Matthew - Day 33: Jesus Clarifies The End Destinations
With eternity, there’s an option that’s better than we can ever fathom, than our imagination can grasp, that will bring us complete joy, excite- ment, satisfaction, happiness, purpose, and any other good feeling you can think of. And it will never end. Eternal Bliss. And then there’s an option that will be worse than we can fathom, worse than our nightmares can grasp, that will bring us terror, pain, sadness, torment, suffering, and any other terrible feeling you can think of. And it, too, will never end. Eternal Suffering.
From a completely objective, worldly point of view as I look at those two lists it’s pretty clear which I prefer, right? As I think about myself and my comfort and enjoyment, I know which option I choose. Often, I would do anything to avoid the option I don’t want. And I live my life not doing anything to aleviate the option I don’t want.
But here’s the thing: When we start thinking that way, we can very easily be misguided. Here’s what I mean: If I think I can choose to follow Christ simply because I don’t want to go to Hell after I die, the place of eternal conscious suffering, then I can be sure I’m NOT going to experience option #1, eternal bliss. But rather I am going to experience exactly what I’m hoping to avoid.
We don’t get to enter into the eternity of our choice by wanting that more than the alternative and doing everything we can (living a good life doing good things…even a life obedient to Jesus) to get it. WE CHOOSE OUR ETERNITY BY KNOWING AND LOVING JESUS.
Read Matthew 25:31-46
Q: What do the groups mentioned in these passages have in common?
Q: How does a final judgment for unbelievers make you feel?
Q: How can we reconcile a final judgment of unbelievers with a loving God? How can carrying out justice be seen as an act of love?
Q: How does a judgment for unbelievers promote the need for evangelism (the sharing of the good news)?
For Further Study: Ecclesiastes 12:14, Matthew 12:36, Romans 2:1-11, Revelation 20:11-15