Whosoever goes in by that gate shall be saved. Never, surely, was a gate
more needed. Sin is a vast mountain between man and God. How shall a man
climb over it?--Sin is a high wall between man and God. How shall man
get through it?--Sin is a deep gulf between man and God. How shall man
cross over it?--God is in heaven, holy, pure, spiritual, undefiled,
light without any darkness at all, a Being who cannot bear that which
is evil, or look upon iniquity. Man is a poor fallen worm, crawling on
earth for a few years,--sinful, corrupt, erring, defective,--a being
whose imagination is only evil, and whose heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked. How shall man and God be brought
together? How shall man ever draw near to his Maker without fear and
shame? Blessed be God, there is a way! There is a road. There is a path.
There is a door. It is the gate spoken of in the words of Christ,--"the
strait gate."
This gate was _made for sinners by the Lord Jesus Christ_. From all
eternity He covenanted and engaged that He would make it. In the fulness
of time He came into the world and made it, by His own atoning death on
the cross. By that death He made satisfaction for man's sin, paid man's
debt to God, and bore man's punishment. He built a great gate at the
cost of His own body and blood. He reared a ladder on earth whose top
reached to heaven. He made a door by which the chief of sinners may
enter into the holy presence of God, and not be afraid. He opened a road
by which the vilest of men, believing in Him, may draw near to God and
have peace. He cries to us, "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in,
he shall be saved." (John x. 9.) "I am the way: no man cometh unto the
Father but by Me." (John xiv. 6.) "By Him," says Paul, "we have boldness
and access with confidence." (Eph. iii. 12.) Thus was the gate of
salvation formed.
This gate is called _the strait gate_, and it is not called so without
cause. It is always strait, narrow, and difficult to pass through to
some persons, and it will be so as long as the world stands. It is
narrow to all who love sin, and are determined not to part with it. It
is narrow to all who set their affection on this world, and seek first
its pleasures and rewards. It is narrow to all who dislike trouble, and
are unwilling to take pains and make sacrifices for their souls. It is
narrow to all who like company, and want to keep in with the crowd. It
is narrow to all who are self-righteous, and think they are good people,
and deserve to be saved. To all such the great gate, which Christ made,
is narrow and strait. In vain they seek to pass through. The gate will
not admit them. God is not unwilling to receive them; their sins are not
too many to be forgiven: but they are not willing to be saved in God's
way. Thousands, for the last eighteen centuries, have tried to make the
gate-way wider: thousands have worked and toiled to get to heaven on
lower terms. But the gate never alters. It is not elastic: it will not
stretch to accommodate one man more than another. It is still the strait
gate.
Strait as this gate is, it is _the only one by which men can get to
heaven_. There is no side door; there is no bye-path; there is no gap or
low-place in the wall. All that are ever saved will be saved only by
Christ, and only by simple faith in Him.--Not one will be saved by
repentance. To-day's sorrow does not wipe off yesterday's score.--Not
one will be saved by his own works. The best works that any man can do
are little better than splendid sins.--Not one will be saved by his
formal regularity in the use of the outward means of grace. When we have
done all, we are poor "unprofitable servants." Oh, no! it is mere waste
of time to seek any other road to eternal life. Men may look right and
left, and weary themselves with their own devices, but they will never
find another door. Proud men may dislike the gate if they will.
Profligate men may scoff at it, and make a jest of those who use it.
Lazy men may complain that the way is hard. But men will discover no
other salvation than that of faith in the blood and righteousness of a
crucified Redeemer. There stands between us and heaven one great gate:
it may be strait; but it is the only one. We must either enter heaven by
the strait gate, or not at all.
Strait as this gate is, it is _a gate ever ready to open_. No sinners of
any kind are forbidden to draw near: whosoever will may enter in and be
saved. There is but one condition of admission: that condition is that
you really feel your sins and desire to be saved by Christ in His own
way. Art thou really sensible of thy guilt and vileness? Hast thou a
truly broken and contrite heart? Behold the gate of salvation, and come
in. He that made it declares,--"Him that cometh unto Me I will in no
wise cast out." (John vi. 37.) The question to be considered is not
whether you are a great sinner or a little sinner--whether you are elect
or not,--whether you are converted or not. The question is simply
this, "Do you feel your sins? Do you feel labouring and heavy-laden? Are
you willing to put your soul into Christ's hand?" Then if that be the
case, the gate will open to you at once. Come in this very day.
