Matthew 25:34, commentary and pictures

When the Son of man returns in glory with all the holy angels to sit on the throne of His glory, all nations are gathered before Him and separated as sheep from goats, the sheep set on His right hand and the goats on His left. The Speaker is Christ Himself as King and supreme Judge, who came in humble humanity sharing poverty and temptation without sin and returns in power to pronounce sentence and establish His kingdom. He invites those on His right to receive as the Father's blessed ones the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, speaking with benevolence and compassion to fix their eternal destiny. The welcome is given because feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, receiving the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and coming to those in prison is counted as done to Christ Himself in the person of the least of His brethren, while those welcomed are surprised, not thinking they had done anything worthy of commendation. They inherit the incorruptible everlasting kingdom of heaven and the made-new earth at His personal second coming, after the dead are raised incorruptible and the living are changed to immortality to be made fit, though others place the invitation after the thousand years inside the holy city just before fire consumes the wicked and God makes all things new.

Judgment Setting and Sentence

The sentence is uttered when the Son of man arrives in glory accompanied by all the holy angels to take His seat on the throne of glory, with all nations assembled before Him to be divided as a shepherd divides sheep from goats, the sheep placed at His right and the goats at His left. At that final separation the King addresses each party with its reward, welcoming those at His right as children of God to receive the kingdom readied for them from the foundation of the world. The welcome is granted because they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, received the stranger, clothed the naked, visited the sick and came to those in prison, service rendered to Christ Himself in the person of one of the least of His brethren even when they did not recognize Him.

The Speaker is Christ as King and supreme Judge, the royal King and Priest of heaven who entered a sinful world in humble human form, sharing poverty and temptation yet without yielding to sin, so that no sinner can claim He does not know human trials. Having finished His mediatorial work He returns in power and glory attended by angels to pronounce sentence and to establish His kingdom on earth. His address to those on the right calls them blessed of His Father and bids them receive the kingdom readied for them from the foundation of the world, spoken with benevolence and compassion, in sweetest tones and with a clear musical voice. Those words fix their eternal future, decide forever their destiny, and display the character God accepts and seeks to instill through education for the soul's need.

The blessing makes them heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, partakers of Christ's nature, a lasting gift that outweighs all human praise, favor, hatred or curses, with heaven and its unbounded resources as the reward of those who obey God's principles, overcome and pursue eternal life in complete and everlasting joy and love. It is proclaimed on the glad day when the gates of the city of God swing open for the nations that kept the truth to enter, with assurance to faithful workers at home and in distant lands and to those who sustain them that they will meet again, recognize among the ransomed those they helped save, cast their crowns at His feet and fill heaven with songs of redeeming love. To receive it is to enter into the joy of the Lord, the joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repents, giving full satisfaction to every impartial, unselfish laborer together with God whether in active soul-winning or in giving means, who share alike in the reward.

In the last days there are only two parties, the just and the unjust, the righteous and the unrighteous, one on the right hand and one on the left, and a person's standing in that future crisis turns on present faithfulness and self-examination. The invitation to receive stands as the direct opposite of the sentence upon the left to depart into everlasting fire, ending with the righteous entering life eternal and the neglectful going into everlasting punishment, to the disappointment of many in the day of final reckoning. The decision is reached day by day in the common incidents of life and examined in the courts of heaven when the books are opened, with eternal reward or punishment measured according to what a person has done or left undone. The whole life tendency, disposition and actions are reviewed to see whether character was formed in probationary time after the pattern given in Christ Jesus, in self-denial, obedience to the commandments, love to Christ who died and wise use of probationary time for eternal life, rather than living to please self, disobeying, wasting opportunity and retaining an unchanged disposition.

