Luke 13:23-24
23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
>because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
>will try
Who is God talking about here?
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Remember the rich man who didn't want to sell his possessions to join Christ? There ya go. He valued his short existence on Earth over eternity.
That is what I am afraid of and hope that I am dead wrong because I feel only a pinchful of us are good enough for Him. Imagine this.
Many are called but few are chosen
When I read this passage I thought of those who might have the wrong doctrinal beliefs or those who continue in wilful sin such as masturbation. It particularly struck me because I want a close relationship with God and want to do his will but at the same time I go out of my way to sin against him by masturbating every day. I don't know how many others out there do the same. Passages such as this especially reinforce my concerns:
◄ 1 John 3:9 ►
No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Maybe this is too ridiculous to be on this board. But I wanted to share this with you all.
Read this: olrl.org
From my understanding of what this guy is saying, ~1% of the Christian population is going to be saved.
The best of your ability would make you a saint
Oh that would be nice.
Eight people out of, let's be generous, two billion is 0.0000008%.
Two out of two milion is 0.0001%.
Four out of, let's be generous, 2400 is 0.17%.
blame protestants
Unironically this. With their 'all you need to do to be saved is believe' shenanigans, many people fell for it. Like, just imagine dying without ever going to confession all your life or receiving the eucharist or going to an actual mass.
But if the rich guy gave his richness to poor people then those poor guys would be rich and will go to hell, I say the math is sound.
What a horrible feeling this is.
How about you take it as motivation ? Instead of falling into despair you could be like "yeah wow hm prolly really only a chosen few get the thing how about I start doing what Christ asked us to do just right now".
Don't despair, despair is a tool of the devil. Rejoice and glorify God in all things you do - He is infinitely merciful.
I think that this thread should be deleted. It serves nothing more than to sow despair based on some personal and doubtful anecdotes of some saints. Some may even be tempted in a negative way by this.
It is only useful to believe that all will be save if you work and act like no one will. Focus on the salvation of yourself before you despair at the plight of others; it is ultimately up to them and not you whether or not they will be saved and follow God.
Remember that the Book of Life is not the only way we will be judged.
What if it's taking into account those who already died? Wouldn't that lower the chances even further?
Brothers, I want to send all of you away comforted today. So if you ask me my sentiment on the number of those who are saved, here it is: Whether there are many or few that are saved, I say that whoever wants to be saved, will be saved; and that no one can be damned if he does not want to be. And if it is true that few are saved, it is because there are few who live well. As for the rest, compare these two opinions: the first one states that the greater number of Catholics are condemned; the second one, on the contrary, pretends that the greater number of Catholics are saved. Imagine an Angel sent by God to confirm the first opinion, coming to tell you that not only are most Catholics damned, but that of all this assembly present here, one alone will be saved. If you obey the Commandments of God, if you detest the corruption of this world, if you embrace the Cross of Jesus Christ in a spirit of penance, you will be that one alone who is saved.
Now imagine the same Angel returning to you and confirming the second opinion. He tells you that not only are the greater portion of Catholics saved, but that out of all this gathering, one alone will be damned and all the others saved. If after that, you continue your usuries, your vengeances, your criminal deeds, your impurities, then you will be that one alone who is damned.
What is the use of knowing whether few or many are saved? Saint Peter says to us, "Strive by good works to make your election sure." When Saint Thomas Aquinas's sister asked him what she must do to go to heaven, he said, "You will be saved if you want to be." I say the same thing to you, and here is proof of my declaration. No one is damned unless he commits mortal sin: that is of faith. And no one commits mortal sin unless he wants to: that is an undeniable theological proposition. Therefore, no one goes to hell unless he wants to; the consequence is obvious. Does that not suffice to comfort you? Weep over past sins, make a good confession, sin no more in the future, and you will all be saved. Why torment yourself so? For it is certain that you have to commit mortal sin to go to hell, and that to commit mortal sin you must want to, and that consequently no one goes to hell unless he wants to. That is not just an opinion, it is an undeniable and very comforting truth; may God give you to understand it, and may He bless you. Amen.
amen
This. I operate exactly like this. Remember to always pray for all souls because they know not what they do.
