This statement may upset a few folks who prefer a more rigid theological discussion, but I can't think of a better way to say it.
When you boil it down, there is only one sin that, at the final judgement, inevitably results in eternal condemnation. That's not a theological statement, but rather a practical statement of how it's going to work out.
I'm not saying that it's okay to commit sin as long as you don't commit this one sin. Sin is anything that falls short of God's perfection and essence, whether it's an attitude or heart pattern, something you did, or something you didn't do that God thinks you should have.
All sin is ugly and horribly wrong. Any sin and every sin makes you incompatible with God because it means that your essence is incompatible with His essence. Any sin and every sin will be judged. But all sin can be forgiven, except for this one.
Reading between the lines in this passage and looking at it from the totality of scripture, the sheep actually have a lot in common with the goats. Both groups are fully human. Both groups were born under sin. Both have deep sin in their lives, both have committed innumerable sins and fallen horribly short of the target, both have done far more than enough to warrant eternal separation from God.
Getting past what both groups have in common, there are also many differences. But one difference trumps all the others. This is the difference that is the basis for all of the other differences. This is the difference that lets the sheep display true evidence of salvation in their lives. All by itself, it is the deal-breaker or the deal-maker.
The deal-breaker/deal-maker difference will be the answer you give when God asks, "What did you do with my Son?" Okay, that may not be the exact scene and you may not get asked that exact question, but you get the picture. Whether your name is found in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 20:12) will depend on whether you have been bought, washed, and transformed by Jesus Christ the Messiah, not whether you led a sinless life. Which you haven't. Not even close.
Since being redeemed by Jesus washes away all sin, the only sin that inevitably results in eternal condemnation is the sin of rejecting Jesus, which is the sin of refusing to be redeemed by Him. All sin counts and all sin will be judged, but this is the one thing that -- all by itself -- makes or breaks the whole deal.
Whatever you do, don't reject Jesus! He died for your sins, so ask for and accept His forgiveness. He was raised again so that He could (along with the Father and the Holy Spirit) transform your very essence and bear Kingdom fruit worthy of His true sheep. Let Him. Cry out for Him do whatever He wants in you, through you, and around you.
Be broken before Him. Being broken before Him doesn't make much sense until you experience it for yourself. Then it makes more sense than maybe anything else possibly could. Ask Him for that.
I'm convinced that no matter how much I surrender to Him and no matter how much I'm transformed in this life, the time will come when I stand before Him, look back to my life here and say, "Why didn't I do more, change more, love better, walk better? Why didn't I follow Him harder, let Him cut deeper, surrender more fully? I could have done so much more!" And He who has loved me through it all will keep on loving me.
Why have I ever told Him "No" ? Why have I ever dragged my heels, kicking and screaming, and run off at the first chance? Why? I've done all of that. But I've also trusted in His shed blood and what He did for me on the cross, I've asked for all the forgiveness I can think of to ask, I've begged and cried out and pleaded for Him to work faster in my life, to use me to faithfully express His heart. I've told Him many times that I'm totally dependent on Him not giving up on me. I've done some things right but I've also fallen so very short so many times. Yet, through it all, I'm counting exclusively on Him as my Lord and blessed Saviour.
Jesus is my one and only hope for rescue.
My life without Him? Trash.
Trusting, believing, and surrendering to Him? Pure gold. I refuse to commit the sin that condemns.
When you boil it down, there is only one sin that, at the final judgement, inevitably results in eternal condemnation. That's not a theological statement, but rather a practical statement of how it's going to work out.
I'm not saying that it's okay to commit sin as long as you don't commit this one sin. Sin is anything that falls short of God's perfection and essence, whether it's an attitude or heart pattern, something you did, or something you didn't do that God thinks you should have.
All sin is ugly and horribly wrong. Any sin and every sin makes you incompatible with God because it means that your essence is incompatible with His essence. Any sin and every sin will be judged. But all sin can be forgiven, except for this one.
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats." (Matthew 25: 31-32)So,what is the difference between the sheep and the goats, between those who will spend eternity with God and those who won't?
Reading between the lines in this passage and looking at it from the totality of scripture, the sheep actually have a lot in common with the goats. Both groups are fully human. Both groups were born under sin. Both have deep sin in their lives, both have committed innumerable sins and fallen horribly short of the target, both have done far more than enough to warrant eternal separation from God.
Getting past what both groups have in common, there are also many differences. But one difference trumps all the others. This is the difference that is the basis for all of the other differences. This is the difference that lets the sheep display true evidence of salvation in their lives. All by itself, it is the deal-breaker or the deal-maker.
The deal-breaker/deal-maker difference will be the answer you give when God asks, "What did you do with my Son?" Okay, that may not be the exact scene and you may not get asked that exact question, but you get the picture. Whether your name is found in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 20:12) will depend on whether you have been bought, washed, and transformed by Jesus Christ the Messiah, not whether you led a sinless life. Which you haven't. Not even close.
Since being redeemed by Jesus washes away all sin, the only sin that inevitably results in eternal condemnation is the sin of rejecting Jesus, which is the sin of refusing to be redeemed by Him. All sin counts and all sin will be judged, but this is the one thing that -- all by itself -- makes or breaks the whole deal.
Whatever you do, don't reject Jesus! He died for your sins, so ask for and accept His forgiveness. He was raised again so that He could (along with the Father and the Holy Spirit) transform your very essence and bear Kingdom fruit worthy of His true sheep. Let Him. Cry out for Him do whatever He wants in you, through you, and around you.
Be broken before Him. Being broken before Him doesn't make much sense until you experience it for yourself. Then it makes more sense than maybe anything else possibly could. Ask Him for that.
I'm convinced that no matter how much I surrender to Him and no matter how much I'm transformed in this life, the time will come when I stand before Him, look back to my life here and say, "Why didn't I do more, change more, love better, walk better? Why didn't I follow Him harder, let Him cut deeper, surrender more fully? I could have done so much more!" And He who has loved me through it all will keep on loving me.
Why have I ever told Him "No" ? Why have I ever dragged my heels, kicking and screaming, and run off at the first chance? Why? I've done all of that. But I've also trusted in His shed blood and what He did for me on the cross, I've asked for all the forgiveness I can think of to ask, I've begged and cried out and pleaded for Him to work faster in my life, to use me to faithfully express His heart. I've told Him many times that I'm totally dependent on Him not giving up on me. I've done some things right but I've also fallen so very short so many times. Yet, through it all, I'm counting exclusively on Him as my Lord and blessed Saviour.
Jesus is my one and only hope for rescue.
My life without Him? Trash.
Trusting, believing, and surrendering to Him? Pure gold. I refuse to commit the sin that condemns.
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