A "few" will be saved?

[GodHeals]

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.-Matthew 7:13-14

Do these verses mean a “few” will be saved? It seems the Catholic Church says many will be saved and none are even pronounced to be in hell.

Thanks!
Brian

 

[Dolezal]

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.-Matthew 7:13-14

Do these verses mean a “few” will be saved? It seems the Catholic Church says many will be saved and none are even pronounced to be in hell.

Thanks!
Brian

The Church never pronounced any one to hell because it is not her business, but she does teach eternal punishment for those who die unrepented of mortal sin. If Judas went to heaven, Our Lord would not have said that it would have been better for him if he had never been born.

Judith 16.20, 21: “[W]hen the time comes for judgement, the Lord Almighty will execute vengeance on them; he will not spare. Their flesh the fire shall scorch, the worm shall devour; lament they must and bear their pain for ever.”

Matthew 25.41: “Go far from me, you that are accursed, into that eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.”

46: “[T]hese shall pass on to eternal punishment, and the just to eternal life.”

Augustine, City of God 21.23: “Then what a fond fancy is it to suppose that eternal punishment means long continued punishment, while eternal life means life without end, since Christ in the very same passage spoke of both in similar terms in one and the same sentence.”

CCC, 1861: Mortal sin … if it is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell.

CCC, 1874: [Mortal sin] destroys in us the charity without which eternal beatitude is impossible. Unrepented, it brings eternal death.

 

[missadeangelis]

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.-Matthew 7:13-14

Do these verses mean a “few” will be saved? It seems the Catholic Church says many will be saved and none are even pronounced to be in hell.

Thanks!
Brian

I guess it comes down to whether or not we take Christ at his own word. Unfortunately, these days the concept of sin is often abolished in some people’s mind and thus they conclude that no one goes to hell. This is clearly against Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the teaching of the Church. It’s not a popular teaching, but the truth is the truth is the truth.

That said, no one on earth can declare with certainty that any soul is in heaven, hell, or purgatory. That’s why we need to pray for the dead.

mda

 

[Sirach2]

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.-Matthew 7:13-14

Do these verses mean a “few” will be saved? It seems the Catholic Church says many will be saved and none are even pronounced to be in hell.

Radical extremists will quickly say something like only 5 out of 30,000 will be saved using wonderful proof texts.

Liberals will deny punishment from a “loving, merciful God” and reverse it to 30,000 will be saved, but only 5 will go to hell.

The truth is somewhere in the middle, with the Church making no statement of certainty regarding any soul, other than canonized saints. We work out our salvation in hope and trust in God’s grace to help us along the way. Believe it or not, it is very possible to remain free from mortal sin. As for the venials, purgatory will cleanse us, but there are wonderful plenary indulgences we can gain that remove this punishment.

 

[midori]

How many is “too many” for you?

Do you think even one person lost is acceptable?

Do you think, from the perspective of someone who gave his life so that all would be saved, do you think that the loss of one person is “too many”, and that salvation only comes to a few?

I remember one Baptist sermon I listened to, where the pastor preached about a deathbed conversion after a life of sin. The dying man looked back on all his errors and begged God for forgiveness. But you know what? It was too late! Sorry! Mr. Sinner was going to hell. That kind of judgmental-ness struck me as extremely arrogant. I far prefer the Catholic stance, where we leave that sort of thing between God and the individual. In the meantime, it’s our job to work hard and try to find that small gate and narrow path, which, as they say, is wide and easy for those who love God.

 

[brb3]

Few means a small minority. Some say 10-20 % at best. One thing for sure …Christ taught over & over that Most of humanity didn’t know him as their personal Lord & master. MARY & Apostles did …for sure. We need to read scripture for “all its worth” …and take all it teaches to heart. Then, we need to make FULL CONFESSION, and pray to the Father thru Christ, to be Reborn as new creation. Then, Baptism & Confirmation are essential. Finally, we must persevere in gracious works til.our last day.
This is a lifelong process … and for sure, few complete the Race victorious. Many fall short, or give up completely. A marathon race is required, and few attempt it, and fewer yet complete the high calling in Christ.

 

[Dolezal]

Radical extremists will quickly say something like only 5 out of 30,000 will be saved using wonderful proof texts.

Considering that some 46.000.000.000 people were born between 8000 BC and 1 AD, and 58.000.000.000 between 1 AD and 2011, the small percentage of people who were Catholic, and the teaching of the Church, I do not think that the Saints and Fathers of the Church are radical extremists.

 

[Sirach2]

Considering that some 46.000.000.000 people were born between 8000 BC and 1 AD, and 58.000.000.000 between 1 AD and 2011, the small percentage of people who were Catholic, and the teaching of the Church, I do not think that the Saints and Fathers of the Church are radical extremists.

Ah yes, Shin’s famous saints’ page. I’ve seen it, and lamented the harm it does to all who read it as truth. As I have responded to this before, these comments from saints are not linked with a source. I have found some of them to be false or taken out of context. Nor did the Church substantiate these saints’ views, since their words were spoken while they were alive. After canonization, people tend to take every word they said as infallible truth, but that is a serious failing.

