And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
When He comes in glory with all the holy angels to sit on the throne of His glory, He will gather all nations before Him and divide them as a shepherd divides sheep from goats, placing the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left. The whole world is represented by two classes only, with no middle class. The right hand is the place of favor and blessing to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world and enter life eternal, while the left hand is the place of rejection to depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. That placing is decided by what was done or left undone to the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned, for what was done to one of the least of His brethren was done to Him. The decision turns less on outbreaking crimes than on neglect of duty and failure to do the good that might and ought to have been done, measured day by day in the common incidents of life.
Setting and Separation Scene
Matthew 25:33 belongs to the discourse recorded in Matthew 24-25, given shortly before entering Gethsemane. The Son of man comes in glory with all the holy angels, sits upon the throne of His glory with all nations gathered before Him, and divides them as a shepherd divides sheep from goats, setting the sheep on the right hand and the goats on the left. The separation is public and final, deciding eternal destiny with every case decided and sentence passed upon the whole world. The whole world is represented by two classes only, the sheep being the just and righteous and obedient and the goats being the unjust and unrighteous and disobedient, with no middle class.
The right hand is the position of favor and blessing and standing as children of God, and the left hand is the position of rejection for the disobedient, unthankful, and unholy. The right-hand place belongs to those who obey God's commandments and receive His blessing as faithful children in harmony with the spirit and work of Jesus. The judgment scene takes place in the presence of all worlds to vindicate the government of God so that His honor and His law stand forth as holy, just, and good. There sin is seen in all its hideous magnitude rather than as attractive, the relation in which each person stands to God and to others is revealed, and the principles of eternal justice are revealed as the judgment sits and the books are opened.
The scene reverses Christ's trial, when He was surrounded and abused by a riotous mob. He will then occupy the position of supreme Judge of heaven and earth, seated upon the Father's throne with no appeal from His decisions, coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory escorted by legions of angels to pronounce sentence upon His enemies, including the same accusing throng that condemned Him. The Judge is God, who created the world through Jesus Christ and judges without mistake, with no compulsion, threats, harsh words, or condemnation. His return follows the completion of His mediatorial work to establish His kingdom on earth, and the gathering of the resurrected saints into the kingdom, the judgment, and their establishment upon the new earth have not yet transpired but are carried forward in time to when they will happen. The separation belongs to a judgment day lasting a thousand years, with the nations gathered before the King at its close, after the wicked dead are raised.
Timing and Kingdom Inheritance
The kingdom is not received until the personal advent of Christ, for the universal reign of peace and the setting up of the kingdom of God on earth come after the second advent, not before. When He comes in glory with all the holy angels and sits on the throne of His glory, all nations are separated as a shepherd separates sheep from goats, the righteous put on one side and the wicked on the other, the sheep at His right and the goats at His left. That separation precedes the inheriting, for those approved on the right are then welcomed to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. At that coming the righteous dead are raised incorruptible and the righteous living are changed in a moment to put on incorruption and immortality, and being thus made immortal and incorruptible they are ready to inherit the enduring kingdom, since mortal flesh and blood cannot inherit the incorruptible, everlasting kingdom.
Those on the right are called blessed of the Father to inherit the kingdom and enter life eternal to live forever with Christ, while those on the left are bidden to depart as cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels and go away into everlasting punishment and eternal death. The division at the coming of the Son of man in glory with all the holy angels, when all nations are gathered before Him seated on the throne of His glory, leads to these different destinies and distinguishes those who have done good from those who have done evil, each receiving according to works. The righteous inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world because what was done to one of the least of Christ's brethren in feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and those in prison was counted as done to Him, though they are surprised at their own service. The wicked are ordered to depart because what was not done to the least in giving no food or drink, taking in no stranger, clothing not the naked, and visiting not the sick and imprisoned was counted as withheld from Him, whether through disobedience, wasted opportunity and probationary time, refusal to come out and be separate and to come to the Redeemer, or unchanged disposition choosing other associates.
