Dear brothers and sisters-in-Christ,
You are right and correct to say that the way Jesus has taught has always been the opposite of what people may want to hear. On many occasions, the unbelieving Jews got angry with Jesus because of what He taught. They plotted to kill Him and they did, in order to show that His teachings were unacceptable.
The truth about the parable of the sheep and the goats is the truth of ‘Judgment Day’, that will stand whether it is received or rejected. Those who will not think of themselves to be included on the Day of Reckoning to come, will not change the truth of what God has determined in His will to do.
Matthew 25:31 to 33, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.”
We may realize that in the judgment of the sheep (believers) and the goats (unbelievers), there is no middle ground. It is either to the right or left and that’s that. The identities of the sheep and the goats will be revealed. No goats can by mistake be included amongst the sheep anymore than the sheep can be mistaken to be goats. No goat can come in sheep’s clothing still and pretend that they are sheep for whatever marks of pretenses and hypocrisy will be uncovered. It may not be obvious now but it will be when sheep will come out as sheep and goats will come out as goats. To the goats on His left, they would depart into eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, the sheep on His right hand will come into eternal life and will inherit His kingdom. Both eternal destinies will last forever but know for the truth that it will be one or the other, in eternal misery in hell or eternal bliss in heaven.
Secondly, the truth of the judgment of the sheep and goats is based on what you do. A person who has genuinely received Christ will produce good works. What differentiates “a living faith” of sheep from “a dead faith” of the goats is the presence of good works. Matthew 25:35-37, “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?”
Any work that is done for Christ is regarded as good work, and faith in Christ is the key upon which your work and my work will be evaluated. Faith alone saves but the faith that is saving faith is never without good works, to glorify God.
Pastor Douglas Ho
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow
One afternoon, out of the blue, an insurance agent said to me, “You’re still around.” It was a double-barrel shot. It could have been a statement or a rhetorical question. My instant reply was “God is good. God is merciful. God is love!”
Recently, Pastor Ho asked me, “Are you afraid of death?” My immediate reply was a resounding “No!” I added to be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord. Lately, so many brethren are concerned about my age and health. But only one asked me what I took and ate that made me hale and healthy. My one and only reply was “Thank God!” According to God’s Word, our average life span is ‘…threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away’ Psalm 90:10. This is a good and generous benchmark.
My host of ailments from head to toe is literal – from macular degeneration, heart attack to benign prostatitis, irritable bowel syndrome and ingrown toe nails. By God’s mercy, I am still blessed with mobility, clarity of mind and the equally priceless and precious gifts of sight, sound, speech, smell and touch. By God’s grace, I live one day at a time. Every morning, when I open my eyes, I humbly kneel down and thank God for another day. It is really another bonus from our merciful, wonderful and gracious God. Thank God, I always remember His injunction in Psalm 50:23, ‘Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.’ How crisp and crystal clear!
Apart from blessing me with a clear and sound mind, our Lord has also blessed me with spiritual eyes and ears. Praise God, despite the many trials and tribulations. He strengthens and helps me to be strong in Him. Hence, I will never exchange Jesus for all the gold in the world. ‘For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?’ Matthew 16:26. Praise Jesus, our Lord, our God, our All.
Thank God, I live one day at a time. I have no plans what I shall do next day, next week, next month or next year. On 11 August 2010, our good Lord blessed me with another year under my belt. Praise God for giving me a thankful and grateful heart. By His grace, I praise and thank Him ceaselessly while taking a walk, riding on an MRT train, a bus or waiting outside a specialist clinic. The onset of my macular degeneration increases my deep gratitude to God. We often take His gifts for granted, especially the gifts of the five senses. May God forgive us. Without sight, we cannot see, let alone read God’s Holy Word or write testimonies praising Him. Also, how awful and dreadful it would be to live in this world without sound or speech. Being deaf and dumb is a great and frustrating handicap. May God forgive us for we often take His blessing, love and mercy for granted.
Thank God for blessing me with this gift of ceaseless prayer, interceding for friends, neighbours and my loved ones. Jesus is always in my mind anywhere, everywhere and at anytime. What a great joy it is to honour and thank Him every moment of my life. Praise God! To God be the glory, honour and majesty as I await His deliverance. Truly, all that thrills my soul is our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. But in Heaven, I will see Him, enjoy Him and glorify Him to no end.
Thus with great joy and gladness, I look forward to be with Christ, basking in His everlasting love, light and delight when I see Him face to face in heaven.
Gratefully and joyfully in Christ,
Andrew Lum