That judgment searches how each one used entrusted abilities, time, resources, influence and truth, including care for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, imprisoned, poor, afflicted, orphaned and widowed as service to Christ in the person of His needy brethren, springing from hearts filled with God's Spirit and Christ's love and expressing the Father's love dwelling within. Profession of faith alone does not count as genuine, for works covered by Christ's merit do not earn eternal life apart from faith but testify fitness to inherit it, with love shown through works as evidence of genuine faith and even small acts done from love accepted and rewarded. Harmony with the spirit and work of Jesus means keeping God's commandments with sympathy, help, comfort and Christlike love, relieving the afflicted and oppressed, judging the fatherless and pleading for the widow, while lifting the soul to vanity, neglecting the needy, turning a deaf ear, hardening the heart and speaking sharp cutting words offends God daily, is written in heaven as shown to Christ Himself, brings loss of the Spirit's outpouring, and forfeits the welcome. Accountability covers not only wrongs committed but good that might have been accomplished through opportunities and qualifications Christ made available yet was left undone, with talents of time, influence and ability to be used and increased, and with Christ even now on His throne stooping to catch every sound to approve or condemn every action, angels witnessing every struggle and bringing aid, and ministers themselves brought to account.

The utterance belongs to the instruction of Matthew 25:14-46, including the parable of the entrusted talents, delivered shortly before entering Gethsemane, whose related parable of waiting and slumber followed by the bridegroom's coming and the awakening announcement calls the waiting people to prepare to meet the Lord. The kingdom and the King's final welcome are at stake in how people use what God has committed to them, for talents embrace more than earthly goods and temporal abilities, including spiritual endowments and stewardship of grace entrusted for His glory to be invested in His service rather than buried in worldly enterprises, with eternity kept in view so that even humblest service becomes a consecrated gift in doing the Master's bidding. The whole instruction must be studied and compared with the life record, putting away boasting and self-sufficiency, since self-sufficiency is fearfully dangerous, makes Christ's words of no effect, and must give place to humble obedience and wholehearted work.

Mercy Counted as to Christ

The welcome is given because they ministered to Christ himself in feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and coming to those in prison. What is done to one of the least of His brethren, including the sick, poor, afflicted, orphaned and widowed, is counted as done to Him, while neglect is counted as neglect of Him. At the judgment He points to their faithful acts of care for those who suffer for His name as evidence that they are His disciples, and practical compassion for those in need is therefore brought into view in the judgment. Their welcome is connected with the mercy they showed, and caring for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned is counted as service to Christ himself.

Those welcomed are surprised and do not think they have done anything worthy of commendation, asking when they saw Him in such need. They may have known little of theology and been unconscious that they were ministering to Christ, yet Christ counts it as service to himself. Before giving the invitation He recounts their deeds of self-denial, mercy, compassion and righteousness, answering that inasmuch as they did it to one of the least of His brethren they did it to Him. Their limited knowledge does not prevent blessing, for humble people from ordinary circumstances who love and trust Jesus and show practical kindness according to ability are included, having Christ interwoven into character and bringing Him into everyday life.

Christ identifies His interests with fallen man and stands near every day in the person of the afflicted, identifying Himself with the hungry and thirsty, the stranger without shelter, the destitute without clothing, the sick, and the prisoner. God gives wealth to relieve and comfort suffering children and to supply the necessities of life so the poor learn His tender mercies. Acts of love, kind words, prayers for people who suffer or are oppressed, defending His servants from harm and meeting their needs, and relieving the necessities of the afflicted both colored and white, are recorded in heaven and kept on record by the Lord for reward in the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. Taking advantage of a brother when he is in a hard, close and trying place and manifesting a hard, unmerciful spirit toward him can never be approved, and the evil resulting from such wrongdoing will surely be reflected back upon the one who does it.

Those who feast, live in luxury, fill wardrobes, and pursue pleasure while giving only a pittance to the starving and flimsy garments to the freezing, who shut themselves away from the poor and treat them with contempt, neglect Christ Himself and refuse fellowship with Him. They will hear I know you not instead of the call to come and inherit. The poor who suffered while the rich spent their means on pride and luxury will rise in judgment against them, for neglecting the needy while indulging extravagance is failure to honor God and reason for condemnation. Those who have shown no mercy face judgment without mercy, and impatience or unchristlike conduct that makes Christ's religion distasteful to others can contribute to their being lost.