The righteous are thus saved in the kingdom of God inside the city, while the wicked find themselves outside the gates of the city, a division fixed by their own choice that decides destiny forever. When opportunity to repent and be converted was offered them, the wicked dishonored their Redeemer by scorning mercy, refusing to acknowledge the love of God, and choosing the service and side of Satan in the controversy, so that when they see the righteous saved and themselves lost they feel shame and with lamentation and woe acknowledge too late that they are lost, a sad spectacle to angels and to men. The coming judgment makes present choices and conduct consequential, for character will not be changed after Christ comes and preparation must be made now.
Basis of the Division
The placing on the right or on the left is decided by what was done or left undone, especially feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and those in prison. What was done to one of the least of Christ's brethren was done to Him, and what was not done to them was not done to Him. Those on the right are commended for such care even when done without recognizing Christ in the sufferers, for kindness to them is received as service to Him and is evidence of discipleship. The separation marks differing destinies decided by whether need was cared for, with caring accepted as care for Him and neglecting or mistreating the poor as neglecting Him and bringing judgment. The righteous inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world and enter life eternal though surprised at their own service, while the wicked who withheld that same care are ordered to depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels and go away into everlasting punishment.
The decisions of that day turn on practical benevolence, with acts of beneficence counted as done to Christ. Professions count for nothing before God; character and deeds determine the outcome. Only love shown in actions is counted as genuine, and even small acts done from love are accepted and rewarded. The record reveals how abilities, time, resources, influence, and entrusted spiritual truth were used, including whether Christ was served by caring for the poor, afflicted, orphaned, and widowed.
The division does not turn especially on revolting crimes and outbreaking sins of actual transgression, but on neglect of duty, failing to do what might have been done and ought to have been done through the moral power Christ provided by clothing His divinity with humanity to bring fallen man power to become a laborer together with God. People are held accountable for good they had opportunity and ability to do but neglected, including failing to use abilities and opportunities and failing those they could have helped. Professing Christians will answer for neglecting those they could have helped, and those left in degradation will bear witness against those who failed them. Those placed as sheep are transformed in character by looking to Jesus and beholding Him, changed into His likeness, working in Christ's lines and growing in knowledge of God, while those placed as goats lacked saving faith, living connection with God, and doing of Christ's words, like foolish virgins with lamps of truth but no oil of grace.
Placing right or left is decided day by day in the common incidents of life according to what was done or not done. The whole life tendency, disposition, and actions are examined in the courts of heaven to see whether character in probationary time was formed after the pattern given in Christ Jesus or after the pattern of the enemy of all righteousness. Those attentive to self and living to please and glorify self, disobedient to the commandments, wasting opportunity and probationary time, refusing to come out and be separate, refusing to come to the Redeemer and choosing other associates with unchanged disposition, have their portion with unbelievers and cannot be received into the kingdom.
The verse embraces stewardship of entrusted talents that include more than earthly goods and temporal employments and more than worldly goods committed to keeping, with eternity kept in reckoning because eternal interests are involved. Talents are trusts to be used for God's glory and not buried in worldly enterprises, and ability to accumulate worldly goods gives no satisfaction unless turned to account for Him who bestowed them. No person is an owner but only a trustee of means and talents, whether one or two or five, with not a farthing to be squandered on selfish indulgence, and must give account with fear and trembling, so faithful or selfish use decides the final separation. Christ has paid with His own blood and sufferings to secure servitude and entire obedience, giving a loan from the Master to invest in work for Him to advance His glory, making each a steward of His grace with endowments for a sacred, higher trust, so that even the humblest service becomes a consecrated gift when exercised in doing the Master's bidding and promoting His glory.
Final placing for the kingdom is decided by faithful use of the present trading time. The name in the church book does not put a person among the sheep. Each must make close, critical examination of how opportunities and God-given capabilities and the Lord's talents have been used and put out to the exchangers for the Master. Those who have not worked for Christ and have lived for themselves are placed with those who did evil and receive the same condemnation. This includes those who withheld abilities and resources, served their own interests, bore no fruit for God, and neglected the work and responsibilities entrusted to them, with failure to do the good they had opportunity and ability to do leaving them among the condemned. God rewards with entrance into the kingdom every servant who works with self-denying, self-sacrificing zeal for the salvation of souls, and everyone who has denied self and purified the soul through belief of the truth proves it by at once doing missionary work for those perishing in sins.
