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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
From Matthew’s account of Jesus’ healing of the Centurion’s son, we have examined three great truths and we will conclude by considering the fourth and final one today. The text we have considered is this: “Assuredly, I [Jesus] say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8.11-12).
From this text we have concluded: 1) Effectual saving faith was not and is not limited to the physical boundaries of Israel, 2) Many (as opposed to a few as the Jews were wont to think) would coexist as equals in the Kingdom, and 3) The Kingdom of Heaven is a spiritual Kingdom as opposed to a physical kingdom. Our final point is this: God’s judgment of apostate kingdom citizens is absolutely final. Jesus made this point when He said, “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The statement, There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, belongs exclusively to Jesus Christ. In the Gospel accounts, we find it a total of eight times Matthew 8.12; 13.42; 13.50; 22.13; 24.5; 25.30, and Luke 13.28). Each and every time He uttered this statement, He spoke of punishment, in fact banishment from the presence of God. To be rejected or removed from the kingdom is not a slap on the wrist; it is eternal darkness and everything that is involved in being absent from God’s presence. All the unrepentant sinners of every culture will be remanded there for ever and ever. Even if there were no suffering apart from the company by which one would be surrounded, the prospects of living eternally shoulder to shoulder with the vilest of sinners is enough to give anyone pause!
The finality of the kingdom is a most sobering thought! There will be no second chances, no reprieves, and no commuted sentences. Once time has ended (either by the death of a person of by the second coming of our Lord), the Kingdom’s probationary period will have ended and eternal fates will have been sealed. God’s standard for judgment will not change! Jesus said, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (John 12.48). The doctrine that men will not be judged by the words of Christ is a false doctrine. Any doctrine which contradicts this truth is itself false. When Christ comes again it will not be to give some men a second chance; it will be to deliver the kingdom up to the Father and to render to all men their eternal reward whether they have done good or whether they have done evil (see 2 Corinthians 5.10).
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now reigns over His Kingdom. Those who wait for it wait for something that already exists. Those who wait to obey the gospel are playing with fire! On the part of God the Father, everything that can be done to effect the salvation of lost souls has been done. We wait not on Him, rather He waits on us to accept the salvation that was procured by the blood of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary! The finality of the Kingdom is such that we dare not look for another!
Questions:
1. According to 2 Corinthians 5.10, how many people must appear before the judgment seat of Christ? Will this include kingdom citizens?
2. What standard of judgment will be used on that day (see John 12.48)?
3. What is implied by the phrase “weeping and gnashing of teeth?” How would you describe such a place? If no vestige of God is there, how awful will it be?
4. What risks are involved by waiting for the kingdom or by waiting to obey the gospel?
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