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From Inside and Out
(Luke 13:24)
As Jesus went around from village to village, he taught of the Gospel. One person had asked Jesus this: “Lord, for how many will be saved?” and Jesus replied “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”
Why is it that many who seek of the Kingdom of Heaven still cannot enter?
Why do you seek grace but what kind of grace is it?
What is the proper manner to receive of Grace? The two previously mentioned things must be parallel to each other in order to be achieved.
Many people seek after some sort of grace. One such would be running away from the worries and bad luck from reality as a grace. Another would be when having a productive life fails and is unachievable, one falls into drugs and alcohol abuse. Finally, one would also try to do their utmost best in everything in achieving money, fame, and power and think is the way to achieve of the grace. In the book of Genesis, the first murderer, Cain had moved to the land of Nod, east of Eden and made a “castle”.
To atone for his sins, Cain had probably worked hard and achieved at least something in his lifetime.
Some people even try to earn the grace temporarily, accidentally or even under impulse. They can hear the Lord calling upon them. So they meditate, radically change, or even repent. They show great passion to worship services and bible studies. But it is something only done temporarily. They will one day suddenly leave. But when some crisis happens in their lifetime, they once again return.
But, there are also a handful of people who are at the Gates of Grace. They know that it is the door that leads to life. They one day swear to enter through the door. But the effort is put off day to day, and enjoy of the things outside the door. From even the very last moment they say, “One more! One more!” and would not give up. They always say in front of the door, “I will make it the next time the opportunities come.” They are relieved of the proximity of the door. Our Lord says to go through the “tight door” and to “continue and never stop!” in other words, not be satisfied by being in front of the door, but to cut off the sin. The only way to fully achieve of grace is to give the entire life to God and leave the Sin.
Grace is a gift from God. But why does Jesus say that we must put our “efforts” into it?
We as mankind cannot save ourselves. But to be able to give up on sinful life, and to confess and receive the fruit of repentance is something we can do. After receiving the invitation of the Kingdom of God, one does not still want to leave the den of Sin, would that person be able to walk in the path of Grace?
There is a day when the gate will shut permanently. It is unknown when that will happen. The one thing to remember is that the gate is narrow. Only a person at a time may enter.
Trying to take the luggage of the world and sin is impossible. The door will close one day.
As there still is time available, with the life we have, will you not become stalled, but to enter into the gate of Grace?
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What is a healthy church? 
From Inside and Out