The sheep on the right are faithful servants who use entrusted property of means, tact, skill, and worldly treasure to relieve suffering, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the widow and fatherless, advance the gospel, cooperate with Christ, and draw near in love to His family. The goats on the left rob Christ by withholding His money from the poor and accumulating riches for selfish luxury and reputation, receiving but not producing. No position in this life brings acceptance and no wealth gained by clever schemes or sharp dealing brings praise or justification. Every act of oppression, double dealing, and fraud is registered, and those who corrupted their senses and abused His gifts lose heavenly treasure and become poorest, for gaining the whole world profits nothing if the soul is lost.
The separation reveals the side each chose, obedience to God or rebellion, and distinguishes those who have done good from those who have done evil according to works that reveal their class and their treatment of fellow men. There is no middle class, and each person's destiny is decided. The sheep obeyed God's law and did good, cooperating in faith with Jesus to restore God's moral image and sharing received light by grace through faith and repentance; the goats transgressed the law, did evil, and are stained by an ungodly life. Each receives reward or punishment according to obedience or violation, when character is tested by God's law as His standard of righteousness. Those on the right are welcomed to inherit the kingdom and live eternally with Christ, while the goats are among those condemned to eternal death, with obedience standing as a condemnation to the world and judgment committed to the Son of God.
Ministers are included in the reckoning and will be asked what they have done for Christ. They are held accountable for whether they sought to save souls perishing in sin and iniquity, brought them light and truth purchased by the blood of the Son of God, and opened their understanding to accept Jesus and the truth and Word He sends. The final accounting covers how people treated others: harshness and oppression toward a poor stranger belong in the record faced at that judgment. Those who drive the weak into temptation and ruin will be held accountable for the souls harmed by their actions. Those who use sharp, calculating, selfish methods in God's service will find they have no place in the kingdom. Those who cling to selfish, unjust conduct and refuse to reform will not see the King in His beauty, because experience in this life decides eternal destiny.
Identity of the Sheep
Those on the right hand are Christ's commended, blessed family, all who have been born into the heavenly family and are in a special sense His brethren. They are bound together by the love of Christ, and wherever that love is made manifest the divine relationship is revealed. They may have known little of theology, but they cherished His principles and through the influence of the divine Spirit were a blessing to those about them. Kindness to sufferers may be done without recognizing Christ in them, yet it is received as service to Him and is evidence of discipleship.
The right hand includes even among the heathen those who cherished the spirit of kindness. Some befriended missionaries at peril of life before hearing words of life, some worshiped God ignorantly without light brought by human instrumentality yet will not perish, and some though ignorant of the written law heard His voice in nature and did the things the law required. Their works are evidence the Holy Spirit touched their hearts so they are recognized as children of God. They will be surprised and gladdened to hear approval from the Saviour for ministry they did not know they rendered to Him, to the joy of Infinite Love. Angels are now passing throughout the earth seeking these unmanifested overcomers, comforting the sorrowing, protecting the imperiled, and winning hearts to Christ, for not one is neglected and God has equal care for all souls He created.
The judgment at Christ's glorious return recognizes faithful work done for Christ, with His triumph seen by the universe. It includes people among the heathen who without knowing God's law do what it requires because they heed the witness of nature. God's grace softens their hearts and leads them to act with mercy. The righteous are surprised at their own service of feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and those in prison, which the King counts as done to Himself when done to the least of His brethren.
Small, humble acts of loving service — including a cup of cold water or a timely word — are precious to God even when the worker does not regard them as great deeds. Their value is measured by heaven, not by human estimation. Christ recognizes as His believing ones those who obey Him. The right-hand place is associated with those who obey God's commandments and receive His blessing as faithful children of God.
Those in harmony with the spirit and work of Jesus do not neglect the needy, the oppressed and the afflicted but give them help, comfort and Christlike love. The separation gathers into His kingdom scorned sinners who accepted Him. Every person may be saved by believing in Christ as a personal Saviour, though not all will be saved. This is not because Christ does not want them saved, for He draws every person to Himself.