We don't know that the rich man went to hell though. Being rich itself isn't a sin, it's silly to think that our Lord would condemn this certain individual for it when we know that the rich in general can be saved. I've had trouble with this passage though. Did he mean it as a rebuke to those wealthy who think their monetary contributions to the church can be a substitute for richness of faith? Or just that love of wealth is a barrier to salvation? I mean, for us to follow that naive interpretation that he had to give away all he owned seems absurd, since the other Apostles still owned their fishing boats did they not? Why must this man in particular be held to a higher standard?
I've always interpreted it as the narrow way being of course Christianity, I've no way of knowing but I tend to be rather liberal (heh, it's funny to describe myself with that word) in my view of this. I believe most Christians are earnest in their beliefs and love of God, and Christ's sacrifice was so great, so overpowering in it's love for those that love him, how could even the sins of the faithful stand against it? That is really the central message of the gospel is it not? Christ condescended to be a man that he would conquer sin, because we are too weak to, and such is his love that he would give his life to do it for us. This of course does not excuse sin, but I believe that most who honestly seek Christ shall find him, and I believe most Christians do.
I don't generally agree with ecumenism, but it does contain the grain of truth that non-Catholics of good conscience do genuinely love God, however misguided they may be, and they are the ones most likely to receive indulgence after death for their misdeeds, so near is their heart to the truth of Christ.
It's funny how so many people miss this. The Rich guy goes up to Jesus and asks what needs to be done to get saved, and Jesus replies. The rich guy then answers "Yeah I do all that stuff already" and Jesus responds "If you would be PERFECT then sell your possessions and follow me". Living as an ascetic is not necessary for salvation but if you want to be perfect and follow Jesus as a true disciple then you do it. Then the rich guy slinks away because he doesn't want to do it and Jesus points out people who put so much emphasis on worldly possessions will be hard pressed to put them aside and do what is right. After all, who on this board if the physical Jesus called for you to follow him during his ministry wouldn't sell everything you have to do so? But Jesus hasn't asked any of us specifically to do so.
But none of his other disciples did so either. There must be some message beyond Christ's caprice in singling out this guy out of everyone, since obviously Christ isn't capricious. I get the message of total love for God being love for him above any concern beyond him, but ultimately we know that this is beyond us, even saints had to eat.
Perhaps that was the message, and this goes back to the psychology of this thread (that is the fear of our human insufficience to overcome sin), that we need not be perfect to be saved, for if only the perfect were saved then none would be, making Christ's sacrifice on the cross in vain. Perhaps he's saying that the behavior necessary to be justified in the eyes of the LAW (impossible for humans), one must be of perfect conduct and of total disregard for worldly things (again, impossible), which thus validates Christ's sacrifice, since he fulfills the law on our behalf.
Like I said I'm still not entirely sure what to make of this passage, it's puzzling to me like not much else in the gospel, since is it not the position of the Church that the pleasures of the world are not inherently evil when taken in moderation and their proper place, since they were made by God for our enjoyment? Is it not a contradiction to say that in order to be wholly good, one must abstain from things which God has made for the good of us?
There was. Jesus was asking him to his face to sell his things and follow but he refused because he placed too much value on his material possessions. The point is you can own things, but they're not the be all and end all. You've got to keep your eye on the prize which is treasure in Heaven. If you're at the point where Jesus asks you to your face "Sell your things and follow me" and refuse because you want to keep your stuff then you're in danger. It's not about actually doing it, it's more about the willingness to do it, to put your trust in Jesus to the point where if he came down and said "Sell your things and be my disciple" you would say "Yes, Lord" and go do it.
Other denominations than mine, ESPECIALLY my least favourite one