Luke 13:24-27 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' "Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' "But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'

This parable was Jesus' response to the question, "Are only a few people going to be saved?" His story paints a picture of a feast being given in somebody's house. Lots of people want to come, but at some point, the owner closes the door. Those who are late have clearly made no effort to be there on time, but worse than that, the host says that he does not know who they are. That provokes their response that they have been around him and heard his teaching. But the host has no personal relationship with them, calls them 'evildoers' and tells them to go away.

Jesus was speaking about Himself who had been surrounded by crowds, who had witnessed His miracles and listened to His teaching. But that is all they did. They had not taken any steps to repent of their evildoing, nor had they come to Him for mercy. They are religiously aware, even pious, but not personally committed. The 'effort' Jesus spoke about was not the energy of religious activity (they were full of that); it was the deliberate choice of moving from faith in themselves, faith in their religious system and faith in their leaders ... to faith in Jesus as the Saviour of the world. That kind of belief-change is not automatic, nor often easy; it requires a personal conscious decision to abandon empty ways and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Being in the religious crowd requires little effort and no faith: neither does it save people. Relationship with Jesus is only established as people come to Him as sinners seeking mercy and grace (see www.crosscheck.org.uk).

It is the same today. Churchgoing or any religious devotional practice is useless in securing entrance to God's eternal kingdom, unless there is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Without that interpersonal bond, all who hope for the blessings of heaven will be refused entrance and branded as evildoers. That may sound a harsh statement but it is true to the Bible which says that, "The Lord is ... patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9). He is waiting but His patience must not be taken as sentimental indulgence. He has the right to close the door to those who refuse to repent and get right with God. So make every effort to ask for mercy, and encourage your friends and colleagues to do the same.