The Infinite Ladder

Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Luke 13:24

D.L. MOODY
Who are we to strive with? Not with the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper stands with the gate wide open, and he says, “Come in, come in!” All the striving is with the flesh; it is with this old carnal nature of ours.

ERWIN LUTZER
Some think to themselves that the way to heaven is really a tall ladder and God gives us grace to climb it rung by rung. And when God sees how sincere we are, He comes and His grace picks us up and takes us all the way to the top. This kind of thinking is sometimes summarized as “God helps those who help themselves.”
This actually is the broad way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). This view overestimates the goodness of man and it underestimates the glory, holiness, and perfection of God. It assumes that somehow we can cooperate with God in the process of salvation. Trying to climb that ladder only means that it is done with my power and my energy—energy that may be given to me of God, but energy that is mine nonetheless.
But salvation is not a cooperative process. God has to come down, scoop us up and carry us all the way to the top. This is done for all who repent and believe in the free gift of eternal life.

PRAYER
Father, let me not trust in my own power but instead find my hope in Christ alone.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Jesus said that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light (Matt. 11) Are you resting fully in Him or striving in your own power?

How do you remember that Jesus is enough, that we don’t contribute to our salvation?