God's grace can work on minds darkened by ignorance to awaken compassion, so that through the Holy Spirit people who lacked informed knowledge of God's law still protect and help His servants. Their mercy is done to Christ and repaid by God when the judgment reveals the record of their deeds. This welcome includes people who had little or no knowledge but heard His voice and did what the law required, proving the Spirit touched their hearts, even helping before they understood the message of truth.

Kingdom Prepared and Bestowed

The kingdom was prepared from the foundation of the world, from creation, from the beginning, by the Father for the blessed. It was made ready because the Lord of glory stepped down from His royal throne, laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown, and took the garments of humanity to stand at the head of humanity. In doing so He gave value to humanity and enabled people through His strength to become conquerors, sons of God, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. Those who love Him, keep His commandments and give their hearts to Him are kept by His power and may look forward to a home in that kingdom.

The kingdom is heaven with its unbounded resources, the holy city with mansions Jesus is preparing, Paradise restored as Adam's innocent home, and the whole earth made new after fire purifies it. It is an incorruptible, everlasting kingdom destined to endure forever, with no more temptation, no more sorrow, no prospect of falling, no Satan to tempt and lead astray, and no death. Receiving it is the reward of those who obey God's principles, overcome, pursue eternal life, consecrate life to God's service, and give mind, heart and intellect to Him. It is made ready since creation for those who truly love God, use short probationary time to learn to serve Him intelligently, improve entrusted talents to bless others, and through divine aid overcome Satan and form perfect characters, whose companions will not be the vile, liars, idolaters, impure or unbelieving.

The blessing makes them heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, sharing Christ's nature. It is lasting and outweighs human praise, favor, hatred or curses. This honor and inheritance surpass every worldly attraction, status, possession, earthly friendship, palace or praise. Having one's name written in the Lamb's Book of Life is a greater privilege than anything earthly. Those who enter as conquerors will understand the blessing because through His grace they did the work given them and helped save others, and will see that fear and distrust were foolish since He freely gives heaven's richest blessings.

The welcome means living forever in communion with Him, echoed throughout heaven, being made partaker of His joy, seeing His face and having His name in their foreheads. Entering into the joy of the Lord is joy over one sinner that repents and seeing the travail of the soul, with fathers beholding the fruit of labor, mothers seeing efforts rewarded in children won to Christ with crowns of life upon their heads, and mothers' names immortalized by angels. The redeemed cast glittering crowns at His feet, take harps, sing redeeming love, worship Father, Son and Holy Spirit, follow angels in triumph, and cry Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. They joyfully reunite and recognize among the ransomed those they helped save, with assurance to faithful workers sent to other lands and to those who sustain them that if they never meet again in this life they will meet there with gladness unspeakable.

The redeemed enter as those who belong there, as children and conquerors and sons of God rather than condemned criminals, beggars, or people pleading for a place. They are freed from sin and imperfection through Christ's blood, having overcome sin and hurtful desires, reflecting the perfection of His character, standing without fault before God and sharing the dignity and privileges of angels. They enter the home Jesus is preparing and are welcomed into their Lord's joy.

The present Come unto Me means walking with Him now in love and satisfaction, filled with His presence and receiving all human nature can bear here, while the future Come, ye blessed means blessedness in an eternity of bliss with fulness of ever-increasing joy as glory continually opens. Heaven is ceaseless approaching to God through Christ, a continuation of coming to God in probationary time, where the longer the redeemed are in bliss the more glory opens, the more they know God the more intense their happiness, and the eternal weight of glory pours wave after wave into mind and heart. The kingdom of grace is being established now as people yield to God's love, fully realized as the kingdom of glory when Christ returns and establishes the kingdom of His glory.

