Granted, we cannot apply an economic principle in determining the number of people who will turn to the Lord for salvation with any certainty; only God knows. We are simply called to be witnesses, not statisticians.
Yahweh is not bound by man’s
observations or principles. However, with that said, we do see a very large difference
between the few (Mt 7:14) who
find the narrow gate to the difficult way leading to life and the many (Mt 7:13) who go through
the wide gate to the easy way leading to destruction. We see this more
graphically in Noah’s experience: only 8 people from the antediluvian
civilization were spared as compared to the millions who had died (1 Pet 3:20;
2 Pet 2:5). The 80-20 rule provides a similar minority theme.
Romans 10:13 is one of the best 100% to
be found anywhere going! I was once one of those whoever’s (spiritually regenerated on 1.19.1976) who now has a 100%
guarantee to be in heaven via rapture or R.I.P by the grace of God, not of anything
that I have done. Salvation is for all, but this minority report suggests that
a vast majority are going to choose darkness over light. Universal salvation is
a pipedream with no biblical basis whatsoever.
The truth of the matter is that works are
not a factor of biblical salvation at all (Eph 2:8-9), but good works are instrumental
in progressive sanctification or maturing in the faith (cf. Eph 2:10; 1 Cor
3:11-15). The odds are 100% against any self-redemptive plans because salvation
is not of works whatsoever. Another truth is that there will only be a minority
experiencing salvation in human history (past, present, future) – There are few who find it, that is, the narrow gate – “Jesus” (cf. Jn 14:6;
Acts 4:12). Why? In a word, unbelief (cf. 2 Cor 4:4; 1 Cor 2:14).
The adversary of man’s soul wants for
people to be focused on self-redemption (heaven is merited by good works) or dismissing
any need for redemption. Any attempt to be your own savior is ruination not
redemption. Jesus, not good works, was our sacrifice that satisfied or
propitiated the just demands of God Almighty for man’s sin. Hell is the
depository for those souls rejecting God’s offer of a salvation of grace, not
of works or see no need for redemption.
In Christ, we are created for good works
(Eph 2:10), but we are not saved by them (Eph 2:9). The question remains, are
you satisfied with the Sacrifice, that would be Jesus, that satisfied God the
Father? Working your way to glory is a proclamation that you are not satisfied
with Jesus’ sacrifice for your salvation! You are running the risk of dying in
your sins (cf. Jn 8:24; 3:18), and that is really a tragic thing. Salvation is
based on the love of God; service to God is based on a love for God.
In reality, Pareto’s 80-20 rule has no
application when it comes to salvation by grace through faith. Do you think
that God’s Son came to earth to be clothed in flesh and endured all that led up
to the cross if works were a viable alternative? His death on the cross was
effective for 100% of the population, not 20%: past, present, and future.
If there was another way, He wouldn’t
have taken the course to the cross that you and I read about in the Gospels
(cf. Gal 3:21). This shines light upon how great a love (agape) God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit had and does have for the sons and
daughters of Adam, but to make the mistake of thinking that God’s love (agape)
will never allow anyone to go to hell is a huge spiritual error with eternal
consequences! Jesus didn’t suffer and die on a cross so we could simply bypass His work of grace by good works! The very idea is an insult to the
love and majesty of God.
His love for mankind is what brought Him
to us as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, as a son of Mary who learned a
carpenter’s trade, as a Savior and Messiah who bled and died upon the cross for
all, as a Victor over death on the third day having physically resurrected from
the grave, and promised to return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, glory to
God!
Pareto 80-20 rule is an interesting way
to see cause/effect in the world, but the only effect of working one’s way to
glory is 100% eternal separation from God forever, being assigned to a place where
you really don’t want to go there. Love (agape) provided a way for those
who accept God’s offer of salvation by grace through faith. Working your way
toward divine favor is viewed by the holiness of God as rejecting the only
acceptable way to God (Acts 4:12; Jn 14:6). Life after death is reserved only for
those who have the Holy Spirit living within the heart at the time of death. Purgatory
or second chance after death to expiate their sins has no biblical basis.
(Jn 3:18) He
who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God.
(Jn 3:36) He
who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the
Son shall not see life, but the wrath of
God abides on him [emphasis mine].
As far as I can see, the only two
choices that anyone has is either everlasting life with God or everlasting
separation from God. Please note that the
wrath of God occurs only here in John’s Gospel. Wrath (Gk., orge) is
controlled violent passion. Included in this are the ideas of punishment,
retribution, vengeance, anger, indignation, deserved, et al.
