Christians - What does this bible verse mean to you?

Question

For many are called, but few chosen. Matthew 20:16

Answer 1

that Jesus will reject the majority of Christians according to Matthew 7:21-23 "“Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. 22 Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ 23 And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew YOU! Get away from me, YOU workers of lawlessness"

Answer 2

This quote was simply a re-stating of the much more ancient statement: "For many are the thyrsus bearers, but few are the mystics".

It basically meant that it was much easier to simply carry around the trappings of religion than to actually live it.

This was an ancient saying from the pagan mystery religions. Almost everything Jesus supposedly said was taken from ancient pagan writings. The whole story of Jesus was originally an attempt to introduce the ancient mystery religions into Judaism. The same approach was used to inject those beliefs into Egyptian and Roman culture by attributing many of the ancient beliefs to their respective gods.

Unfortunately, in the case of the Jesus myth, a bunch of idiots started taking it literally. Horribly, one of these idiots ended up being a Roman emperor. From then on, the literal interpretation of these myths was forced on the world at sword point.

Answer 3

The verse is Matthew 22
14"For many are invited, but few are chosen."

It means God invites many to be part of His Kingdom, but only a few are chosen by Him.
It doesn't mean that God choses arbitrarily. The invitation must be accepted, followed by appropriate conduct.
Proper behavior is evidence of being chosen.

Answer 4

Many are called by God, but there are those among the many that do not respond to the call with righteous living. A sincere response to God's calling always results in conflict with carnal and worldly desires of the flesh. These must be forfeited and replaced with spiritual nourishment for the sake of holiness. We need to put on the proper garment of Christ (His righteousness received via baptism in His Name) to enter the kingdom of God:

"And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." -- Ephesians 4:24 KJV

Those that do not have Christ's righteousness will not be chosen to enter the wedding feast; they do not have the proper wedding attire on!

Answer 5

many are called means all Christians (minus the rest of the world are many not all) are called for ministry service to preach the gospel to the world. but only a few past the test given by God, those are the chosen ones!

Answer 6

The Holy Spirit tries to get people to want to be saved, but many will not accept the invitation.

Answer 7

I realize this question is somewhat facetous, but it desrves an answer. Scripture answer this question:

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Mar 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
Mar 4:14 The sower soweth the word.
Mar 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Mar 4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
Mar 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
Mar 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Mar 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Deu 29:4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. (used in many, many, places in prophesy)

We are "called" or "drawn" to Christ, by hearing the word, and having God unhearden our hearts to it. If ones heart is yet hardened, he WILL NOT perceive.

That answers the first question, "who are the called".

Now, what is it to be Chosen?

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Joh 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

People do not "choose Christ", Christ chooses them. Now, what does it meen by "FEW are chosen?"

The entire chapter 7 in Matthew deals with this, but I shall quote only the essentials:

Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

These verses are not parable, self explanatory, and do not really need explanation, I will just summarize.

The ONLY path to eternal life, is through Christ, doing the will of the Father, as Christ himself hid. That is what scripture, from cover to cover, teaches. Scripture states that only a "remnant" shall be saved, and "few there be that find" the path of life.....

Now you know. Modern doctrine doesn't tend to agree, but with 2000 years of preference to tradition over scripture, what is new?

Paul

Answer 8

So, Jesus is talking about two people arguing over a dime. The ones who have been working all day think that they should earn more than the rest that came later. The ones that came later are happy that they got anything at all. I think it shows you how to be content with little things.

Answer 9

Few will accept the gift of grace and salvation. "Narrow and strait is the gate that only a few choose to go through."

The broad and narrow way.

Christ came to teach us, not only what we are to know and believe, but what we are to do; not only toward God, but toward men; not only toward those of our party and persuasion, but toward men in general, all with whom we have to do. We must do that to our neighbour which we ourselves acknowledge to be fit and reasonable. We must, in our dealings with men, suppose ourselves in the same case and circumstances with those we have to do with, and act accordingly. There are but two ways
right and wrong, good and evil; the way to heaven and the way to hell; in the one or other of these all are walking: there is no middle place hereafter, no middle way now. All the children of men are saints or sinners, godly or ungodly. See concerning the way of sin and sinners, that the gate is wide, and stands open. You may go in at this gate with all your lusts about you; it gives no check to appetites or passions. It is a broad way; there are many paths in it; there is choice of sinful
ways. There is a large company in this way. But what profit is there in being willing to go to hell with others, because they will not go to heaven with us? The way to eternal life is narrow. We are not in heaven as soon as we are got through the strait gate. Self must be denied, the body kept under, and corruptions mortified. Daily temptations must be resisted; duties must be done. We must watch in all things, and walk with care; and we must go through much tribulation. And yet this way should
invite us all; it leads to life: to present comfort in the favour of God, which is the life of the soul; to eternal bliss, the hope of which at the end of our way, should make all the difficulties of the road easy to us. This plain declaration of Christ has been disregarded by many who have taken pains to explain it away; but in all ages the real disciple of Christ has been looked on as a singular, unfashionable character; and all that have sided with the greater number, have gone on in the
broad road to destruction. If we would serve God, we must be firm in our religion. Can we often hear of the strait gate and the narrow way, and how few there are that find it, without being in pain for ourselves, or considering whether we are entered on the narrow way, and what progress we are making in it? (Mt 7:15-20)

Answer 10

Few are chosen because few believe. There are people with the title "Rev" that will say "Lord, Lord", but Jesus will say I don't know you because you didn't preach my gospel.