"Wherefore standest thou without?" (Gen. xxiv. 31.)
Strait as this gate is, it is _one through which thousands have gone in
and been saved_. No sinner was ever turned back, and told he was too bad
to be admitted, if he came really sick of his sins. Thousands of all
sorts have been received, cleansed, washed, pardoned, clothed, and made
heirs of eternal life. Some of them seemed very unlikely to be admitted:
you and I might have thought they were too bad to be saved. But He that
built the gate did not refuse them. As soon as they knocked, He gave
orders that they should be let in.
Manasseh, King of Judah, went up to this gate. None could have been
worse than he. He had despised his good father Hezekiah's example and
advice. He had bowed down to idols. He had filled Jerusalem with
bloodshed and cruelty. He had slain his own children. But as soon as his
eyes were opened to his sins, and he fled to the gate for pardon, the
gate flew wide open, and he was saved.
Saul the Pharisee went up to this gate. He had been a great offender.
He had been a blasphemer of Christ, and a persecutor of Christ's people.
He had laboured hard to stop the progress of the Gospel. But as soon as
his heart was touched, and he found out his own guilt and fled to the
gate for pardon, at once the gate flew wide open, and he was saved.
Many of the Jews who crucified our Lord went up to this gate. They had
been grievous sinners indeed. They had refused and rejected their own
Messiah. They had delivered Him to Pilate, and entreated that He might
be slain. They had desired Barabbas to be let go, and the Son of God to
be crucified. But in the day when they were pricked to the heart by
Peter's preaching, they fled to the gate for pardon, and at once the
gate flew open, and they were saved.
The jailer at Philippi went up to this gate. He had been a cruel, hard,
godless man. He had done all in his power to ill-treat Paul and his
companion. He had thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet
fast in the stocks. But when his conscience was aroused by the
earthquake, and his mind enlightened by Paul's teaching, he fled to the
gate for pardon, and at once the gate flew open, and he was saved.
But why need I stop short in Bible examples? Why should I not say that
multitudes have gone to "the strait gate" since the days of the
Apostles, and have entered in by it and been saved? Thousands of all
ranks, classes, and ages,--learned and unlearned, rich and poor, old and
young,--have tried the gate and found it ready to open,--have gone
through it and found peace to their souls. Yes: thousands of persons yet
living have made proof of the gate, and found it the way to real
happiness. Noblemen and commoners, merchants and bankers, soldiers and
sailors, farmers and tradesmen, labourers and workmen, are still upon
earth, who have found the strait gate to be "a way of pleasantness and a
path of peace." They have not brought up an evil report of the country
inside. They have found Christ's yoke to be easy, and His burden to be
light. Their only regret has been that so few enter in, and that they
themselves did not enter in before.
This is the gate which I want every one to enter, into whose hand this
paper may fall. I want you not merely to go to church or chapel, but to
go with heart and soul to the gate of life. I want you not merely to
believe there is such a gate, and to think it a good thing, but to enter
by faith and be saved.
Think _what a privilege_ it is to have a gate at all. The angels who
kept not their first estate, fell, never to rise again. To them there
was no door of escape opened.--The heathen never heard of any way to
eternal life. What would not many a black man and many a red man give,
if he only heard one plain sermon about Christ?--The Jews in Old
Testament times only saw the gate dimly and far away. "The way into the
holiest was not made manifest, while the first tabernacle was standing."
(Heb. ix. 8.) You have the gate set plainly before you: you have Christ
and full salvation offered to you, without money and without price. You
never need be at a loss which way to turn. Oh, consider what a mercy
this is! Beware that you do not despise the gate and perish in unbelief.
Better a thousand times not to know of the gate than to know of it and
yet tarry outside. How indeed will you escape if you neglect so great
salvation?