Time of Inheriting Kingdom

They receive the kingdom at His personal advent and second coming, after the dead are raised incorruptible and victorious over death and the living are changed from corruptible to incorruptible and from mortal to immortal. Until then they are heirs rather than recipients, for mortal corruptible people cannot inherit the incorruptible everlasting kingdom, and they inherit it only after Christ comes and by giving immortality, glory, honor and eternal life makes them fit to receive it. He comes literally again not with crown of thorns and mocking robe but as divine conqueror wearing a crown of glory and a robe whiter than white, with ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of angels, and those who loved Him and waited for and loved His appearing meet Him with joy. The righteous dead come forth from their graves and those alive and remaining are caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air to ever be with Him, their warfare accomplished, and together they ascend to heaven to receive eternal life running parallel with the life of Jehovah. The voice that bids them enter the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, from the world's beginning, from creation, is sweeter than any music.

That gathering has not yet happened, but belongs together with the judgment, the second coming, and the establishment of the saints upon the new earth. It is spoken when the end of all things is at hand and the whole world receives sentence, in the great day of final judgment at Christ's coming and judgment, when He separates and welcomes those on His right as people blessed by His Father. Readiness decides whether a person hears this welcome, for those whose characters the Judge of all the earth can vindicate stand before the world glorified and honored because on earth they showed the light and glory of God, and He rewards them according to their works with triumph over death and the grave leading to eternal communion with Christ. Seeing that great reward in store for the faithful should move hearts to reach out after others thirsting for the waters of life, to open the Bible before them, to live as men and women who expect the Lord to come, to have living faith and pray and wrestle with God for His blessing, and then to be anxious for others to receive it.

On that glad day the gates of the city of God, the gates of heaven, swing open and swing back for the nations that have kept the truth to enter in, and a crown is placed on every head. With a retinue of angels and long columns of the heavenly host touching golden harps there are songs of welcome and praise to God and the Lamb, falling on the ear like richest music, spoken in sweetest tones together with Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. It is assurance to faithful workers sent to other lands and to those who sustain them by means that if they never meet again in this life they will meet there, will recognize among the ransomed those they helped save with gladness unspeakable, will receive harp and crown of gold, follow the angels in the song of triumph, cast crowns at His feet crying Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and fill heaven with rich music and songs of redeeming love. The kingdom made ready since creation, prepared from the foundation of the world for the obedient who keep His commandments to do His will, means welcome to the mansions Jesus is preparing, where companions are not the vile of earth, liars, idolaters, the impure or the unbelieving, but those who through divine aid have overcome Satan and his devices, have formed perfect characters, have used the short valuable probationary time to educate themselves to serve Him intelligently with God uniting strength to weakness and disciplining the mind from skepticism to faith, and have improved entrusted talents and faithfully used means to win souls and be a blessing to others.

The weight of testimony places this invitation also to the saints inside the holy city after the thousand years, as the city's gates are about to close and be shut before the curse is pronounced upon the wicked outside. While Satan rallies the raised wicked against the city, the saints are inside beholding the beauty and glory of paradise with Jesus at their head, He withdraws from sight and then calls them to receive the kingdom made ready since creation, and they gather around Him. As He closes the gates the curse is pronounced on the wicked outside and the wicked see what they have lost, to their shame. Then fire from God consumes the wicked in the execution of the judgment they received according to what the saints in union with Jesus decided during the thousand years, and the same fire purifies the whole earth, melting the mountains and the atmosphere and burning up all stubble, and the promised kingdom opens before the saints glorious and beautiful as the whole earth made new, which they inherit with shouts of glory. One early exposition set the same invitation after the final execution of judgment at the second death, when the devil, his angels and all the wicked have been burned up and God makes all things new.

Character of the Blessed

Those who hear the welcome must have a character formed in this life in the likeness of Christ's character, fitting God's picture of what He accepts and educates men and women to become. Their admission to the Holy City rests on a spotless character marked by goodness and faithfulness, revealed in their treatment of others and their stewardship of the Lord's work. Their lives are marked by tenderness, self-denial and benevolence, putting others before themselves and helping those in need, which shows they have lived out the word rather than merely professed it, while selfishness and indifference to suffering grieve Christ.

