Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates (2 Corinthians 13:5)?
And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goas on the left (Matt. 25:33).
If we take nothing else away from our reading of the 25th chapter of Matthew, we must understand this – when it comes to joining the body of Christ, we must make a decisive choice. There can be no ‘fence-sitting’ or ‘hedging of bets.’ We are either all in, owe are out. There is no middle ground. Furthermore, the time that we have to make this decisive choice is unknown to anyone but God. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh (Matt. 25:13).
To illustrate His message, Jesus offered His Disciples two parables. In the first, He likened Himself to a much anticipated Bridegroom and those who would seek Him to the bridal party. While initially all ten of the virgins were excited for His arrival, only five of them came prepared for the vigil. As the wait grew longer the entire group grew distracted and tired, final lapsing into sleep. Upon the approach of the bridegroom they all awakened, but only the five who had prepared themselves beforehand were ready to meet Him. The other frantically rushed out to complete their preparations, but it was too little, too late.
The meaning of this parable is clear. It is not enough for us to want to meet Christ ‘someday’; we must actively prepare for that meeting today. When the time comes, either at the moment of our death or His return, we will have no opportunity for last minute preparations. All those who have not been made new in the body of Christ will be turned away.
The second parable is much like the first. Before leaving on a long journey, a master entrusts his servants with varying amounts of talents (Items of monetary value) to be conservators over while he is away. Upon returning, he asks each of his servants to give account for ho they managed the talents in his absence. The master commented those who took what he had given them and increased it, but he had harsh words for the servant that had taken what little he had been given and hidden it away with the sole intention of returning it in ‘like new’ condition. Jesus’ teachings leave no room for doubt. Through the power of His love we have been gifted with the Truth, but the only way for that Truth to make a difference in our lives is for us to embrace it and allow it to be a visible part of us. Salvation is not an insurance policy; it is active life eternal, and it begins the moment we join with Christ. If we view it as something private that must be locked away and kept separate and safe until some later date. We may be shocked to discover that we never really had it in the first place. Not misunderstand – Jesus will not sort us on our ‘works,’ but He will look into our hearts and determine where we stand. Have we allowed His love to fill us and overflow into all aspects of our lives, or are we coming before Him as a dry and empty vessel, totally devoid of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)? Do we belong on His right, or is our place on His left? Jesus will do the sorting, but the choice is up to us.
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: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matt. 7:13-14).
Thought for today: God’s love is not something we are capable of reciprocating unless we are first willing to share it with everyone.