Identity of the Goats
Those set on the left are those who neglected Christ in the person of the poor and suffering, self-absorbed and careless of others' needs yet unconscious of guilt because Satan has blinded them so they do not perceive what they owe their brethren. This includes especially the rich, to whom God gave wealth to relieve and comfort His suffering children, but who too often feel superior to their poor brethren, do not put themselves in the poor man's place, do not understand the poor's temptations and struggles, and let mercy die out of the heart. They shut themselves away in costly dwellings and splendid churches and spend on pride and selfishness the means given to bless the needy, thereby robbing the poor of comfort and of education in the tender mercies of God and treating them contemptuously as paupers.
Christ counts Himself as the hungry and thirsty, the stranger, the sick, and the prisoner, famishing while others feast, homeless while others are at ease, destitute while others multiply apparel, and languishing in prison while others pursue pleasure, being near in the person of the afflicted all the days of life. Even a pittance of bread or flimsy garments given to the starving and freezing was giving to the Lord of Glory, but those on the left did not seek Him and would not enter into fellowship with Him, so He answers, I know you not. The poor will rise in judgment against those who squander wealth on pride and extravagance while neglecting the hungry, naked, and distressed, for such neglect and selfishness dishonor God and show a heart turned from Him.
Those on the left claim to keep God's commandments yet lift up their souls unto vanity and think themselves exalted in His favor, while neglecting the needy, turning a deaf ear to the oppressed, and speaking sharp, cutting words to those needing different treatment, offending God daily by hardness of heart. Every neglect of God's suffering ones is written in the books of heaven as if shown to Christ Himself, and it decides whether a person receives the welcome to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. The condemned wear religion as a mask, follow the imaginations of their own evil hearts, have no regard for human brotherhood, suppose God honors the rich and those in high positions, neglect the poor, ignorant, and afflicted, and give no encouragement to virtue nor sanction to means by which the poor might receive consolation and substantial help. They place little restraint on themselves in business and social relations and do not retain God in their knowledge.
Christ stoops from His throne to catch every sound from His purchased possession and approves or condemns every action by its nature, while His angels go through the earth to witness every struggle against evil, lend divine aid, record neglect, work for blessing, raise the fallen and oppressed, and even visit the wicked, who if they do not repent and reform will receive according to evil works. The portion apart from the kingdom receives the self-righteous Pharisees with hypocrites and unbelievers, those stained by transgression and marked by ungodly life. When opportunity to repent was offered they dishonored their Redeemer by scorning mercy, refusing to acknowledge God's love, and choosing Satan's service and side of the controversy.
When they see the righteous saved and themselves lost they will feel shame, and with lamentation and woe acknowledge too late that they are lost, a sad spectacle to angels and to men. Bringing children into the world and then forsaking a rightful wife, withholding support, robbing her of means rightfully hers, and leaving her to bear the labor of rearing the children while rearing a second family is held against a man and proclaimed in the ears of the assembled universe, barring him from the right hand and from entering the kingdom of heaven. There is not a semblance of a chance to stand with the sheep unless he is thoroughly converted, confesses his sins, and pays his honest debts for the support of his wife and children.
Call to Self-Examination
The instruction running from Matthew 25:14 through 46 is to be studied and compared with the life record. Every person is called to put away boasting, self-sufficiency, and self-trust. Self-sufficiency is fearfully dangerous because it leads people to make the words of Christ of no effect. Instead of boasting or self-trust there is to be honest self-examination, putting away self-trust and walking in the footsteps of Christ in all the humility of true faith, committing to the Saviour day by day and hour by hour, for Christ recognizes as His believing ones those who obey Him.
The division of sheep and goats represents the character God accepts. It is given to educate men and women for the work that must be done for the soul. The words then spoken to the two classes decide forever their eternal destiny. They must be heard by all who have ears to hear and intellect to comprehend.
Each person must closely examine heart, life, and course of action by God's Word to see if they agree with Christ, rather than criticize others. He must cease to do evil and learn to do well by seeking judgment, relieving the oppressed, judging the fatherless, and pleading for the widow. He is to seek Christ's riches and honor from God. Such faithfulness is tied to receiving more of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Each person should now ask on which side he will stand at Christ's speedy appearing in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. No one is given light to delay that day, and eternal destiny is being decided now, so each must live in holy conduct and godliness, prepare for His coming, and serve faithfully each day rather than presume His coming is delayed. At His return even family members and close associates may be separated forever. Lack of mercy, patience, and Christlike character can help make religion distasteful to others.