They are overcomers through the blood of the Lamb who humbly walk with God, give their hearts to Him in faith and obedience, overcome sin, hurtful desires and selfishness, and remain faithful to the end. The good and faithful servants are pronounced blessed when their earthly struggle is over, entering in triumph to everlasting joys including the tree of life as conquerors and sons of God and children of God rather than condemned criminals. This is the hope of sincere followers who rely on God's strength and grace, including the humble African and people of every race, since color does not lessen standing among the blessed.

The kingdom is prepared for the obedient who keep God's commandments and do His will, acknowledging God as ruler by obeying His laws, keeping the truth and entering the Lord's joy, including His Sabbath. It belongs to those who come to the cross in penitence, faith and obedience and give themselves to Jesus to work in Christ's way and win souls, which is described as an election for every soul who responds so, with faithful use of means now leading to harp and crown of gold and happiness in souls saved through personal influence. Those on the right are holy through obedience cooperating in faith and works to restore God's moral image, guarded by angels in the final hour of trial when heaven and earth are shaken, in contrast to those on the left stained by transgression and denying the Saviour by an ungodly life.

Hearing the benediction requires dying to self, surrendering fully to God, becoming as a little child, throwing open the door of the heart and welcoming Jesus as an honored guest who comes only where He is heartily welcome. It requires loving Him who first loved and gave His life, knowing by experimental knowledge what true religion is, seeing His glory which is His character now and revealing that same character in practical life with business practices remodeled after Christ, and without that surrender and transformation the benediction will never be heard. They are sanctified ones exalted to the throne of the Majesty of heaven as eternal reward in the life to come rather than promotion in this life.

They are perfect and holy with holiness of heart producing right actions, fruitful and abounding in every good work, never weary in well-doing, with the mind of Christ, wearing His yoke and learning of Him and becoming like Him in aspiration, in meekness and lowliness and in fragrance of character. They live up to high privileges, remain faithful, press daily upward to perfection of Christian character in conformity to God's will, unite with Him in ascribing praise and honor and glory to God as supreme, and make gaining the kingdom with the righteousness of Christ their first business, while before giving the invitation He recounts their deeds of self-denial, mercy, compassion and righteousness as evidence of fitness for the kingdom made ready since the creation of the world.

They are found fit as members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King, by looking to Jesus, studying the life of Christ and beholding Him and being changed into His likeness, working in Christ's lines, obtaining deeper knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent, receiving the grace of God and the vitalizing Holy Spirit, growing in grace and knowledge and doing the words of Christ. The judgment when the books are opened turns on the character of works, not confined to revolting crimes and outbreaking sins but on neglecting to do what might and ought to have been done, which Christ clothed His divinity with humanity and gave His life to make possible by bringing moral power to fallen man to become transformed in character and a laborer together with God. The gross, sinful, corrupt transgressors and the foolish virgins with lamps of knowledge but no oil, no living connection with God, no saving faith and no growth are frauds left outside the city of God.

A person who remains unconverted, unrenewed and unsanctified, or exalts self, cannot expect the welcome; repentance, conversion and humility are needed, with character renewed to reflect the meek and lowly Jesus. Entrance depends on bringing heaven into home, church and dealings, loving God supremely and neighbor as self, and turning from selfishness and harm by repenting and making restitution, since a peaceful death alone does not assure entrance but the life must show faithful service and a heart in harmony with God and His people. Those who bring children into the world and then forsake a rightful wife and children, leave support on the wife, rob her of means rightfully hers, and fail to confess and pay honest debts are held guilty of neglect and robbery to be proclaimed before the assembled universe when the King separates those who may inherit from those who may not, and only the thoroughly converted inherit.

There is no preparation after Jesus comes, for people retain the character they have then, so jealousy and evil surmising must be daily overcome now to enter, and those who do God's service in a sharp, keen, designing way to make the best showing hold false principles with not one thread of selfishness belonging in God's work, and if continued will be bitterly disappointed to find no place in the kingdom. A progressive education in the knowledge of God, gained by standing in right relation with Him, prepares people to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world for God's faithful ones. That preparation is progressive sanctification as with Daniel, striving to obtain knowledge of God and thereby receiving wisdom, understanding and intelligence far above human knowledge, with God communing with the seeker as with Daniel and his companions and giving power that will prevail, while lives shaped by the Spirit and sanctified by grace live in harmony with Christ's righteous life with no place for strife and contention.