I love the fact that for God so loved the world and the wrath of God are contained
within the same chapter; it speaks volumes! God’s nature is insuperable and not
subject to any permutation, corruption or change. He that Has no beginning nor
end is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8). Amen, yes?!
The Holy Spirit through John reveals
that there is no duality in God’s nature between love
(agape) and wrath (orge) that would justify the notion that the God of the OT is
different than the God of the NT. To the contrary, all of His perfections would argue that His
qualities are eternal, immutable, holy, infinite, homogenous, and so much more,
functioning in everlasting harmony before there was ever a beginning (Gn 1:1)
and will continue without permutation after the end of the ages all throughout
eternity. We change, but God never does.
(Jn 3:19) And this is the
condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved [Gk., agapao] darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
This verse reveals the intensity and
passion of a man or woman for the darkness, having not the Holy Spirit. Darkness
has no love for the light. Everything that God is and represents is challenged
and despised by the darkness. Here we see a rare occasion where the verb love (agapao), which is normally
associated with God, is used to refer to an intense, sacrificial
love for the things pertaining to darkness rather than the light, and we are only down three verses from Jn 3:16!
It should be noted that the noun form agape (love) is never used with
reference to darkness, only on occasion is the verb form (agapao) associated with the darkness. Every believer comes into
possession of agape at spiritual
regeneration where there is a liberal outpouring of agape into the
hearts of every believer by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5). It is kind of silly to ask God to help us love someone in light of that verse, yes?
The verb (agapao) is merely reflective at times of a strong, sacrificial
passion for the wrong things among unbelievers. Do not underestimate the
passion of those without Christ, including the prince of darkness, who loves the
darkness and have an intense hatred of the light (cf. Gal 5:19-21), or anyone or anything associated with the light.
Authentic passion paralleling the
intensity and sacrificial nature of agapao,
indicative of God’s love, is not the same as possessing agape. This is because they do not have the Holy Spirit living
within their hearts (1 Cor 2:14; Jude 1:19, natural and sensual are the same Greek word). Behind the corrupt agape attitude
of the lost is the evil one. In contrast, pure agape is revealed only by
the Holy Spirit (cf. fruit of the Spirit, Gal 5:22-23).
For men or women who love (agape)
darkness, they seek only the highest evil (antichristian in nature) for themself
and others. For men or women who love (agape) the light, they seek the
highest good (Christlikeness) for themselves and others. This is the most significant
difference between the lost and the saved; believers have the Holy Spirit, and
the lost do not due to their willful unbelief (2 Cor 4:4; Jude 1:19; Rom 8:9b).
All (100%) of those who come to Christ
through faith will be saved. All (100%) of those who do not come to Christ will
not be saved. It has nothing to do with any Pareto-related ideas, even though,
sadly, there is only a minority going to heaven (Mt 7:13-14).
Why is this Minority Report critical to all
believers? Because the Bema Seat is all about God disclosing the quality of our
service (not whether we are worthy or not to enter glory for that is addressed
at salvation, positional sanctification) to Him and the dispensing of rewards
based on authentic service to the King of Kings as a believer.
One thing the Pareto principle reveals
from a spiritual perspective, though that was not Vilfredo’s original intent,
is that there may be some element of truth that 20% of believers or a minority
are doing 80% or the majority of promoting the kingdom for God’s glory; the
majority (80%) are marginal at best at 20% or less. There is far more to the
Christian life than visiting a local church on Christmas, Easter, weddings, and
funerals. It is a lifelong lifestyle true to the Scriptures as a rule of life.
There is one last question I have to
ask you. Are you included in the minority report of those who love the
light, or are you like the majority who love the darkness (Mt 7:13)?
We respond to the love of God by
receiving the gift of His Son into our hearts for salvation, but afterward, our
service to God is based on our love for Him (cf. Jn 14:15, 21, 23). Good works
have no relevance to salvation, but it plays a vital role in our maturing in the
faith or progressive sanctification (becoming more like Christ) through
obedience to His Word and service to Yahweh.
Perhaps the Pareto principle may even
unwittingly suggest the measure of our love for Jesus by whether our thinking, words, or actions are more aligned with the minority (20%) or in keeping with the majority (80%)? Such is the curious case of the Minority
Report. <><
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