When He comes in glory with all the holy angels to sit on the throne of His glory, He will gather all nations before Him and divide them as a shepherd divides sheep from goats, placing the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left. The whole world is represented by two classes only, with no middle class. The right hand is the place of favor and blessing to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world and enter life eternal, while the left hand is the place of rejection to depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. That placing is decided by what was done or left undone to the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned, for what was done to one of the least of His brethren was done to Him. The decision turns less on outbreaking crimes than on neglect of duty and failure to do the good that might and ought to have been done, measured day by day in the common incidents of life.
Setting and Separation Scene
Matthew 25:33 belongs to the discourse recorded in Matthew 24-25, given shortly before entering Gethsemane. The Son of man comes in glory with all the holy angels, sits upon the throne of His glory with all nations gathered before Him, and divides them as a shepherd divides sheep from goats, setting the sheep on the right hand and the goats on the left. The separation is public and final, deciding eternal destiny with every case decided and sentence passed upon the whole world. The whole world is represented by two classes only, the sheep being the just and righteous and obedient and the goats being the unjust and unrighteous and disobedient, with no middle class.
The right hand is the position of favor and blessing and standing as children of God, and the left hand is the position of rejection for the disobedient, unthankful, and unholy. The right-hand place belongs to those who obey God's commandments and receive His blessing as faithful children in harmony with the spirit and work of Jesus. The judgment scene takes place in the presence of all worlds to vindicate the government of God so that His honor and His law stand forth as holy, just, and good. There sin is seen in all its hideous magnitude rather than as attractive, the relation in which each person stands to God and to others is revealed, and the principles of eternal justice are revealed as the judgment sits and the books are opened.
The scene reverses Christ's trial, when He was surrounded and abused by a riotous mob. He will then occupy the position of supreme Judge of heaven and earth, seated upon the Father's throne with no appeal from His decisions, coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory escorted by legions of angels to pronounce sentence upon His enemies, including the same accusing throng that condemned Him. The Judge is God, who created the world through Jesus Christ and judges without mistake, with no compulsion, threats, harsh words, or condemnation. His return follows the completion of His mediatorial work to establish His kingdom on earth, and the gathering of the resurrected saints into the kingdom, the judgment, and their establishment upon the new earth have not yet transpired but are carried forward in time to when they will happen. The separation belongs to a judgment day lasting a thousand years, with the nations gathered before the King at its close, after the wicked dead are raised.
Timing and Kingdom Inheritance
The kingdom is not received until the personal advent of Christ, for the universal reign of peace and the setting up of the kingdom of God on earth come after the second advent, not before. When He comes in glory with all the holy angels and sits on the throne of His glory, all nations are separated as a shepherd separates sheep from goats, the righteous put on one side and the wicked on the other, the sheep at His right and the goats at His left. That separation precedes the inheriting, for those approved on the right are then welcomed to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. At that coming the righteous dead are raised incorruptible and the righteous living are changed in a moment to put on incorruption and immortality, and being thus made immortal and incorruptible they are ready to inherit the enduring kingdom, since mortal flesh and blood cannot inherit the incorruptible, everlasting kingdom.
Those on the right are called blessed of the Father to inherit the kingdom and enter life eternal to live forever with Christ, while those on the left are bidden to depart as cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels and go away into everlasting punishment and eternal death. The division at the coming of the Son of man in glory with all the holy angels, when all nations are gathered before Him seated on the throne of His glory, leads to these different destinies and distinguishes those who have done good from those who have done evil, each receiving according to works. The righteous inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world because what was done to one of the least of Christ's brethren in feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and those in prison was counted as done to Him, though they are surprised at their own service. The wicked are ordered to depart because what was not done to the least in giving no food or drink, taking in no stranger, clothing not the naked, and visiting not the sick and imprisoned was counted as withheld from Him, whether through disobedience, wasted opportunity and probationary time, refusal to come out and be separate and to come to the Redeemer, or unchanged disposition choosing other associates.
