Sermon On The Mount: Part 39

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. Matthew 7:13-14

These verses have been used a lot in my life to try and tell me that many people will go to Hell. But is that the Truth? 

[Just as] You have granted Him power and authority over all flesh (all humankind), [now glorify Him] so that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. John 17:2

But God’s free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man’s falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God’s grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many. Romans 5:15

Well then, as one man’s trespass [one man’s false step and falling away led] to condemnation for all men, so one Man’s act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God and life for all men. Romans 5:18

On the last day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord and that is what the Bible teaches us is needed to be saved.

For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise]. Romans 14:11

So if everyone will confess Jesus as Lord, what is Jesus talking about here in Matthew 7? He is talking about the destruction of the gift of being the Bride of Christ. Many are called to be the Bride, but only a few are chosen to be. So what are the rest of the people who did not find the narrow gate? 

And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so [the room in which] the wedding feast [was held] was filled with guests. Matthew 22:10

We will have guests in eternity. The Bride is not a guest at her own wedding. The powerful thing for me is that our Father tells us that there will be both good and bad guests there. Jesus goes on to say later in Matthew 22 that only one person will not be allowed to stay, that means the rest will be allowed to stay. Jesus tells us in John 17:12 that the one who cannot stay is Judas. Jesus was very successful at the Cross. He was so successful that even those who are bad will be allowed to stay and this is why they will be allowed to.

But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15

The bad will first have to pass through Hades before eternity. These people will loose their reward of being the Bride of Christ, but they will be allowed to stay in eternity as our guests.