There are no second chances after death. Punishment is real, death is permanent, and judgment is final. Those who are on Jesus left here in the passage are described as those who are cursed and they are told to depart, to leave the presence of Jesus and into the eternal fire. This fire has been prepared for the devil, for his subjects for their ultimate destruction, and those who aren’t part of the sheep are sent there as well. Why? Because they didn’t turn to Jesus and they didn’t produce fruit. They didn’t have love for God or others, and their rejection of the poor and the least constituted a rejection of Jesus himself. This isn’t about works based unrighteousness but of the condition of their heart towards God. These people will go ‘away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.’

If these verses don’t leave us shaking in our boots or slightly uneasy then we haven’t read them closely enough. We have to acknowledge that the permanent judgment and punishment of those who reject Jesus is a hard truth that we have to face but it is just. Everyone has had an opportunity to turn to Jesus and to bare fruit but rejecting the opportunity, scorning it, and turning away from God’s grace deserves judgment. Moreover, if people claim to be followers of the Lord and don’t demonstrate a life that is in keeping with their claim, then they too deserve judgment. Even though modern society rejects this notion, there are only two ways to live and there is no middle ground. You either live with him as King over the entirety of your life, repent, and submit to him, or you don’t. There is no more important decision in a person’s life than whether to turn to Jesus for it determines our eternal destiny. MC

Questions

What place does Jesus have in your life? Is there an area in your life where you haven’t submitted to him as King? How should this doctrine motivate us to share Jesus on our frontlines?

Prayer

Almighty God, you do not desire the death of a sinner but that all should turn to Christ and live. Lord have mercy and bring our friends or family who don’t know you into a saving relationship with you. Give us wisdom and boldness to speak of you on our frontlines so that others may repent and believe. Amen.