you cannot blame God for your unbelief and love for sin. Open your eyes, therefore, and see what a wonderful Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ is! He has called:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mt 11:28-29
You do not need to walk a long journey to the wicket gate before finding the Cross. Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress would have been much happier and more assured of his salvation had he headed straight for the Cross! And yes, you can go directly to the cross and have your burdens unloosen. In Christ, there is forgiveness. In Christ, you can strive to enter the kingdom without burdens on your back.
But what if you are unsure whether you have heard or seen Him? Don’t give up! Strive! Continue to come. Continue to seek Him while He may be found. Many are seeking to enter in and will not be able to. Unless you are striving, you have little hope. But if you strive to enter by regularly hearing the word preached, even if your motives may not be right initially, you have some hope. The Spirit usually works in the heart of those striving to use the means of grace.
(2) Secondly, Children! Are you a covenant child who has not made a profession of faith?
You belong to Christ. You bear His sign and seal. Christ died for you. Do you believe that? Who is Christ to you? Is He in your conversations? Is He in your thoughts? Do you have a relationship with Him? If not, then I am afraid, you are probably not striving as you should.
Remember that it is possible to be in a church and appear to be a goodly Christian child while knowing nothing about Christ. This will be the case if you are merely going through the motions when you attend worship or use the means of grace. Remember, children, that every means of grace is to bring Christ to you. Therefore, remember to pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to you every Lord’s day and at every means, including personal devotion and family worship.
Unless you are serious about striving to enter the kingdom of God, you will have little hope.
(3) Finally brethren! Are you an adult believer?
Remember that the Lord’s instruction is given to believers and unbelievers. The strait gate is not the wicket gate of Pilgrim’s Progress. It is the gate of the celestial city. Those who are true believers will nevertheless continue to strive to enter the kingdom of God. We must continue to exercise faith and repentance and diligently use the means of grace. We must do so that we may know Christ more and more so that we may be transformed by the renewing of our minds and changed into the image of Christ from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord (Rom 12:1; 2 Cor 3:18).
Remember our catechism:
WSC 85. What doth God require of us that we may escape His wrath and curse due to us for sin?
Answer. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of Redemption.
Remember our text:
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Amen.
—JJ Lim