Think _what a thankful man_ you ought to be if you have really gone in
at the strait gate. To be a pardoned, forgiven, justified soul,--to be
ready for sickness, death, judgment and eternity,--to be ever provided
for in both worlds,--surely this is matter for daily praise. True
Christians ought to be more full of thanksgivings than they are. I fear
that few sufficiently remember what they were by nature, and what
debtors they are to grace. A heathen remarked that singing hymns of
praise was one special mark of the early Christians. Well would it be
for Christians in the present day, if they knew more of this frame of
mind. It is no mark of a healthy state of soul when there is much
complaining and little praise. It is an amazing mercy that there is any
gate of salvation at all; but it is a still greater mercy when we are
taught to enter in by it and be saved.
II. In the second place, here is a plain _command_.--Jesus says to us,
"_Strive to enter in at the strait gate_." There is often much to be
learned in a single word of Scripture. The words of our Lord Jesus in
particular, are always full of matter for thought. Here is a word which
is a striking example of what I mean. Let us see what the great Teacher
would have us gather out of the word "_Strive_."
"STRIVE" teaches that a man must use means diligently, if he would have
his soul saved. There are means which God has appointed to help man in
his endeavours to approach Him. There are ways in which a man must walk,
if he desires to be found of Christ. Public Worship, reading the Bible,
hearing the Gospel preached,--these are the kind of things to which I
refer. They lie, as it were, in the middle, between man and God.
Doubtless no one can change his own heart, or wipe away one of his sins,
or make himself in the least degree acceptable to God; but I do say that
if man could do nothing but sit still, Christ would never have said
"Strive."
"STRIVE" teaches that man is a free agent, and will be dealt with by God
as a responsible being. The Lord Jesus does not bid us to wait, and
wish, and feel, and hope, and desire. He says, "Strive." I call that
miserable religion which teaches people to be content with saying, "We
can do nothing of ourselves," and makes them continue in sin. It is as
bad as teaching people that it is not their fault if they are not
converted, and that God only is to blame if they are not saved. I find
no such theology in the New Testament. I hear Jesus saying to sinners,
"Come--repent--believe--labour--ask--seek--knock." I see plainly that
our salvation, from first to last, is entirely _of God_; but I see with
no less plainness that our ruin, if lost, is wholly and entirely _of
ourselves_. I maintain that sinners are always addressed as accountable
and responsible; and I want no better proof of this than is contained in
the word "Strive."
"STRIVE" teaches that a man must expect many adversaries and a hard
battle, if he would have his soul saved. And this, as a matter of
experience, is strictly true. There are no "gains without pains" in
spiritual things any more than in temporal. That roaring lion, the
devil, will never let a soul escape from him without a struggle. The
heart which is naturally sensual and earthly will never be turned to
spiritual things without a daily fight. The world, with all its
opposition and temptations, will never be overcome without a conflict.
But why should all this surprise us? What great and good thing was ever
done without trouble? Wheat does not grow without ploughing and sowing;
riches are not obtained without care and attention; success in life is
not won without hardships and toil; and heaven, above all, is not to be
reached without the cross and the battle. The "violent take the kingdom
by force." (Matt xi. 12.) A man must "strive."
"STRIVE" teaches that it is worth while for a man to seek salvation.
That may well be said. If there be anything that deserves a struggle in
this world, it is the prosperity of the soul. The objects for which the
great majority of men strive are comparatively poor and trifling things.
Riches, and greatness, and rank, and learning, are "a corruptible
crown." The incorruptible things are all within the strait gate. The
peace of God which passeth all understanding,--the bright hope of good
things to come,--the sense of the Spirit dwelling in us,--the
consciousness that we are pardoned, safe, ready, insured, provided for
in time and eternity, whatever may happen,--these are true gold, and
durable riches. Well may the Lord Jesus call on us to "strive."
"STRIVE" teaches that laziness in religion is a great sin. It is not
merely a misfortune, as some fancy,--a thing for which people are to be
pitied, and a matter for regret. It is something far more than this. It
is a breach of a plain commandment. What shall be said of the man who
transgresses God's law, and does something which God says, Thou shalt
not do? There can be but one answer. He is a sinner. "Sin is the
transgression of the law." (1 John iii. 4.) And what shall be said of
the man who neglects his soul, and makes no effort to enter the strait
gate? There can be only one reply. He is omitting a positive duty.
