Reflecting on Luke 13:22-30“Away from me, all you evildoers!” (Luke 13:27)
Jesus is asked about how many will be saved, or will enter the kingdom.
Jesus redirects them away from how many, to how we ourselves enter.
The kingdom is not about ‘getting in’, it is about ‘doing good’.
Those who do not enter are “evil-doers”, literally “workers of unrighteousness”.
They may have been with Jesus and listened to Him, but their deeds were not good.
We are not saved BY doing good, but we are saved FOR doing good.
I am saved from selfish living and loving, saved for selfless living and loving.
If I am saved, I will “make every effort” to be loving, kind and good.
I won’t get it perfectly right, but I will be genuinely eager to do good.
It is not easy, but if we are willing, we can grow in goodness.
Jesus helps me by His Spirit to be a “good-doer”, a “worker of goodness”.
It is not trying to enter that is important, it is trying to do good.
Too often christians focus on being saved; we should focus on doing good.
This is what the Spirit of Jesus is working out in us (the fruit).
And this is what Jesus is looking for from those He has gracious saved.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, help me to "make every effort" to love others, to be kind and generous, patient and merciful, humble and gracious. It is not just about being with You, or listening to You; You have saved me to do good like You. Help me to become a good-doer, and worker of goodness!