The righteous are thus saved in the kingdom of God inside the city, while the wicked find themselves outside the gates of the city, a division fixed by their own choice that decides destiny forever. When opportunity to repent and be converted was offered them, the wicked dishonored their Redeemer by scorning mercy, refusing to acknowledge the love of God, and choosing the service and side of Satan in the controversy, so that when they see the righteous saved and themselves lost they feel shame and with lamentation and woe acknowledge too late that they are lost, a sad spectacle to angels and to men. The coming judgment makes present choices and conduct consequential, for character will not be changed after Christ comes and preparation must be made now.
Basis of the Division
The placing on the right or on the left is decided by what was done or left undone, especially feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and those in prison. What was done to one of the least of Christ's brethren was done to Him, and what was not done to them was not done to Him. Those on the right are commended for such care even when done without recognizing Christ in the sufferers, for kindness to them is received as service to Him and is evidence of discipleship. The separation marks differing destinies decided by whether need was cared for, with caring accepted as care for Him and neglecting or mistreating the poor as neglecting Him and bringing judgment. The righteous inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world and enter life eternal though surprised at their own service, while the wicked who withheld that same care are ordered to depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels and go away into everlasting punishment.
The decisions of that day turn on practical benevolence, with acts of beneficence counted as done to Christ. Professions count for nothing before God; character and deeds determine the outcome. Only love shown in actions is counted as genuine, and even small acts done from love are accepted and rewarded. The record reveals how abilities, time, resources, influence, and entrusted spiritual truth were used, including whether Christ was served by caring for the poor, afflicted, orphaned, and widowed.
The division does not turn especially on revolting crimes and outbreaking sins of actual transgression, but on neglect of duty, failing to do what might have been done and ought to have been done through the moral power Christ provided by clothing His divinity with humanity to bring fallen man power to become a laborer together with God. People are held accountable for good they had opportunity and ability to do but neglected, including failing to use abilities and opportunities and failing those they could have helped. Professing Christians will answer for neglecting those they could have helped, and those left in degradation will bear witness against those who failed them. Those placed as sheep are transformed in character by looking to Jesus and beholding Him, changed into His likeness, working in Christ's lines and growing in knowledge of God, while those placed as goats lacked saving faith, living connection with God, and doing of Christ's words, like foolish virgins with lamps of truth but no oil of grace.
Placing right or left is decided day by day in the common incidents of life according to what was done or not done. The whole life tendency, disposition, and actions are examined in the courts of heaven to see whether character in probationary time was formed after the pattern given in Christ Jesus or after the pattern of the enemy of all righteousness. Those attentive to self and living to please and glorify self, disobedient to the commandments, wasting opportunity and probationary time, refusing to come out and be separate, refusing to come to the Redeemer and choosing other associates with unchanged disposition, have their portion with unbelievers and cannot be received into the kingdom.
The verse embraces stewardship of entrusted talents that include more than earthly goods and temporal employments and more than worldly goods committed to keeping, with eternity kept in reckoning because eternal interests are involved. Talents are trusts to be used for God's glory and not buried in worldly enterprises, and ability to accumulate worldly goods gives no satisfaction unless turned to account for Him who bestowed them. No person is an owner but only a trustee of means and talents, whether one or two or five, with not a farthing to be squandered on selfish indulgence, and must give account with fear and trembling, so faithful or selfish use decides the final separation. Christ has paid with His own blood and sufferings to secure servitude and entire obedience, giving a loan from the Master to invest in work for Him to advance His glory, making each a steward of His grace with endowments for a sacred, higher trust, so that even the humblest service becomes a consecrated gift when exercised in doing the Master's bidding and promoting His glory.
Final placing for the kingdom is decided by faithful use of the present trading time. The name in the church book does not put a person among the sheep. Each must make close, critical examination of how opportunities and God-given capabilities and the Lord's talents have been used and put out to the exchangers for the Master. Those who have not worked for Christ and have lived for themselves are placed with those who did evil and receive the same condemnation. This includes those who withheld abilities and resources, served their own interests, bore no fruit for God, and neglected the work and responsibilities entrusted to them, with failure to do the good they had opportunity and ability to do leaving them among the condemned. God rewards with entrance into the kingdom every servant who works with self-denying, self-sacrificing zeal for the salvation of souls, and everyone who has denied self and purified the soul through belief of the truth proves it by at once doing missionary work for those perishing in sins.