Christ says to him, "Strive," and behold, he sits still!
"STRIVE" teaches that all outside the strait gate are in great danger.
They are in danger of being lost for ever. There is but a step between
them and death. If death finds them in their present condition, they
will perish without hope. The Lord Jesus saw that clearly. He knew the
uncertainty of life and the shortness of time: He would fain have
sinners make haste and delay not, lest they put off soul business too
late. He speaks as one who saw the devil drawing near to them daily, and
the days of their life gradually ebbing away. He would have them take
heed they be not too late: therefore He cries, "Strive."
That word "Strive," raises solemn thoughts in my mind. It is brimful of
condemnation for thousands of baptized persons. It condemns the ways and
practices of multitudes who profess and call themselves Christians. Many
there are who neither swear, nor murder, nor commit adultery, nor
steal, nor lie; but one thing unhappily cannot be said of them: they
cannot be said to "strive" to be saved. The "spirit of slumber"
possesses their hearts in everything that concerns religion. About the
things of the world they are active enough: they rise early, and late
take rest; they labour; they toil; they are busy; they are careful: but
about the one thing needful they never "strive" at all.
What shall I say of those who are irregular about public worship on
Sundays? There are thousands all over Great Britain who answer this
description. Sometimes, if they feel disposed, they go to some church or
chapel, and attend a religious service; at other times they stay at home
and read the paper, or idle about, or look over their accounts, or seek
some amusement. _Is this "striving"_? I speak to men of common sense.
Let them judge what I say.
What shall I say of those who come regularly to a place of worship, but
come entirely as a matter of form? There are many in every parish of
Great Britain in this condition. Their fathers taught them to come;
their custom has always been to come: it would not be respectable to
stay away. But they care nothing for the worship of God when they do
come. Whether they hear law or Gospel, truth or error, it is all the
same to them. They remember nothing afterwards. They put off their form
of religion with their Sunday clothes, and return to the world. And _is
this "striving"_? I speak to men of common sense. Let them judge what I
say.
What shall I say of those who seldom or never read the Bible? There are
thousands of persons, I fear, who answer this description. They know the
Book by name; they know it is commonly regarded as the only Book which
teaches us how to live and how to die: but they can never find time for
reading it. Newspapers, reviews, novels, romances, they can read, but
not the Bible. And _is this "striving"_ to enter in? I speak to men of
common sense. Let them judge what I say.
What shall I say of those who never pray? There are multitudes, I firmly
believe, in this condition. Without God they rise in the morning, and
without God they lie down at night. They ask nothing; they confess
nothing; they return thanks for nothing; they seek nothing. They are all
dying creatures, and yet they are not even on speaking terms with their
Maker and their Judge! And _is this "striving"_? I speak to men of
common sense. Let them judge what I say.
It is a solemn thing to be a minister of the Gospel. It is a painful
thing to look on, and notice the ways of mankind in spiritual matters.
We hold in our hands that great statute Book of God, which declares that
without repentance, and conversion, and faith in Christ, and holiness,
no man living can be saved. In discharge of our office we urge on men to
repent, believe, and be saved; but, alas, how frequently we have to
lament that our labour seems all in vain. Men attend our churches, and
listen, and approve, but do not "strive" to be saved. We show the
sinfulness of sin; we unfold the loveliness of Christ; we expose the
vanity of the world; we set forth the happiness of Christ's service; we
offer the living water to the wearied and heavy laden sons of toil: but,
alas, how often we seem to speak to the winds. Our words are patiently
heard on Sundays; our arguments are not refuted: but we see plainly in
the week that men are not "striving" to be saved. There comes the devil
on Monday morning, and offers his countless snares; there comes the
world, and holds out its seeming prizes: our hearers follow them
greedily. They work hard for this world's goods; they toil at Satan's
bidding: but for the one thing needful they will not "strive" at all.
