Jesus said to the people: “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. (Luke 13:24)
What does this mean? It means that the path to salvation is not easy.
Are you saved? The Catholic position is that one knows he is saved only after his day of judgment before God.
The belief in “once saved always saved” is flawed. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied: “If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die!” None of the crimes he has committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the justice he has shown. And if the just turn from justice and do evil, like all the abominations the wicked do, can they do this evil and still live? None of the justice they did shall be remembered, because they acted treacherously and committed these sins; because of this, they shall die. (Ezekiel 18:21-22, 24)
What can we learn?
- The path to salvation is a life-long journey of grace and repentance, the forgiveness of sins and the restoration of our friendship with God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, to be saved by Christ means to receive and accept the Good News of Jesus Christ, by repenting, receiving forgiveness, making amends, and making changes in our lives in order to know and to follow Christ.
- Christ did not die on the Cross and rise from the dead to impose a long list of rules on us. He died on the Cross and rose from the dead to set us free – not to disobey the rules – but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17, Romans 7, Galatians 5) “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.” (Matthew 5:17)
- True freedom is not liberation from rules which call us to be good. True freedom is liberation from the things which prevent us from following the rules which call us to be good.
What can we do?
Many Catholics have convinced themselves that they can miss Mass on Sundays without any good reason. Many also believe that they can be good Christians without giving their time, talent or treasure to help the Church. It is like saying that we can love God while choosing to ignore the important ways in which He asks us to serve Him. But we can’t take salvation for granted and we can’t take the Good News of salvation lightly. We must strive to enter through the narrow gate.