Enter In At The Strait Gate
”Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, but shall not be able.”—Luke 13:24
Thou feeble-minded disciple, weak in faith, thy Jesus speaks not thus to discourage thee from seeking salvation by him only; for he also says, ‘Every one that seeketh findeth.’ But rather he hereby animates and encourages thy soul in striving against every enemy that opposeth thy entering his kingdom by the strait gate, even by his one atonement, and one righteousness only. He designs also to show that men may not only seek, but strive as in an agony, ‘to enter in, but shall not be able.’ Why? Because they expect to enter the kingdom by some other gate than Jesus. But, says the apostle, ‘No man is crowned, except he strives lawfully.’ Earnestness, zeal, activity, avail nothing, while Jesus is not the only object; his blood the only plea for pardon, his righteousness the only hope for acceptance. But this, in the eyes of self-righteous professors, makes the gate appear too strait indeed. Hence they seek to enter by ways more pleasing to their pride, and more agreeable to the corrupt lusts of their nature. So that striving is not so much opposed to seeking, as the strait gate, Jesus, is to every one method of salvation of man’s devising. There is an awful denunciation against such, Isa. 45:9. ‘Woe be to him that striveth with his Maker.’ Shall potsherds of the earth dare contend against the sovereignty of God’s wisdom, power, and grace? Here is the strife of the pharisee. And in opposition to the sloth and licentiousness of the antinomian, says our Lord to all his disciples, ‘Strive’—strive, by my power which strengthens you, against every enemy that opposeth your entering my kingdom by Me.
As surely as there is a devil in hell, there will be false teachers on earth. So long as thou continuest in the body, thou wilt have corrupt lusts, carnal reason, the workings of pride, unbelief and self-righteousness. Now all these unite to oppose thy faith, and contend against thy hope; but thy master, who calleth thee to arms, bids thee be of good courage, and strive for the mastery. In his strength thou art sure to conquer and win the prize. Press forward, ‘striving against sin.’ Heb. 12:4. Strive for the faith of the gospel, strive fervently in prayers, strive according to his working, who worketh mightily in all his people. Phil. 1:27
Give light, oh Lord, to see the gate,
And strength to strive to enter in
By Thee, who art the Truth, the Way,
From Satan’s power the world, and sin.
Turn off my eyes from other hopes.
That would beguile my soul;
Oh fix and keep my wandering heart
To thee entire and whole.
M.
William Mason (1719-1791) was a High-Calvinist author. For many years he served as a Justice of the Peace, and in 1783 was appointed a Magistrate. He served as editor of the Gospel Magazine before and after the editorship of Augustus Toplady. He is best known for a morning and evening devotional entitled, “A Spiritual Treasury For The Children Of God.”
