WHY MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT SAVED MATTHEW 7:13-14 Part 1

Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen.'' Why are so many people going to be lost? Different individuals are lost for different reasons. Satan is at work and he is trying to get as many people as he can, anyway he can, to be lost. I Peter 5:8 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour.

Some People Do Not Think They Are Lost They think they are too good to be lost. They are trusting in their own morality. Cornelius was a good moral man but he had to send for Peter to find out God’s plan of salvation. Acts 10:2 A devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. If morality can save then a person can be saved: Apart from Christ Matthew 1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.''

Apart from the blood Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Without faith Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Acts 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.'' John 20:30-31 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

Without obedience Hebrews 5:8-9 Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Apart from the church The person who thinks he is safe will not make any effort to get to safety. Acts 2:47 And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

There Are Some Who Just Will Not Believe Satan has stolen the word from their heart. Luke 8:12 "Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” There is no hope for the non-believer. Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” John 8:24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.''

There Are Some Who Are Trusting In Faith Only The Bible is clear the faith that saves is an active obedient faith James 2:24, 26 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only…For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Everyone in Hebrews 11 who were justified by their faith when they put it into action Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Obedience is necessary

Some Just Love To Sin And Are Not Ashamed John 3:19 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Paul talks about some of these people in II Timothy 3:1-5 and Romans 1: When people are not ashamed of their sinful deeds God may give them up. I Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, Some have lived in sin for so long that heart has become hardened.

Because They Love the Praise Of Men John 12:42-43 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Luke 6:26 “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” Fame is always short lived, but the cost could stay with you through eternity. Matthew 16:26 "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR SOUL?

Some Become Unfaithful And Never Repent They refuse to examine their condition. II Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Prove yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless indeed you are disqualified. I Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. Some trust in their own righteousness. Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican because people were doing this very thing, Luke 18:9-14 Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

Why do people become unfaithful? Some fail to bear fruit. John 15:1-5 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Some fail to add the Christian graces to their lives, II Peter 1:5-10. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

Whatever the reason the last state is worse than the first II Peter 2:20-22 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit,'' and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.''

HAVE YOU EXAMINED YOUR SOUL’S CONDITION? BE HONEST AND TRUE TO YOURSELF. WHERE YOUR SOUL SPENDS ETERNITY HANGS IN THE BALANCE

Given by David Hamlin on May 16, 2010 pm Hollister, Missouri church of Christ