I am not surprised to see your post just now, since people who have posted this type of material in the past are usually looking for an argument, and trying to convince the faithful of their belief. Just look at your proofs!

God bless you. May He give you light.

 

[Dolezal]

Ah yes, Shin’s famous saints’ page. I’ve seen it, and lamented the harm it does to all who read it as truth. As I have responded to this before, these comments from saints are not linked with a source. I have found some of them to be false or taken out of context. Nor did the Church substantiate these saints’ views, since their words were spoken while they were alive. After canonization, people tend to take every word they said as infallible truth, but that is a serious failing.

I had checked a few quotes before linking it here, but I see now that there are several more that I can’t source. My mistake for assuming that a Catholic website would not fabricate quotes.

I am not surprised to see your post just now, since people who have posted this type of material in the past are usually looking for an argument, and trying to convince the faithful of their belief. Just look at your proofs!

What proofs? I just do not think that saints like Augustine and Aquinas were radical extremists. St. Augustine explains in his City of God that the number of saved is exceeded by those who will be lost, and that even faithful Catholics will be lost.

St. Thomas also, Summa, part 1, question 23, article 7:

“The good that is proportionate to the common state of nature is to be found in the majority; and is wanting in the minority. The good that exceeds the common state of nature is to be found in the minority, and is wanting in the majority. Thus it is clear that the majority of men have a sufficient knowledge for the guidance of life; and those who have not this knowledge are said to be half-witted or foolish; but they who attain to a profound knowledge of things intelligible are a very small minority in respect to the rest. Since their eternal happiness, consisting in the vision of God, exceeds the common state of nature, and especially in so far as this is deprived of grace through the corruption of original sin, those who are saved are in the minority. In this especially, however, appears the mercy of God, that He has chosen some for that salvation, from which very many in accordance with the common course and tendency of nature fall short.”

 

[Nimzovik]

Yikes.

 

[Jerry-Jet]

Jesus said “few”. Why is it that some Catholics don’t believe Him?

How can you expect to convert non Catholics to belief about Jesus’ LITERAL words concerning the Eucharist and then turn around and not believe Jesus’ LITERAL teaching of “few”?

If “few” were 10% and the if the world has 7 billion people currently living on it that would mean that 700 million people would make it to Heaven and 6 billion 400 million would go to Hell. And that’s not counting the people who will be born later and all the people who lived before now and died.

If at least 700 million people make it to Heaven then God is indeed merciful!

The saints always “work out their salvation with fear and trembling”. It’s modern day NON SAINTS who wax poetic about us not knowing for sure that a single soul is in Hell and then in NON logic say that maybe most everyone is in Heaven.

Satan has been pushing universalism for centuries–along with Once Saved Always Saved–along with the notion that most Catholics hardly ever MORTALLY sin–so he can take souls to Hell because death comes unexpected.

They are in a state of mortal sin and IN that state because they PUT off confession thinking that they are in a state of grace when they aren’t!

Lack of VIGILENCE in staying in a state of grace when either Jesus comes back or death happens results in a trip to Hell!

Believe Jesus when HE says “FEW” and then you’ll be ready when the Lord comes at His second coming or at death!

Don’t take a chance–repent now–keep on repenting all of your life–trust in Jesus and Live!

None of what I say denies Jesus’ mercy. None of us can be saved unless we trust in Jesus’ mercy!

 

[steve53]

Well, I’ll be saved for sure.

Not sure about the rest of you.

 

[PJM]

=GodHeals;10167885]“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.-Matthew 7:13-14

Do these verses mean a “few” will be saved? It seems the Catholic Church says many will be saved and none are even pronounced to be in hell.

Thanks!
Brian

Hi Brian;

Where my friend do you come up with such a position?

It’s clearly not biblical; nor is it the Official teaching of the Catholic church?

Catholic catechism: 1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, “eternal fire.” The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs."

1036 The affirmations of Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church on the subject of hell are a call to the responsibility incumbent upon man to make use of his freedom in view of his eternal destiny. They are at the same time an urgent call to conversion: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

1037 God predestines no one to go to hell; for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end. In the Eucharistic liturgy and in the daily prayers of her faithful, the Church implores the mercy of God, who does not want “any to perish, but all to come to repentance”:

Allow me to ask you Brian:

W/O being unduly judgmental; how people that you personally know [this is a retorical question] seem absolutely headed to heaven and not hell?

I SUSPECT: far fewer are heading in the RIGHT direction [up-hill], than the easier road, [downohill] to hell. MEISN; secular humanism; abortion; contraceptive sex; divorice; voting for the national- Democratic Party; co-habitaition; adultry; Missing Mass on purpose and so-on:shrug: And this is JUST the short list.

YES; every indication is that MANY, many more are headed to hell than to heaven.

God Bless you,

Pat /PJM

 

[Sirach2]

Dolezal:

I had checked a few quotes before linking it here, but I see now that there are several more that I can’t source. My mistake for assuming that a Catholic website would not fabricate quotes.

Good job! I’m so glad you researched this and learned for yourself.

What proofs? I just do not think that saints like Augustine and Aquinas were radical extremists. St. Augustine explains in his City of God that the number of saved is exceeded by those who will be lost, and that even faithful Catholics will be lost.