Receiving with Christ the kingdom made ready since the creation of the world depends on redeeming the short probationary time to work, keeping Christian character without blot in business dealings, keeping garments unspotted from the world, refusing to enter surrounding temptations, and obtaining strength from Christ to stand unsullied amid the pollutions of this corrupt age. It requires escaping the corruption in the world through lust by the exceeding great and precious promises so as to become partakers of the divine nature, keeping the eye steadily fixed on Christ and the divine image, and imitating His spotless life, which makes a person a partaker of His glory.

Faith Works and Stewardship

The kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world is at stake in how people use what has been committed to them, for the welcome belongs to the parable of the entrusted talents. Those talents embrace more than earthly goods and temporal abilities and employments, including spiritual endowments, eternal interests, and stewardship of grace as a loan from the Master to be invested for His glory. Christ paid with His own blood and sufferings to secure entire obedience and service, making each person a steward with endowments for a sacred higher trust. These gifts must be used to advance His glory rather than buried in worldly enterprises or used merely to accumulate worldly goods, with eternity kept in view. Even the humblest service becomes a consecrated gift when exercised in doing the Master's bidding and promoting His glory.

Having one's name in the church book does not secure entrance into the kingdom, for God rewards servants who use opportunities and abilities with self-denying zeal to bring souls to Christ. The sentence welcoming the blessed is in keeping with what they have done or left undone, in feeding, welcoming, clothing, and visiting those in need as acts done to Christ. Such works make character visible; covered by Christ's merit they testify fitness to inherit, but they do not earn eternal life apart from faith. Profession of faith alone does not count as genuine, for love shown through works is evidence of genuine faith resulting from justification by faith as its fruit. Even small acts done from love are accepted and rewarded by God, with the whole human family standing before a Judge who makes no mistakes and uses no compulsion, threats, harsh words, or condemnation.

The invitation to inherit points to salvation offered through faith in Christ as personal Saviour; all may be saved though not all will be because some do not believe. Dwelling with Christ in His kingdom is given to those who live to do good, because a life of doing good proves they are children of God. A kind, loving heart is worth more than all the riches in the world.

The judgment examines how each person used abilities, time, resources, influence, and truth entrusted by God, including influence upon others and whether Christ was served by helping the poor, afflicted, orphaned, widowed, hungry, naked, and suffering. The King receives those who use His entrusted property rightly, employing money, tact, skill, and worldly treasure to relieve suffering, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, help the widow and fatherless in destitution, draw near in love to members of His family, and advance the gospel as producers and channels of blessing revealing His attributes. To receive the kingdom made ready since creation is to use the short probationary time to be educated to serve intelligently, with God uniting strength to weakness, disciplining the mind from skepticism to faith, and improving entrusted talents to bless others and overcome Satan. Position, clever schemes, sharp dealing, and accumulated riches count for nothing. Those who withhold His means from the poor, live in luxury while ignoring their cries, love to be thought rich, practice oppression, double dealing, fraud, and robbery of His glory, and fail as receivers but not producers, are rejected as unfaithful servants and lose heavenly treasure and their own souls. Neglect makes a person answerable not only for wrongs committed but for good that might have been accomplished through opportunities and qualifications Christ made available.

Possessions belong to God, and in His sight no one is owner but only a trustee accountable for using means in advancing the work Christ came to do rather than on selfish indulgence. Whether one talent, two, or five, not a farthing is to be squandered on selfish indulgence. God will call every steward to account for that stewardship, an accountability that should cause fear and trembling.

