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Articles
Will the Righteous “Scarcely Be Saved?”
In 1 Peter 4:18 (KJV, NKJV, ESV - TN) we read, “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and sinner appear?” What does this passage mean? Does it mean that even the righteous will barely make it into heaven – by the skin of their teeth? If so, how can Peter say in 2 Peter 1:11 that “entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom...”? Will the entrance into heaven be supplied just barely or abundantly?
The word translated “scarcely” in 1 Peter 4:18, molls, is also translated “with difficulty.” In Acts 27:7-8, 16 it is used in this sense: they sailed “with difficulty” because the winds were against them. I believe it should be translated similarly in 1 Peter 4:18, making the passage read, “if the righteous one is saved with difficulty, where will the ungodly and sinner appear?” (It is similarly translated in the NASB, NIV, HCSB - TN). Thus the point is not that the righteous will be saved “by the skin of his teeth” but rather that the righteous will be saved because he is willing to put out the effort to obey God and be saved. The Bible never denies that being a Christian will be difficult, in fact we are warned of that repeatedly. The reward offered far outweighs the efforts we make. If my intention is to please God in all that I do and I do my best to learn and then put into practice His will, ample entrance should be supplied to heaven for me.
What should we take away from this passage of Scripture? That being a child of God is not an easy life. The devil is ever present, seeking whom he may devour. And while he doesn’t forget those in the world, he doesn’t spend as much on them because he already has them. No, his stronger efforts are against those who have left his kingdom – that’s you. He will use anyone or anything he can to get you to pull away from God. He may use your family, your friends, your coworkers, your boss to pressure/lure you back to his service. He is so canny he can use tragedy (sickness, death of a loved one, financial problems, physical weakness) or success (good health, good job, riches) toward the same end. No matter what situation you are in, he will find a way to tempt you. Nor does he give up or diminish the pressure as you mature – “be faithful unto death.”
You may ask, “How can I resist the devil?” By yourself you can’t, but with the Lord’s help you can. How did Jesus resist the temptations of the devil? “It is written.” The better we know the Word of God, the better we can resist the devil. The Lord has limited the power of the devil, so with His help we can overcome him. James tells us, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). The more we resist him, the quicker he will flee from us. In verse 8 we are told, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” If we want to be one of those who enjoy eternity with God, at home in rest, we must choose to draw near to Him. The closer we draw to God the farther we will be from the devil.
Will Christians just barely make it to heaven? NO!! Will it require effort on their part to make it to heaven? Yes, great effort. But along with this great effort comes great reward, not only in heaven, but on earth too. They also have the Creator of the world as their helper, His wisdom is revealed for their benefit , and His great love for them to cheer them on.
