Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
THE LAST JUDGMENT -- THE VERDICTS
"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'" (Matthew 25:41 NKJV).
The Scriptures teach that we must all stand before the Judge (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10, Hebrews 9:27-28). While sinful humankind (ourselves included) deserves to hear but a single guilty verdict, the grace of God has made it possible for there to be two different verdicts. In Matthew 25, the Lord Jesus in a fashion speaks of both verdicts.
The Lord Jesus first speaks of the verdict to be bestowed on those who possess faith in Him. Since the word justify is not used, the actual verdict of "not guilty" is not offered in Matthew 25, but it is assumed. Those who by the grace of God have believed in Jesus' life as their righteousness and His death as their atonement will be declared not guilty of sin on the basis of Christ's life and all atoning death.
Jesus also speaks of the verdict to be spoken on those who do not possess faith in Him. These will be condemned in sin because they do not possess faith in Christ nor the forgiveness granted by faith. They will depart to the eternal punishment of hell, which was prepared for the devil and his angels.
Faith or lack thereof will be the difference (Mark 16:16). Praise God that He has granted us faith which clings to Christ Jesus and all that He has done. Praise God that He has taught us to despair of our own perceived righteousness and goodness and instead to cling to Christ.