I am not writing from hear-say. I speak what I have seen. I write down
the result of thirty-seven years' experience in the ministry. I have
learned lessons about human nature during that period which I never
knew before. I have seen how true are our Lord's words about the narrow
way. I have discovered how few there are that "strive" to be saved.
Earnestness about temporal matters is common enough. Striving to be rich
and prosperous in this world is not rare at all. Pains about money, and
business, and politics,--pains about trade, and science, and fine arts,
and amusements,--pains about rent, and wages, and labour, and
land,--pains about such matters I see in abundance both in town and
country. But I see few who take pains about their souls. I see few any
where who "strive" to enter in at the strait gate.
I am not surprised at all this. I read in the Bible that it is only what
I am to expect. The parable of the great supper is an exact picture of
things that I have seen with my own eyes ever since I became a minister.
(Luke xiv. 16.) I find, as my Lord and Saviour tells me, that "men make
excuse." One has his piece of land to see; another has his oxen to
prove; a third has his family hindrances. But all this does not prevent
my feeling deeply grieved for the souls of men. I grieve to think that
they should have eternal life so close to them, and yet be lost because
they will not "strive" to enter in and be saved.
I know not in what state of soul many readers of this paper may be. But
I warn you to take heed that you do not perish for ever for want of
"striving." Do not suppose that it needs some great scarlet sin to bring
you to the pit of destruction. You have only to sit still and do
nothing, and you will find yourself there at last. Yes! Satan does not
ask you to walk in the steps of Cain, and Pharaoh, and Ahab, and
Belshazzar, and Judas Iscariot. There is another road to hell quite as
sure,--the road of spiritual indolence, spiritual laziness, and
spiritual sloth. Satan has no objection to your being a respectable
member of the Christian Church. He will let you pay your tithes, and
rates, and pew rents; he will allow you to sit comfortably in church
every Sunday you live. He knows full well, that so long as you do not
"strive," you must come at last to the worm that never dies, and the
fire that is not quenched. Take heed that you do not come to this end. I
repeat it, _you have only to do nothing, and you will be lost_.
If you have been taught to "strive" for your soul's prosperity, I
entreat you never to suppose you can go too far. Never give way to the
idea that you are taking too much trouble about your spiritual
condition, and that there is no need for so much carefulness. Settle it
rather in your mind that "in all labour there is profit," and that no
labour is so profitable as that bestowed on the soul. It is a maxim
among good farmers that the more they do for the land the more the land
does for them. I am sure it should be a maxim among Christians that the
more they do for their religion the more their religion will do for
them. Watch against the slightest inclination to be careless about any
means of grace. Beware of shortening your prayers, your Bible reading,
your private communion with God. Take heed that you do not give way to a
thoughtless, lazy manner of using the public services of God's house.
Fight against any rising disposition to be sleepy, critical, and
fault-finding, while you listen to the preaching of the Gospel. Whatever
you do for God, do it with all your heart and mind and strength. In
other things be moderate, and dread running into extremes. In soul
matters fear moderation just as you would fear the plague. Care not what
men think of you. Let it be enough for you that your Master says,
"STRIVE."
III. The last thing I wish to consider in this paper is the _awful
prophecy which the Lord Jesus delivers_. He says, "Many will seek to
enter in, and shall not be able."
When shall this be? At what period shall the gate of salvation be shut
for ever? When shall "striving" to enter be of no use? These are
serious questions. The gate is now ready to open to the chief of
sinners; but a day comes when it shall open no more.
The time foretold by our Lord is the time of His own second coming to
judge the world. The long-suffering of God will at last have an end. The
throne of grace will at length be taken down, and the throne of judgment
shall be set up in its place. The fountain of living waters shall at
length be closed. The strait gate shall at last be barred and bolted.
The day of grace will be passed and over. The day of reckoning with a
sin-laden world shall at length begin. And then shall be brought to pass
the solemn prophecy of the Lord Jesus,--"Many will seek to enter in, and
shall not be able."
All prophecies of Scripture that have been fulfilled hitherto, have been
fulfilled to the very letter. They have seemed to many unlikely,
improbable, impossible, up to the very time of their accomplishment; but
not one word of them has ever failed.