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Matthew 25:41-46
As Jesus has been separating the “sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:31-46), He has given blessing and eternal inheritance of the heavenly kingdom to the sheep/those who have shown faith and obedience to Him. But as we see in Matthew 25:41-46, the goats/those who have not put their faith in Him nor have been obedient to Him will be as Jesus states in Matthew 25:41b (NKJV), “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” These who are disobedient will answer in the same awe as did those who were obedient, but in this case the surprise is that they will not inherit the kingdom of heaven but will be cast out because they have refused Jesus and have not shown obedience or faith in Him.
This is a promise that those who refuse to put their faith in Christ Jesus will be cast into “everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41b).
I believe that the main concern and surprise for this group of people, being described as the “goats” by Jesus, is that they have been deceived by the devil in believing that they have been doing the good works/deeds that are reflective of Jesus and that they actually believe that they deserve to be included in the sheep/those who are obedient to Jesus. The issue then is that they have never professed their faith in Jesus, but are living a life in hopes that because they are doing good works that they will be included, as if they have done enough good works to earn their way into heaven. The truth is that if your belief is that you believe you are doing enough to make it to heaven, you have then been deceived by the devil and are continuing to live in his lie of life. You, nor I could ever do enough good works to earn our way to heaven because we are sinful and in need of forgiveness which only comes through repentance/making a change in one’s life to stop living in sin and ask Jesus – the way, the truth, and the life – to forgive you, and then put your one hundred percent faith in Him that the work He has done on the cross has paid your penalty for sin, and that His being raised from the dead brings you with Him back to life – new life in Him. This is the way to everlasting life in heaven – it is the only way – in Christ. Put your faith in Jesus today and stop trying to earn your way to heaven as Jesus is the only way, truth, and life (John 14:6).
Dear LORD,
We all have trouble with being the goats, but please help us to see that it is only through the work that Jesus did for us on the cross and our faith in Him for doing so that saves us through Your great compassionate grace of offering us the gift of eternal life and forgiveness in Christ Jesus. Please help us to overcome the trickery and deception of the devil that we could ever earn our own way into heaven. Please help us to see the wonderful gift you offer to us in putting our faith in Jesus – our Savior – the Savior of the world! In Jesus name I pray, amen.