Faithful unselfish workers who labor together with God will hear the welcome with honor, an unfading crown, and a new name. Entrance into a happy world with everlasting life, no more temptation, sorrows, prospect of falling, Satan, or death, is sufficient reward for those who give hearts to God, humbly take up appointed work, remain faithful to the end, make sacrifices, and work to bring souls into light by opening the Scriptures, praying, and urging acceptance of Jesus. This includes workers sent to other lands and those who sustain them by means, for both active soul-winning service and giving to sustain workers share alike in the reward. If they never meet again in this life they will meet there, recognize among the ransomed those they helped save, and join in casting crowns at His feet and filling heaven with songs of redeeming love. Their labor is shown to have borne fruit in souls saved through God's mercy and the Redeemer's love, and faithful use of means now leads to receiving harp and crown of gold, following angels in triumph in the city of God, and finding happiness in seeing souls saved through personal influence. To receive the welcome is to enter into the joy of the Lord, which is joy in the presence of angels over one sinner that repents, giving full satisfaction to every reaper when the redeemed meet in the mansions prepared for them and shout the harvest home. Proclaiming the warning message even under persecution is part of that faithful work that leads to the glad day when gates open for the nations that have kept the truth to enter in.

Jesus remembers the good works of His children, and no act of self-sacrificing devotion to His cause is forgotten. At the last day He recognizes humble service and faithfulness in ordinary daily life without seeking praise or profit. Reward is not for eloquent speech, intellectual ability, or large gifts, but for small acts of care such as feeding the hungry, giving a cup of cold water, or speaking a timely word, which 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, for service to even the least of His brethren is service to Christ.

The instruction of Matthew 25:14-46 must be studied and compared with the life record, rebuking boasting and self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency is fearfully dangerous and makes the words of Christ of no effect, so it must be put away for humble obedience. Christ welcomes as blessed those who faithfully do the work entrusted while He is away, serving wholeheartedly and preparing for His return, receiving them with honor into the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. God's people may inherit the things prepared from the foundation of the world by living in harmony with Christ's righteous life.

Divine love removes selfishness and covetousness from the heart, leading to faithful tithes and offerings and God's blessing for those who remain faithful to the end and enter the heavenly city. Selfishness and covetousness, including taking excessive wages at the expense of others and refusing to reform to just unselfish principles in wages and work, place a person in spiritual danger. One who so refuses will not see the King in His beauty, for choices in this life determine eternal destiny bound up with the final judgment.

All Peoples Invited Equally

The welcome into the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world is for all who overcome through the blood of the Lamb and give themselves to Christ, hearing and obeying the truth. They are made children of God by the Holy Spirit and joint heirs with Christ, cleansed by His blood applied by faith, fitted for the society of the redeemed and angels, with their names written side by side in the book of life. Ignorant and wise, rich and poor, heathen and slave, white or black, red man, Chinaman, or African are one in Christ, for birth, station, nationality, or color can neither elevate nor degrade, and character alone makes the man. Jesus loves the obedient believer none the less for color and calls him well beloved brother, and the welcome is spoken amid long columns of the heavenly host on the right and left of the throne of God touching golden harps with songs of welcome and praise to God and the Lamb.

On that day kings and lordly men of earth would gladly exchange places with the humblest African who laid hold on the hope of the gospel and receives the prepared kingdom. Believers, including the poor, are heirs of an immortal inheritance that Christ will give them in that day, so poverty does not lessen standing as a child of God nor justify neglect or oppression.

Those welcomed include humble people in ordinary circumstances who love and trust Jesus and according to ability show practical kindness to others, though they may know little of theology and be surprised when their care for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned is named as service to Christ. They are those who use God-given talents in His service, overcome through divine aid, and are cleansed from sin through Christ, entering the mansions Jesus prepares and sharing the dignity and privileges of angels. Christ pronounces blessing upon the poor and upon those who help the poor and lighten their burden, so work that gathers in the poorer class to obey the truth is good blessed work. Faithful training of children can help both parents and children be among those who receive the blessing when they enter the city of God, for children properly fitted for it may enter that better world and rest there forever seeing the Father.