The sheep on the right are faithful servants who use entrusted property of means, tact, skill, and worldly treasure to relieve suffering, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the widow and fatherless, advance the gospel, cooperate with Christ, and draw near in love to His family. The goats on the left rob Christ by withholding His money from the poor and accumulating riches for selfish luxury and reputation, receiving but not producing. No position in this life brings acceptance and no wealth gained by clever schemes or sharp dealing brings praise or justification. Every act of oppression, double dealing, and fraud is registered, and those who corrupted their senses and abused His gifts lose heavenly treasure and become poorest, for gaining the whole world profits nothing if the soul is lost.
The separation reveals the side each chose, obedience to God or rebellion, and distinguishes those who have done good from those who have done evil according to works that reveal their class and their treatment of fellow men. There is no middle class, and each person's destiny is decided. The sheep obeyed God's law and did good, cooperating in faith with Jesus to restore God's moral image and sharing received light by grace through faith and repentance; the goats transgressed the law, did evil, and are stained by an ungodly life. Each receives reward or punishment according to obedience or violation, when character is tested by God's law as His standard of righteousness. Those on the right are welcomed to inherit the kingdom and live eternally with Christ, while the goats are among those condemned to eternal death, with obedience standing as a condemnation to the world and judgment committed to the Son of God.
Ministers are included in the reckoning and will be asked what they have done for Christ. They are held accountable for whether they sought to save souls perishing in sin and iniquity, brought them light and truth purchased by the blood of the Son of God, and opened their understanding to accept Jesus and the truth and Word He sends. The final accounting covers how people treated others: harshness and oppression toward a poor stranger belong in the record faced at that judgment. Those who drive the weak into temptation and ruin will be held accountable for the souls harmed by their actions. Those who use sharp, calculating, selfish methods in God's service will find they have no place in the kingdom. Those who cling to selfish, unjust conduct and refuse to reform will not see the King in His beauty, because experience in this life decides eternal destiny.
Identity of the Sheep
Those on the right hand are Christ's commended, blessed family, all who have been born into the heavenly family and are in a special sense His brethren. They are bound together by the love of Christ, and wherever that love is made manifest the divine relationship is revealed. They may have known little of theology, but they cherished His principles and through the influence of the divine Spirit were a blessing to those about them. Kindness to sufferers may be done without recognizing Christ in them, yet it is received as service to Him and is evidence of discipleship.
The right hand includes even among the heathen those who cherished the spirit of kindness. Some befriended missionaries at peril of life before hearing words of life, some worshiped God ignorantly without light brought by human instrumentality yet will not perish, and some though ignorant of the written law heard His voice in nature and did the things the law required. Their works are evidence the Holy Spirit touched their hearts so they are recognized as children of God. They will be surprised and gladdened to hear approval from the Saviour for ministry they did not know they rendered to Him, to the joy of Infinite Love. Angels are now passing throughout the earth seeking these unmanifested overcomers, comforting the sorrowing, protecting the imperiled, and winning hearts to Christ, for not one is neglected and God has equal care for all souls He created.
The judgment at Christ's glorious return recognizes faithful work done for Christ, with His triumph seen by the universe. It includes people among the heathen who without knowing God's law do what it requires because they heed the witness of nature. God's grace softens their hearts and leads them to act with mercy. The righteous are surprised at their own service of feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and those in prison, which the King counts as done to Himself when done to the least of His brethren.
Small, humble acts of loving service — including a cup of cold water or a timely word — are precious to God even when the worker does not regard them as great deeds. Their value is measured by heaven, not by human estimation. Christ recognizes as His believing ones those who obey Him. The right-hand place is associated with those who obey God's commandments and receive His blessing as faithful children of God.
Those in harmony with the spirit and work of Jesus do not neglect the needy, the oppressed and the afflicted but give them help, comfort and Christlike love. The separation gathers into His kingdom scorned sinners who accepted Him. Every person may be saved by believing in Christ as a personal Saviour, though not all will be saved. This is not because Christ does not want them saved, for He draws every person to Himself.
