While in Jerusalem Jesus was asked: “Are there few that be saved?” This is a question, concerning which, I have wondered for many years. I believe that at some point in our lives all of us come to Christ asking this question (Luke 13:23; compare Luke 13:34-35)! We see so many who don’t know Jesus nor even care to know him. What about the sincere person who never heard of Christ? Is he condemned for the lack of a laborer in his field? What about the sinner who is not so sincere, but never heard of the Lord? Is he condemned without ever having a reason to repent? So many people die in their sins! Is there any hope? Will they live again, or are they lost forever (Ezekiel 37:3, 11)? God says there is hope!
And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD. (Ezekiel 37:13-14 KJV)
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (Romans 11:26 KJV)
Jesus as much as says that to ask the question, “Are their few to be saved?” is to miss the point of our relationship with him. Christ died for all (1Timothy 2:6; cf. 4:10), and in due time all the world will testify of his saving grace. Yet, there are some who will come into their inheritance first, and some will come in last (Luke 13:30). Nevertheless, all will live and bow before the feet of Jesus their Savior (1Corinthians 15:22-23, 25; cf. Philippians 2:10-11).
As the scripture says, there is an order (1Corinthians 15:23) to the resurrections. Let him who wishes to be first strive (G75) to enter the strait gate (Luke 13:24). The strait (G4728) gate is a narrow gate as opposed to broad or wide (Matthew 7:13-14). In fact, it is so narrow, we can enter only one by one (John 10:9). Jesus is the door (John 10:7, 9). We enter through one man, the Son of Man or Messiah (Genesis 3:15). Many believe they have entry, because they are moral or have done great works (Matthew 7:22). Nevertheless, entry into the Kingdom of God is through Jesus alone; no other name (Acts 4:12) and no other work is sufficient (John 10:1; Matthew 7:22). One day everyone who ever lived will come to know that Name and understand the price that was paid to secure their salvation (1Corinthians 15:28) and will bow at his feet:.
Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth–even those long ago dead and buried–will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11 MSG)
We know that people will not be forced into submission, because God is not honored through force but in the fruits of his Spirit borne out in the lives of willing people (John 15:8); and in glorifying God through the fruits of his Spirit we show ourselves to be the disciples of Jesus. Praise God!
Smoodock's Blog 
14 responses to “Are Only a Small Number Saved?”
Hi not sure if I understood this correctly, yes Bible does say that every knee will bow before Jesus but that is before the God who is giving final judgement. I hope this does not make you think that we will all be happily in heaven together regardless of what we did during our time here.
Bible clearly talks about goats and sheep being divided, talks about the hell and eternal condemnation, none of this can be taken out of the Bible. I understand that people from catholic background do believe in purgatory and there are those who believe that Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient for all and that we will all end up in heaven regardless of whether we want to be there or not.
Note that many of the atheists publicly say they would not want to spend their eternity with the God of the bible. I don’t think that our God would force anyone to do this. Finally your quote on the narrow road illustrates clearly that unfortunately majority of people will be going away from God rather than towards him. When Jesus talks about the sower and the seeds that are drowned and destroyed etc this shows us that not only will there be those who will not be saved but even those who are superficially Christians will “fall away”. Paul rightly warns us to be careful i.e. “he who stands let him be careful not to fall”.
Kind regards
In Christ Jesus
Defend the word
‘Defendtheword’, hi and thank you for your questions and comment.
Perhaps more than any other teaching, I hold back on this one, because so many do not believe that all have been saved by Jesus. I have been misunderstood often and called a heretic. But, if our authority is God’s word and not the traditions of the fathers, I believe there is no other conclusion that could be drawn.
I intend to post future explanations concerning why I belief Jesus has saved all, but we can discuss this here, if you wish. I don’t mind doing that. Bottom line, I will point to the Scripture, but I don’t use intimidation (judgment) to make my case. One thing that may surprise you is: the Greek and Hebrew words used for words like ‘forever’ – ‘everlasting’ – and ‘eternal’ do not **necessarily** mean what these do in our language. For example, Jonah was in the belly of the fish for 3 days and 3 nights, but the Scriptures say he was there ‘forever.’ Both the Hebrew and Greek words can mean ‘generation’ or ‘age.’ It has to do with an indefinite period of time that is defined within the context–the immediate context or in some cases the context of the whole of God’s word. His word cannot be made to contradict itself–Amen?
Mind you, there is an order to this. I am not saying, because all are saved, all receive the same reward. We who have received Christ will never die. We just pass on to be with our Savior. Those who have rejected Christ, never heard of him, or simply don’t understand enough to make a decision will die and remain dead, until the resurrection of the just and unjust. Matthew 25 seems to be speaking of this judgment (v. 31 and following). It seems clear these did not know Christ. When they served or did not serve him, they were completely unaware, not so the previous two parables. The virgins and the merchants knew their responsibilities and were judged according to how they responded to those responsibilities.