The welcome includes the lowly among the nations and among the heathen who befriended the suffering even at peril of life, who worshiped God ignorantly without light brought by human instrumentality, who heard His voice in nature though ignorant of the written law and did the things the law required. Their mercy in protecting and helping God's servants proves the Holy Spirit touched their hearts, so they are recognized as children of God born into the heavenly family, having cherished His principles and been a blessing to those about them. Even those who never heard the message of salvation may receive the blessing when they have acted on the light they had and done the works of God, and they are surprised and gladdened by words of approval in which Infinite Love rejoices in their joy. The Father from His throne numbers these unselfish workers among His most precious treasures, and angels are sent to minister to them as those who shall overcome and share the inheritance, seeking them throughout the earth without neglecting one, because God has equal care for all souls He has created.

Those whom the self-righteous Pharisees scorned but who accepted Christ as Redeemer will be gathered into His kingdom when He comes in glory, while hypocrites and unbelievers will receive a different portion. The righteous saved in the kingdom of God inside the gates of the city are beheld by the wicked left outside looking on, to their shame and terrible awakening. That awakening comes too late because they made their choice and decided their own destiny, having when opportunity to repent and be converted was offered dishonored their Redeemer, scorned mercy, refused to acknowledge the love of God, and chosen the service of Satan on his side of the controversy.

Call to Prepare Now

Present self-examination is urgent because standing in the future crisis when the division between right hand and left is made will depend on faithfulness to God. The welcome to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world is the promised final reward for those who gain victory in life's battles, who will cast their crowns at Jesus' feet and join heaven's praise, and it calls for accepting Jesus who paid an infinite price.

Seeing that great reward in store for the faithful when the end of all things is at hand should move hearts to reach out after others who thirst for the waters of life by opening the Bible before them. Readiness decides whether a person hears the welcome to enter the city and inherit the kingdom, so believers are to live as men and women who expect the Lord to come, with living faith, praying and wrestling with God for His blessing and then anxious for others to receive it.

Those who have not worked for Christ, accepted no responsibility, and lived to please themselves will be placed with those who did evil and receive the same condemnation when the Judge separates people according to lives and deeds. The judgment, when the books are opened and the dead are judged according to their works, turns not only on revolting crimes and outbreaking sins but on neglecting to do what might have been done and ought to have been done, which Christ made possible by clothing divinity with humanity and giving His life to bring moral power for transformation of character and labor together with God. Neglect of those who could have been helped brings condemnation, and the needy bear witness against those who neglected them. Those who inherit are those found fit as members of the royal family and children of the heavenly King, who by looking to Jesus, studying His life, beholding Him and being changed into His likeness, work in His lines, obtain deeper knowledge of God, receive grace and the vitalizing Holy Spirit, grow in grace and knowledge, and do His words, while gross corrupt transgressors and foolish virgins with lamps of knowledge but no oil, no living connection, no saving faith and no growth are frauds left outside the city.

The welcome is connected with practical care to people in need because mercy to them is counted as done to Christ, and people are accountable both for how they treat others and for whether they share the light of truth received. It will be spoken only to those whose heart and course are in harmony with the spirit and work of Jesus in keeping God's commandments with sympathy, help, comfort and Christlike love toward the needy, afflicted and oppressed, relieving them, judging the fatherless and pleading for the widow. Lifting the soul to vanity while thinking oneself exalted in divine favor, neglecting the needy, turning a deaf ear to the oppressed, hardening the heart, and speaking sharp cutting words offends God daily and forfeits the welcome. Every neglect of God's suffering ones is written in heaven's books as if shown to Christ Himself, and lack of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit follows such neglect.

The promise is a hope for the resurrection morning and for being with the blessed around God's throne with Christ's righteousness imputed. It is spoken at last to those who give their hearts to God, in humility take up appointed work and remain faithful to the end, who have labored together with God with sacrifice to bring souls into light by opening the Scriptures, praying and urging acceptance of Jesus as Saviour. It is sufficient reward, entrance into a happy world with everlasting life, with no more temptation, no more sorrows, no prospect of falling, no Satan to tempt and lead astray, and no death, for those who have so lived that their righteousness has gone before them and the glory of the Lord has been their rearward.