LET ME BE A KEEPER!

Matthew 13:47-51

This parable is a look at the Judgment Day, that Day when the righteous and the unrighteous will be judged, one to their reward, and one to their punishment. To the Corinthians, Paul wrote: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).

I don’t know about you but when God pulls His net to the shore, I want to be a "keeper".

God’s Great Dragnet of Judgment Will Include Us All.

The drag net was a huge net that was drawn along between two boats. It was meant to catch everything in its path.

Jesus is affirming here what He just taught in the parable of the weeds, that the righteous and unrighteous will live side by side until the day comes when the angels will begin the work of separating the two.

With a dragnet, the fish were not aware that they were caught in the net until the end when the net tightened and they understood the situation they were in.

The Kingdom in Heaven Includes Only Some.

On the Day of Judgment, the angels will separate those who will remain in the Kingdom of Heaven from those who will be removed.

This is where Christianity becomes offensive to people. The Truth of God, written in His word, is that the Kingdom is exclusive to the righteous.

Jesus teaches that there will be a separation and the criteria that will be used is righteousness, the Kingdom is exclusively for the righteous.

Paul tells us in Romans 3:10 - "There is no one righteous, not even one."

Romans 3:23 says that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12).

"Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:18-19).

"…and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith" (Phil 3:9).

In the end, the wicked and the righteous will be separated. Only the righteous will enter into the Kingdom in Heaven.

Holiness is a condition of the heart and soul resulting in total surrender of your will to the will of God.

Holiness is a condition of the heart that controls the mind and tells the body what to do and not to do so that it may please God and not offend the Word of God or the righteousness of Christ.

Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

One of the hardest teachings in the Bible - Hell is a reality and it is punishment for those who have rejected the Gift of the Kingdom that God.

Scripture teaches us what Hell will be like,

Eternal Fire – Mark 9:43, Matt 25:41

Conscious of your suffering – Luke 16:19-31

Aware of the choice you made – Luke 16:19-31

No second chance – Luke 16:19-31, Hebrews 9:27

Many will go there – Matt 7:13-14

Darkness, Solitude - Jude 13, Matt 25:30

No Rest or Relief - Rev 9:10-11

Separation from God – 2 Thes 1:9

Hell is not Satan’s home, it is His punishment. Hell was created for the Devil to punish him for his rebellion against God.

"Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41).

"And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10).

All of us have the choice, God’s way or our own way. God’s way brings us a righteousness through Christ and an eternity in the Kingdom, our way may bring us pleasure for a time but it will lead to us being cast out of the Kingdom and into an eternity apart from God in Hell, that’s the only alternative.