The link is very lengthly, and you did not pull the specific quote, so I gave up looking for it. However, I would like to share some research from the same website, on Augustine’s doctrine that places him in a questionable light.

(6) Does this mean that we must praise everything in St. Augustine’s explanation of grace? Certainly not. And we shall note the improvements made by the Church, through her doctors, in the original Augustinism.** Some exaggerations have been abandoned, as, for instance, the condemnation to hell of children dying without baptism. Obscure and ambiguous formulæ have been eliminated**.
We must say frankly that Augustine’s literary method of emphasizing his thought by exaggerated expressions, issuing in troublesome paradoxes, has often obscured his doctrine, aroused opposition in many minds, or led them into error.

It is best to reflect that he lived 354-430 in a very early period of the Church. We cannot accept that everything known and written at the time of this early development may not be set aside by ongoing theological development inspired by the Holy Spirit. So whatever he may have said in the third century is capable of being disputed or set aside by the Church in later ages, as has proved to be true.

I am always disturbed when someone quotes something a saint wrote, without giving the context. This leads many into error. It is best to trust the Church to guide us into fullness of truth, and not rely on saints’ statements from many previous centuries ago.

St. Thomas was also a wise Doctor and much of his work is still respected today. However, he too, had a problem with the Immaculate Conception. Whatever is true and worthy in his writings will carry forward, and whatever has undergone further development will be set aside. Again, we cannot go back into time and allow a previous saint to set aside current Church teachings whenever they contradict them. The Church alone has the keys, not a saint, however holy.

May this be a help to you, I pray.

 

[DaveBj]

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.-Matthew 7:13-14

Do these verses mean a “few” will be saved? It seems the Catholic Church says many will be saved and none are even pronounced to be in hell.

Thanks!
Brian

On the other hand, check out Rev. 7:9-11:

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

 

[Sirach2]

Thank you for that scripture from Revelations, Dave. I would add another scripture from Gen. 22:17, “I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.” God assured Abraham of an incredible line of decendants. If we can ponder the infinite number of specs of sand in only a cup, can we imagine how many would fill a seashore?

The scriptures seem to present varying concepts when we consider passages about the narrow gate, etc. Jesus may have used this figure of speech to warn his followers to be alert lest they lose salvation.

Bottom line, we listen to Him, leaving aside the speculation or curiosity about what happens to others, whether there is a majority or a minority. Didn’t Jesus also rebuke Peter for the same idle nebbing into another’s life? Jn. 21:21

“Lord, what of this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I wish him to remain until I come, what is it to thee? Do thou follow me.”

And I say to all who think they are going to please God by speculating on the number of the saved, “What is it to thee? Do thou follow me!” We work out our own salvation, leaving the judgment of others to God alone. It is not our duty to try and figure out what happens to anyone else except ourselves.

 

[InJesusItrust]

I have read of a few people online who have knowledge that their relatives were in heaven, and all evidence seems to suggest that they were not particularly devout. Nevertheless God spared them from Hell.

I would say that perhaps people we do not expect to be there will end up there and people we do expect to be there will be condemned. Who knows the mind of God?

 

[brb3]

On the other hand, check out Rev. 7:9-11:

Yes, but consider if u are on football field & look up at 110,000 fans cheering .

…had John had this vision …he would of said he saw such a great multitude. Now, make that stadium 100x larger …thats only 110 million …1/3 of USA POPULATION, BUT ONLY 5 % of living population today. Now, consider population of world since creation …and that mass of 110 million, would be a tiny fraction of 1%.

 

[DaveBj]

snip

Bottom line, we listen to Him, leaving aside the speculation or curiosity about what happens to others, whether there is a majority or a minority. Didn’t Jesus also rebuke Peter for the same idle nebbing into another’s life? Jn. 21:21

“Lord, what of this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I wish him to remain until I come, what is it to thee? Do thou follow me.”

And I say to all who think they are going to please God by speculating on the number of the saved, “What is it to thee? Do thou follow me!” We work out our own salvation, leaving the judgment of others to God alone. It is not our duty to try and figure out what happens to anyone else except ourselves.

^This. Good comments, Sirach.

 

[Sirach2]

I have read of a few people online who have knowledge that their relatives were in heaven, and all evidence seems to suggest that they were not particularly devout. Nevertheless God spared them from Hell.

St. Therese asked Our Lord to help her understand whether her Papa had gone to heaven with the granting of a sign. If her sister Celine was given permission to enter Carmel, although her entrance was denied by the Superior since there were already three of them in Carmel, she would understand it was an answer to her prayer. Shortly afterwards, her sister received permission to enter.

We can wonder if this was a true sign or coincidence, but God is so very gracious in answering some of our heartfelt prayers. Yes it was true, since her parents were both canonized a couple years ago. Her Papa is indeed in heaven.

Isn’t it true that we ask Mary to “pray for US sinners, now and at the hour of our death?” Who knows the far-reaching effect of that prayer, for we petition Mary’s intercession for others besides ourselves, expressed in the word “us.” How many mysteries we will see when we reach our heavenly home!