Avoiding the Burning Pile
Salvation is by faith alone. Good works are simply a byproduct of real faith.
I woke up this morning confronted by a conundrum. I have been rather bugged by how many goats are in the churches and especially running the churches. It is obvious by how these people treat each other and those they deem as less than...the least.
Although kindness is not what they are doing, it seemed to me this morning that being kind in itself IS a good work, and thus not required for salvation.
So then, how is Jesus going to judge the goats for not being good when, faith is what is required?
Yes, a Conundrum.
In the morning, I like to sit on my porch swing with coffee and our dog Coco, who we call Little Man. Here I talk to God and often He talks with me. With the sun out, coffee getting my blood to move, the Holy Spirit brings clarity.
I've known for a while that almost all of the biblical parables and historical events show a primary interest by God for faith in mankind. Faith is what the talents represent. Faith is the plants that the seeds grow. Faith is the found treasure. Faith is what offers the grace to be saved.
It IS what matters. Faith is the fruit, the harvest that Jesus Christ is looking for.
Luke 18:7-8
7. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
8. I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
When He comes, will He find faith. This is where the master comes to the fruit tree to harvest.
He will reap what He has sown and then He will burn the weeds.
Matthew 13:24-30
24. Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
26. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27. "The owner's servants came to him and said, `Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
28. "`An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, `Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
29. "`No,' he answered, `because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them.
30. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"
Weeds, they are the pervasive plants that are selfish enough to choke out all the other plants around them. They are the bain of any gardener.
The weeds are the goats.
So the weeds/goats are selfish and unkind, especially to the actual plants, the wheat/least that should be producing faith.
Yet it seems like the weeds/goats are being judged by works.
Well, because they are.
OK, better explained is that God is going to judge ALL by works.
The Day of Judgement
Revelation 20:11-12
11. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
12. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
13. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.
According to what they had done.
"That is works!"
Yes, yes, it is.
Ah, but truth happens when you continue in His Word...
Revelation 20:14-15
14. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
15. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Written in the Book of Life.
Revelation 13:8
16. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
Luke 10:19-20
19. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
20. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
The only way to get your name written in heaven, written in the Book of Life, is to BELIEVE, or have FAITH in God through Jesus Christ.
This Judgement IS the separation of the sheep and the goats!
They are separated by FAITH. Faith offers the free pass that all the salvation messages speak of. This is the free gift paid for by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Yet Faith is exposed or revealed by love- which is kindness as part of all good works. The goats/weeds are NOT kind. They may act like it to raise self, even healing the sick, casting out demons, and the like, but they are unkind to the wheat/least.
So, the judgement is not about works, but purely FAITH, it's just that those without faith, because they never got away from a pursuit to become, or "be like" God, will be judged by the Law which IS a written form of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. A Rule, a Knowledge, that exposes their complete inability to become God, who IS perfect.
"How do you know this?"
Simple, if you look at the Judgement of the Sheep and the Goats, you can see The Master's response as to why they are cast aside..."Depart from me, I never knew you!"
Never KNEW you.
"Knowing" someone is relational. You can't have faith in someone you don't know. Especially if you don't accept them as they are.
This is why God hates idol worship. An idol is a very poor, incorrect representation of God. It IS the worship of something that WE want to be God, but is not.
Faith is the ENTIRE reason for this universe. The universe is the field. People are the plants, or livestock. Jesus is the Farmer.
Will He find faith?
Will He find relationship.
Will He know you?
If you seek Him, you will find Him.
If you don't, you won't.
That IS His promise, and He never goes back on a promise. He is perfect after all.