Identity of the Goats
Those set on the left are those who neglected Christ in the person of the poor and suffering, self-absorbed and careless of others' needs yet unconscious of guilt because Satan has blinded them so they do not perceive what they owe their brethren. This includes especially the rich, to whom God gave wealth to relieve and comfort His suffering children, but who too often feel superior to their poor brethren, do not put themselves in the poor man's place, do not understand the poor's temptations and struggles, and let mercy die out of the heart. They shut themselves away in costly dwellings and splendid churches and spend on pride and selfishness the means given to bless the needy, thereby robbing the poor of comfort and of education in the tender mercies of God and treating them contemptuously as paupers.
Christ counts Himself as the hungry and thirsty, the stranger, the sick, and the prisoner, famishing while others feast, homeless while others are at ease, destitute while others multiply apparel, and languishing in prison while others pursue pleasure, being near in the person of the afflicted all the days of life. Even a pittance of bread or flimsy garments given to the starving and freezing was giving to the Lord of Glory, but those on the left did not seek Him and would not enter into fellowship with Him, so He answers, I know you not. The poor will rise in judgment against those who squander wealth on pride and extravagance while neglecting the hungry, naked, and distressed, for such neglect and selfishness dishonor God and show a heart turned from Him.
Those on the left claim to keep God's commandments yet lift up their souls unto vanity and think themselves exalted in His favor, while neglecting the needy, turning a deaf ear to the oppressed, and speaking sharp, cutting words to those needing different treatment, offending God daily by hardness of heart. Every neglect of God's suffering ones is written in the books of heaven as if shown to Christ Himself, and it decides whether a person receives the welcome to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. The condemned wear religion as a mask, follow the imaginations of their own evil hearts, have no regard for human brotherhood, suppose God honors the rich and those in high positions, neglect the poor, ignorant, and afflicted, and give no encouragement to virtue nor sanction to means by which the poor might receive consolation and substantial help. They place little restraint on themselves in business and social relations and do not retain God in their knowledge.
Christ stoops from His throne to catch every sound from His purchased possession and approves or condemns every action by its nature, while His angels go through the earth to witness every struggle against evil, lend divine aid, record neglect, work for blessing, raise the fallen and oppressed, and even visit the wicked, who if they do not repent and reform will receive according to evil works. The portion apart from the kingdom receives the self-righteous Pharisees with hypocrites and unbelievers, those stained by transgression and marked by ungodly life. When opportunity to repent was offered they dishonored their Redeemer by scorning mercy, refusing to acknowledge God's love, and choosing Satan's service and side of the controversy.
When they see the righteous saved and themselves lost they will feel shame, and with lamentation and woe acknowledge too late that they are lost, a sad spectacle to angels and to men. Bringing children into the world and then forsaking a rightful wife, withholding support, robbing her of means rightfully hers, and leaving her to bear the labor of rearing the children while rearing a second family is held against a man and proclaimed in the ears of the assembled universe, barring him from the right hand and from entering the kingdom of heaven. There is not a semblance of a chance to stand with the sheep unless he is thoroughly converted, confesses his sins, and pays his honest debts for the support of his wife and children.
Call to Self-Examination
The instruction running from Matthew 25:14 through 46 is to be studied and compared with the life record. Every person is called to put away boasting, self-sufficiency, and self-trust. Self-sufficiency is fearfully dangerous because it leads people to make the words of Christ of no effect. Instead of boasting or self-trust there is to be honest self-examination, putting away self-trust and walking in the footsteps of Christ in all the humility of true faith, committing to the Saviour day by day and hour by hour, for Christ recognizes as His believing ones those who obey Him.
The division of sheep and goats represents the character God accepts. It is given to educate men and women for the work that must be done for the soul. The words then spoken to the two classes decide forever their eternal destiny. They must be heard by all who have ears to hear and intellect to comprehend.
Each person must closely examine heart, life, and course of action by God's Word to see if they agree with Christ, rather than criticize others. He must cease to do evil and learn to do well by seeking judgment, relieving the oppressed, judging the fatherless, and pleading for the widow. He is to seek Christ's riches and honor from God. Such faithfulness is tied to receiving more of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Each person should now ask on which side he will stand at Christ's speedy appearing in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. No one is given light to delay that day, and eternal destiny is being decided now, so each must live in holy conduct and godliness, prepare for His coming, and serve faithfully each day rather than presume His coming is delayed. At His return even family members and close associates may be separated forever. Lack of mercy, patience, and Christlike character can help make religion distasteful to others.