Today we are beginning a very important series of Bible messages on a theme often neglected, and a subject not very popular these days. We are living in a day in which salvation is taken for granted by the average religious person. Seldom do any of us stop and take time out to inquire if we are really saved. We hope in this day, when many are merely taking for granted that they're saved, that you will impartially inquire whether you have been genuinely saved. Whether one is saved or deceived has grave and eternal implications and consequences.
Now, let's notice some Scripture exhortations that encourage and demand self-examination. Here is what we find in II Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves, know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates." Paul, with great interest in the professing Christians at Corinth, advised them to examine themselves in order to prove whether they were real Christians. He realized it was not enough just to profess Christ, for there are many who profess Christ but do not possess Christ. Paul sets forth three essentials here in this verse, in order that anyone may really know he is saved. First, there must be an examination. Second, there must be a proving. Third, there must be the living Christ found indwelling. For sure, friends, no individual can know he is saved who doesn't inspect his experiences and life in the light of the Bible. If Christ is not found indwelling a person's life, that person is not saved, but deceived and lost.
A proper inspection and examination must be based solely and wholly upon the word of God, and not on feelings, religious experiences, creeds, confessions, decisions, prayers, doings, acts, goings or anything else. No one can honestly and truthfully say that he is saved, who has not examined himself impartially in light of the testimony of Holy Scripture and proved therefrom that God's Word bears testimony to the truth and reality of the presence of the indwelling Christ. Remember, Paul said in another place,"...Christ in you the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). In II Peter 1:10 we find more encouragement to self-examination "...give diligence to make your calling and election sure..." To "give diligence" is to, with careful attention and utmost concern, check out your professed salvation and thereby make the matter absolutely sure. Concerning salvation, no person should presume or just take it for granted, since a future eternity is at stake. In the Bible we find many exhortations to self-examination, not only because of the importance of being saved from sin, self, and judgement, but also because of the deceptive ministry of Satan. He will do anything in his power to deceive -- and believe me, he has great power. The Bible says that he deceives the whole world (Rev. 12:9). Since it is possible to be deceived and salvation is so very important, everyone who has an interest in his future destiny should be willing to search his heart by the Word of God. After all, if God's word says we are saved, it is surely so. But, on the other hand if it says we're not -- then we aren't. What we think about the matter really makes no difference. God's word is the final authority.
Saved or deceived -- that's the real and vital question. Many modern day church members who think they are saved are really only deceived. James Moffett said, "Within every congregation there is a small nucleus of people who believe, and they are surrounded by a much larger group who believe that they believe." It is reported that Billy Graham said on national television that 75-85% of church members are lost. It is also reported that Vance Havner said that over 65% of church members are lost. Shelton Jones is reported to have said that 80% of Baptist people are lost. R.A. Torrey said, "only about 10% of church members are saved." Bill Bright in a Sunday morning sermon at Montreat Presbyterian Church in Montreat, N.C. said in July of 1984, "over 50% of the 85 million people in church this morning have never been born again." E.J. Daniels said, "I doubt seriously that 50% of all the different people who have named the name of Jesus and call themselves Christians have really been born again, and have really had an experience with God and are really saved." In a radio message Dr. J. Harold Smith said, "75% of people that attend church won't make it to heaven. I won't be afraid to say 80% won't make it." Now, while it is true that no one knows the percentage of lost people in the church, we have reason to believe that it is very high. Some years ago I heard a prominent Baptist minister say he believed that ninety percent of modern day church members are lost. Such statements ought to make us think and do some personal soul searching. Are you concerned about where you really stand before the Lord?
Now, let's consider whether there will be few or many saved. I suppose that most of us have wondered about this matter. Haven't we given some thought to whether heaven or hell will be the most populous? From the Bible we seek to get the answer. From the general teaching of the Word of God, we must conclude that more people will go to hell than to heaven: more will be in perdition than in paradise. This conclusion may be reached by making several observations. The number of the saved has always been small. Let's look at Bible history. During the days of the flood that came upon all the world, Noah and his family alone found grace in the eyes of the Lord and were saved (Gen. 6:8). There were only eight persons saved from the judgment waters of the flood of all the ante-deluvians that were living (I Peter 3:20). It has been estimated that there were about 116 million persons living at that time. What a solemn thought -- only eight saved out of about 116 million. What a small percentage were saved in that day! During the days of Abraham there were many people who dwelled in Chaldea. Abraham alone was chosen and called by God out of that idolatrous land, having been made the sole depository of the Covenant of God. During the Old Testament dispensation, Israel was chosen to be the people of God, while in the main the Gentiles were rejected. There were only a few saved Gentiles in the Old Testament. I doubt that we could find 12 saved Gentiles after the flood in the whole of Old Testament history. After the death of Christ, very few Israelites have been saved. God has given them the spirit of slumber so they cannot be saved. Moreover, God has given them eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, even to this present time (Rom. 11:8). Since they rejected their Messiah, God has turned from them and is primarily saving Gentiles during this dispensation until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in (Rom. 11:25). All this happened according to the sovereign purpose of God. The sacred record states, "Therefore they (Israelites) could not believe...He (God) hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and he converted, and I should heal them" (John 12:39-40).
There were over 600,000 Hebrew men who came out of the land of Egypt, but only two twenty years or older, Joshua and Caleb, reached Canaan, the land of promise (Numbers 32:11-12). The rest of the people fell in the wilderness and died because of unbelief. This incident speaks to us not only of the paucity of the saved, but also of the destructive power of unbelief. The Hebrew writer in the New Testament commenting on this incident states, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God...Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it" (Heb. 3:12; 4:1).
During the days of Job there were many people living in the land of Uz. The Bible says that he was the only upright man living in that day in the land (Ezk. 14:14). During the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, many people inhabited these wicked cities. When Jehovah announced that He was going to destroy these cities because of their great wickedness, Abraham began to intercede, and Jehovah promised that He would spare the cities if only ten righteous could be found. Alas, fewer than ten righteous people could be found. In fact, there was only one righteous person there, and that man's name was Lot (II Peter 2:7-8). Not even Lot's wife was saved, for the sudden judgment of God fell upon her. She was favored and privileged, for she had a righteous husband who feared and obeyed God, but she herself was unrighteous and died lost. During the days of the Psalmist, the saved were obviously very few, for he said, "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth: for the faithful fail among the children of men" (Ps. 12:1). During the days of Isaiah there were very few saved. He said, "Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity a seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward...Except the Lord of hosts had left us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah." (Isa. 1:4,9). During the days of Jeremiah the saved was small in number. He said, "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it" (Jer 5:1).
We come now to the New Testament. There were many who professed to follow Christ, but His true followers were few. He said, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give unto you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). On several occasions there were as many as 5,000 or more that followed Him, but He would not commit Himself unto them because He knew what was in the heart of man (John 2:24). Some He told, "But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you" (John 5:42). Christ's true followers were always few. He began with eleven. The company grew to eighty-one, and then at Pentecost they numbered 120. Christ Himself said concerning the paucity of the people who would be saved, "...strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it" (Matt. 7:14). He was asked "...Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 'Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able'" (Luke 13:23-24) In the light of the few saved, it will be wise for each of us to ask, "Am I saved or deceived?" During this series of studies, we hope and pray that we all will be able to know for sure. Nothing is more important than to know where one really stands before God.