God desires us to be righteous, but remember Jesus is our Righteousness. He is not so much interested in our sins as in whose we are–his or Adam’s. Even Christians sin from time to time–I don’t mean to imply this is okay, but God is able to educate us through his Spirit to walk in the way of Christ and stop sinning. This is a process and God doesn’t mind working with us in this regard. He is glorified in our putting sin out of our lives even if it is step by step. What God is ‘unable’ to do (unable only because he has limited himself to bring about the desired end) — what he is ‘unable’ to do is work in us through his Spirit when we are in rebellion. We may sin through weakness and repent, but rebellion has independence in view. It is a sin that has no forgiveness. One must cease his rebellion and return to God, in which case he is no longer in rebellion. He has returned to the Lord and is willing to receive Jesus’ authority over his life. My posts regarding Satan and Adam have to do with the sin of rebellion.
Some Scriptures you may wish to consider are: if **all** the Jews are forgiven as Romans 11:26 seems to indicate, wouldn’t God also save **all** of the Gentiles, since he has placed no difference between us?
1Corinthians 15:26 says the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Death is the penalty we must pay for our sins, according to Romans 6:23. If death is destroyed, what happens to the wicked, whose judgment is death?
If Philippians 2:9-11 does not mean what it seems to clearly say, what does it mean?
Well, as I said above, I intend to post a few more of my thoughts concerning my understanding about the fate of mankind as a result of the death and resurrection of Christ, but if you wish to discuss the matter here between you and me, this should be enough to get us started.
Again, thank you for your comment, and God bless you and yours.
Hi please don’t take this as a desire for confrontation rather brotherly desire to explore Holy Scripture that we both love. Following are texts that deal with Hell and punishment, as Christian I would guess we do not want to choose and pick but with discernment allow Holy Spirit to lead us into all the truth. We need to be aware that God in deed desires all to be saved but we have been given wonderful free will and choice is up to us. God of Love does not impose his will, neither would God of justice ignore the sin and injustice, you can imagine the outrage at those who have suffered at the hands of Hitler only to find him in the same place walking the streets of Gold.
But I have to say that I am very much impressed with your desire to see all end up with God. Hebrew word that you mention to mean period should not be misunderstood especially when there are subsequent clarifications, we call that contextual analysis but I’m sure you know that. I agree with the fact that we all continue to sin but according to 1 John 1 we have the advocate who is also our judge, and as we call upon his name he talks to his father on our behalf and will say “I have paid the price for this one, come in faithful servant” and I can’t wait for that day.
In Christ Jesus with Kind regards
Defend the Word
The Future Abode of the Wicked: Psa. 9:17; Prov. 5:5; Prov. 9:13–17; Prov. 15:24; Prov. 23:13, 14; Isa. 30:33; Isa. 33:14; Matt. 3:12; Matt. 5:29 v. 30.; Matt. 7:13 v. 14.; Matt. 8:11, 12; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 13:30, 38–42, 49, 50; Matt. 16:18; Matt. 18:8, 9, 34, 35; Matt. 22:13; Matt. 25:28–30, 41, 46; Mark 9:43, 44 vs. 45–48.; Matt. 5:29. Luke 3:17 Matt. 3:12. Luke 16:23, 24, 26 vs. 25,28;; Acts 1:25. 2 Thess. 1:9; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6, 23; Rev. 9:1, 2 Rev. 11:7. Rev. 14:10, 11; Rev. 19:20; Rev. 20:10, 15; Rev. 21:8 Rev. 2:11
Defend The Word,
Hi and thank you so much for returning with another comment. I feared what I wrote offended you, and I didn’t want to do anything like that.
No, I don’t take your comment or concern for me as a confrontation. I agree with everything you say above. I understand we have differences, but there is nothing in your comment which I could not find agreement. I promise you I will study the Scriptures you have suggested. What I ask of you is your kindness to remember me in prayer. I have decided to stop posting new material, until at least next Tuesday. I don’t want to hurt anyone or dishonor God. I realize this is a big issue. So I want to know the will of the Lord. Thank you for your comments and your encouragement and for assuring me you are not offended in me. God bless you and yours.
Hi again,
I’m still reading your blog and I’m finding things that should’ve been so obvious but is hidden from the view because of traditions. Thank you again for opening new horizons.
In regards for ‘damned’, here are my thoughts: God doesn’t need to see proof that the spirit of a man (even an unborn one) can repent or not. So before person is born God fills his body with the spirit that will serve specific purpose. Each spirit is able to subdue to Gods will, being triggered by specific events in his life. For me it could be knowledge of Gods love, for another person it could be knowledge of Gods creation and might, another person would have to loose everything he loved and only than see the glory of God. Yet for some spirits nothing work. So God calls those people “vessels of wrath” and using them as He finds necessary.
It is kind of a theory of predestination but it is not that God makes people to repent but rather choosing destiny (place and time to be born) for each individual spirit. Passage to consider: Rom9:10-33
PS: you might notice awkwardness in my articulation. It is because English is my second language. Sorry for nonsense if any occurred or will occur.