Many who profess Jesus as Lord will spend eternity in hell.

Matthew chapter 7 has always troubled me. I remember the first time I read Jesus' words, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven…” (Verse 21). This passage has troubled me so much throughout the years that I have memorized it without even making an attempt. This passage says that not everyone who considers Jesus lord will enter heaven. In other word, these people think they are right with God, saved, but they are not. Isn’t that scary? This poses a very important question to all who consider themselves saved. That question is: “How do you know you are not one of these people?”

Is it so easy to be saved? What does one have to do to be saved? This is a question I always ask people I encounter who believe themselves saved. I have found, too often, that many people who profess Christ have no clue as to how one is biblically saved. How can people who are saved not know how they got saved? That doesn’t make any sense. How can people who received a renewing of the heart and mind, who crossed over from death to life, who have had an encounter with the one true God, the Creator of the universe, not know how they got saved? I am afraid these are the people Jesus talks about in that verse that has echoed in my head all these years.

How can these people be so deceived? The problem is the watering down of the Gospel that has been taking place in churches, especially the American church. Silly little churchisms have replaced the Gospel message. “Accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior” and “Pray and ask Jesus into your heart” are probably the most common. What do they mean? What verses are they? These are not ways people are saved. We have reduced the Gospel to a mere desire, acceptance and a prayer. Did Jesus say, “The kingdom on God is near. Desire to be saved, accept me, and pray”? No! He said, “The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15).

We need to return to the Gospel of the Bible. Where are the preachers and evangelists that preach, “…small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it”(Matthew 7:14) and “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5)? This is what we need.

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to” (Luke 13:24).