Luke 16:16
English Standard Version (ESV)
16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.
In the midst of Luke chapter 16, there is a tiny phrase that depicts the journey of the soul in pursuit of salvation. Jesus was teaching by way of parables in chapter 15. The parables seem to be unanimously pointed toward God's desire to pursue the lost and wandering soul.
The first of such parables begins in Luke 15 regarding the Lost Sheep. God rejoices over each sinner who repents. His rejoicing is far greater over one who repents than over those who are righteous and need no repentance (the later of the two refers to those who have already repented at which time God also rejoiced over them.) The second parable of chapter 15 is the Lost Coin with the same message of rejoicing over repentant sinners.
The third parable is the Prodigal Son. One child leaves the Father and one child stays with Him. Again, God's rejoicing is demonstrated in the celebration over the son who returns. However, the prodigal son adds more perspective from the "lost" soul, whereas the sheep and the coin are told from the perspective of God's desire to seek the lost. You can envision how the lost son came to regret his decision to leave Father, how he struggled within himself and resolved to take a lower status in his Father's house just to be with him again.
Read Luke 16:16 at the top one more time. True seekers of salvation, truly repentant souls, are those who "force" their way into the kingdom of God. In the Greek text of this verse, the word "forces" is "agonizo." It literally means to agonize, anguish and intensely force. Everyone who gets into the kingdom must agonize their way inside. This is done through the same steps that the prodigal son followed.
- First, he "came to himself". He realized his separation from the Father and longed for reconciliation.
- Second, he planned to seek terms of peace with his Father.
- Third, he boldly approached his Father who was already waiting to fully restore him in His presence.
Psalm 25:6-10
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
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