What is the narrow door?

I was reading Luke 13:22-30 and verse 24 stood out to me. Here is the whole parable...

The Narrow Door
He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, "Lord, will those who aresaved be few?" And he said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then he will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!' In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last." (English Standard Version)"

Many... will seek to enter and will not be able..." Why would those that are actively seeking be turned away? Or is it those that know God by default (aka. church attendance or family ties) that will more or less miss the point?

In reading The Message the context of this passage is more apparent in that someone asked Jesus, "Who will be saved." It seems as though he is saying, "That is not your concern." Ironically it seems like those that are overly worried about the salvation of others might be the ones that are standing outside the door. They are more worried about the appearance of salvation than living life for God.

But that is all speculation.

Personally I like the think that God is very inclusive. That he will "save" anyone who is seeing after Truth. They might be of another religion but they are still seeking truth. This quote from "The Last Battle" in the Narnia series encapsulates the inclusive idea that I like to believe.

This is a warrior from the opposition that basically showed up in the allegorical promised land. This is his story of meeting Aslan (God) after the battle was over:

Then I fell at his feet and thought, Surely this is the hour of death, for the Lion (who is worthy of all honour) will know that I have served Tash all my days and not him. Nevertheless, it is better to see the Lion and die than to be Tisroc of the world, and live and not to have seen him. But the Glorious One bent down his golden head and touched my forehead with his tongue and said, Son, thou art welcome. But I said, Alas, Lord, I am no son of Thine but the servant of Tash. He answered, Child, all the service thou has done to Tash, I account as service done to me. Then by reason of my great desire for wisdom and understanding, I overcame my fear and questionecd the Glorious One and said, Lord, is it then true, as the Ape said, that thou and Tash are one? The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, It is false. Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites, I take to me the services which thou hast done to him, for I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore, if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then though he says the name of Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Dost thou understand, Child? I said, Lord, thou knowest how much I understand. But I said also (for the truth constrained me), Yet I have been seeking Tash all my days. Beloved, said the Glorious One, unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek.

I really like this and the idea that it is wrong make me simultaneously fear and dislike God. I know he is bigger and wiser than we are but that is precisely why he should know when we are seeking truth not just when we look like good Christians. I have a hard time with the idea that God would turn away someone who has devoted their whole life to seeking truth and living a good life in the confines of a different religions and take in a "Christian" who did nothing but pray a prayer one time in there life.

...but that is just me and my random thought for the day...