What Does the Bible Say About the Importance of Personal Salvation?

What was the question asked to Jesus in Luke 13:23, and how did He respond?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon, someone asked Jesus, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" Rather than directly answering this theoretical question about the number of people who would be saved, Jesus responded by addressing the crowd, saying, "Strive to enter in at the straight gate. For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able." Jesus deliberately shifted the focus from a speculative question about numbers to the urgent personal matter of one's own salvation.

Why does Lloyd-Jones say Jesus ignored the man's question about how many will be saved?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus ignored the man's question because it was asked from a theoretical, speculative standpoint rather than from personal concern. The man approached Jesus as an equal, standing on his feet with intellectual curiosity, not as someone who recognized his need for salvation. Lloyd-Jones says, "He only ministers to sick people" and "He said himself, 'they that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.'" Jesus rejects those who come merely for intellectual discussion while being unconcerned about their own spiritual condition.

What does it mean to "strive to enter in at the straight gate" according to the sermon?

According to Lloyd-Jones, to "strive to enter in at the straight gate" means to "agonize" about one's personal salvation with urgency. It involves: 1. Approaching salvation as a deeply personal matter rather than a theoretical topic 2. Recognizing one's sinfulness and need for a Savior 3. Seeking a personal relationship with Jesus Christ rather than just being interested in Christianity 4. Having a sense of urgency because the opportunity for salvation won't always be available 5. Being willing to sacrifice anything that stands in the way of salvation

The narrow gate is compared to a turnstile that only admits one person at a time - salvation is an individual matter between a person and God.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the devil's strategy regarding salvation?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the devil as incredibly subtle in his approach to preventing people from finding salvation. His strategies include:

1. Keeping people so busy they never think about spiritual matters at all
2. If people become interested in religion, encouraging them to approach it in the wrong way
3. Fostering theoretical and speculative interest rather than personal concern
4. Getting people to focus on others' hypocrisy rather than examining themselves
5. Encouraging religious discussion and debate instead of personal repentance
6. Making people content with an intellectual interest in Christianity without personal commitment

As Lloyd-Jones puts it, "A wrong interest in salvation is quite as hopeless as no interest at all."

What is the difference between being interested in Christianity and knowing Christ personally?

According to the sermon, being interested in Christianity involves: - Theoretical knowledge and discussion about Christian doctrines - Appreciating "Christian values" or "Christian civilization" - Having opinions about religious matters - Participating in religious activities or attending services

In contrast, knowing Christ personally involves: - Recognizing one's sin and need for salvation - Meeting Christ as Savior at the "straight gate" of conviction - Having a personal relationship where Christ knows you and you know Him - Submitting to Christ as Lord, not just Savior - Being transformed in character, no longer a "worker of iniquity" - Having an urgent concern about one's spiritual condition

Lloyd-Jones says, "The man who knows Jesus Christ is not a man who's interested in him primarily as a miracle worker, nor as one who teaches in the streets... The one thing he wants to know is this: Canst thou save me?"