Fooled by a False Gospel
Part 55 - Luke 13:22-30 (ESV) - Pastor Tim Kroeker
Matthew 7:13-14:
“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.”
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Perhaps you’re familiar with the 2019 college admissions scandal. William Singer was an independent college admissions counselor in California who worked with wealthy families hoping to get their kids into top schools. In addition to his college counseling business, Singer operated The Key Foundation, a charitable organization, which Singer established to “unlock the door to academic, social, personal, and career success” for underprivileged youth. In reality, under the auspices of this organization, families nationwide paid Singer a total of $25 million to guarantee their children admission to top-tier schools such as Stanford, Yale, USC, and Georgetown.
Here’s how it worked. A parent would donate a large sum — normally between $250,000 and $400,000 — to Singer’s foundation. Singer would then funnel money to college coaches and athletic administrators, bribing them to designate these students as recruited athletes, thereby exponentially increasing their chances of gaining admission. If the students didn’t have adequate ACT or SAT scores, Singer bribed test proctors, who, for $10,000, would alter students’ answers.
Wealthy and well connected parents all wanted the same thing for their children: guaranteed admission to an elite school. Singer opened for them what he called the “side door” of college admissions.
As we continue on in our salvation story we read that Jesus is asked how many people will actually be admitted into the kingdom of God. The assumption was that with the coming of the promised Messiah, all of Israel would be saved. However, Jesus alerts his listeners that salvation is harder, the opportunity more limited, consequences more dire and those actually saved more surprising than many people thought.
The kingdom of God has no “side door” access. Don’t let you or your friends be fooled by a false gospel.
