8 September | EVERYONE
“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: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’” Matthew 25: 34-36
The coming of Jesus, according to His own declarations, will be in glory and majesty. He will be seated on His throne and surrounded by His angels as a sign that identifies His coming and prevents the deception of false Christs. Jesus will come and all the nations will gather to Him. For what? So He can separate human beings into two groups, just like the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Before Christ came to the world, humanity formed a distinct group. It appears that sheep and goats belonged to the same owner. But when He comes back to this world, we realize that there in not just one owner anymore, and the reality appears that the goats belong to one owner and the sheep to another. The mixture ceases to exist. The diversity of ideas, behaviors, governments, or philosophies no longer coexists. The most radical separation that could be imagined takes place.
This separation is not made by a simple human being, but by Christ Himself who, together with His Father and the Spirit, is the Creator of the universe. No human being would have the right to make such a classification of humanity. No one would have the moral authority to do so. A judge may have legal authority but not moral authority. No one can decide what is, or is not, politically correct. The difference is stark. There are only two groups—sheep and goats. There are no lions, giraffes, camels, or rhinos. Only those who accepted Jesus and walked in His ways, and those who rejected Him and remained indifferent or ignorant to His teachings.
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It is striking that the "sifting" between those who are prepared for eternal life and those who are not depends on their fruits of love. There is something very poignant about it. Only a Christlike character can enjoy the kingdom of God. Sing "Come, You Blessed of My Father!" (if possible, with your family).